youmustnotbeillto-day,forthiseveningourweddingwilltakeplace."

"ihavegonethroughthemostterribleaffairthatcouldpossiblyhappen,"saidtheshadow;"onlyimagine,myshadowhasgonemad;isupposesuchapoor,shallowbrain,couldnotbearmuch;hefanciesthathehasbecomearealman,andthatiamhisshadow."

"howveryterrible,"criedtheprincess;"ishelockedup?"

"ohyes,certainly;forifearhewillneverrecover."

"poorshadow!"saidtheprincess;"itisveryunfortunateforhim;itwouldreallybeagooddeedtofreehimfromhisfrailexistence;and,indeed,whenithinkhowoftenpeopletakethepartofthelowerclassagainstthehigher,inthesedays,itwouldbepolicytoputhimoutofthewayquietly."

"itiscertainlyratherharduponhim,forhewasafaithfulservant,"saidtheshadow;andhepretendedtosigh.

"yoursisanoblecharacter,"saidtheprincess,andbowedherselfbeforehim.

intheeveningthewholetownwasilluminated,andcannonsfired"boom,"andthesoldierspresentedarms.itwasindeedagrandwedding.theprincessandtheshadowsteppedoutonthebalconytoshowthemselves,andtoreceiveonecheermore.butthelearnedmanheardnothingofallthesefestivities,forhehadalreadybeenexecuted.

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

theshepherdessandthesheep

byhanschristianandersen

haveyoueverseenanoldwoodencupboardquiteblackwithage,andornamentedwithcarvedfoliageandcuriousfigures?well,justsuchacupboardstoodinaparlor,andhadbeenlefttothefamilyasalegacybythegreat-grandmother.itwascoveredfromtoptobottomwithcarvedrosesandtulips;themostcuriousscrollsweredrawnuponit,andoutofthempeepedlittlestags'heads,withantlers.inthemiddleofthecupboarddoorwasthecarvedfigureofamanmostridiculoustolookat.hegrinnedatyou,fornoonecouldcallitlaughing.hehadgoat'slegs,littlehornsonhishead,andalongbeard;thechildrenintheroomalwayscalledhim,"majorgeneral-field-sergeant-commanderbilly-goat's-legs."itwascertainlyaverydifficultnametopronounce,andthereareveryfewwhoeverreceivesuchatitle,butthenitseemedwonderfulhowhecametobecarvedatall;yettherehewas,alwayslookingatthetableunderthelooking-glass,wherestoodaveryprettylittleshepherdessmadeofchina.hershoesweregilt,andherdresshadaredroseoranornament.sheworeahat,andcarriedacrook,thatwerebothgilded,andlookedverybrightandpretty.closebyhersidestoodalittlechimney-sweep,asblackascoal,andalsomadeofchina.hewas,however,quiteascleanandneatasanyotherchinafigure;heonlyrepresentedablackchimney-sweep,andthechinaworkersmightjustaswellhavemadehimaprince,hadtheyfeltinclinedtodoso.hestoodholdinghisladderquitehandily,andhisfacewasasfairandrosyasagirl's;indeed,thatwasratheramistake,itshouldhavehadsomeblackmarksonit.heandtheshepherdesshadbeenplacedclosetogether,sidebyside;and,beingsoplaced,theybecameengagedtoeachother,fortheywereverywellsuited,beingbothmadeofthesamesortofchina,andbeingequallyfragile.closetothemstoodanotherfigure,threetimesaslargeastheywere,andalsomadeofchina.hewasanoldchinaman,whocouldnodhishead,andusedtopretendthathewasthegrandfatheroftheshepherdess,althoughhecouldnotproveit.hehoweverassumedauthorityoverher,andthereforewhen"major-general-field-sergeant-commanderbilly-goat's-legs"askedforthelittleshepherdesstobehiswife,henoddedhisheadtoshowthatheconsented."youwillhaveahusband,"saidtheoldchinamantoher,"whoireallybelieveismadeofmahogany.hewillmakeyoualadyofmajor-general-field-sergeant-commanderbilly-goat's-legs.hehasthewholecupboardfullofsilverplate,whichhekeepslockedupinsecretdrawers."

"iwon'tgointothedarkcupboard,"saidthelittleshepherdess."ihaveheardthathehaselevenchinawivestherealready."

"thenyoushallbethetwelfth,"saidtheoldchinaman."to-nightassoonasyouheararattlingintheoldcupboard,youshallbemarried,astrueasiamachinaman;"andthenhenoddedhisheadandfellasleep.

thenthelittleshepherdesscried,andlookedathersweetheart,thechinachimney-sweep."imustentreatyou,"saidshe,"togooutwithmeintothewideworld,forwecannotstayhere."

"iwilldowhateveryouwish,"saidthelittlechimney-sweep;"letusgoimmediately:ithinkishallbeabletomaintainyouwithmyprofession."

"ifwewerebutsafelydownfromthetable!"