tellhimiwillgivehimtenkisses,asididtheotherday;theremainderoneofmyladiescangivehim.
"butwedonotliketokisshim"saidtheladies.
"thatisnonsense,"saidtheprincess;"ificankisshim,youcanalsodoit.rememberthatigiveyoufoodandemployment."andtheladyhadtogodownoncemore.
"ahundredkissesfromtheprincess,"saidtheswineherd,"oreverybodykeepshisown."
"placeyourselvesbeforeme,"saidtheprincessthen.theydidastheywerebidden,andtheprincesskissedhim.
"iwonderwhatthatcrowdnearthepigstymeans!"saidtheemperor,whohadjustcomeoutonhisbalcony.herubbedhiseyesandputhisspectacleson.
"theladiesofthecourtareuptosomemischief,ithink.ishallhavetogodownandsee."hepulleduphisshoes,fortheyweredownattheheels,andhewasveryquickaboutit.whenhehadcomedownintothecourtyardhewalkedquitesoftly,andtheladiesweresobusilyengagedincountingthekisses,thatallshouldbefair,thattheydidnotnoticetheemperor.heraisedhimselfontiptoe.
"whatdoesthismean?"hesaid,whenhesawthathisdaughterwaskissingtheswineherd,andthenhittheirheadswithhisshoejustastheswineherdreceivedthesixty-eighthkiss.
"gooutofmysight,"saidtheemperor,forhewasveryangry;andboththeprincessandtheswineherdwerebanishedfromthereshestoodandcried,theswineherdscoldedher,andtheraincamedownintorrents.
"alas,unfortunatecreaturethatiam!"saidtheprincess,"iwishihadacceptedtheprince.oh,howwretchediam!"
theswineherdwentbehindatree,wipedhisface,threwoffhispoorattireandsteppedforthinhisprincelygarments;helookedsobeautifulthattheprincesscouldnothelpbowingtohim.
"ihavenowlearnttodespiseyou,"hesaid."yourefusedanhonestprince;youdidnotappreciatetheroseandthenightingale;butyoudidnotmindkissingaswineherdforhistoys;youhavenoonebutyourselftoblame!"
andthenhereturnedintohiskingdomandleftherbehind.shecouldnowsingatherleisure:
"ajollyoldsowoncelivedinasty,
threelittlepiggieshasshe,"&c.
theend.
1872
fairytalesofhanschristianandersen
thethistle'sexperiences
byhanschristianandersen
belongingtothelordlymanor-housewasbeautiful,well-keptgarden,withraretreesandflowers;theguestsoftheproprietordeclaredtheiradmirationofit;thepeopleoftheneighborhood,fromtownandcountry,cameonsundaysandholidays,andaskedpermissiontoseethegarden;indeed,wholeschoolsusedtopayvisitstoit.
outsidethegarden,bythepalingsattheroad-side,stoodagreatmightythistle,whichspreadoutinmanydirectionsfromtheroot,sothatitmighthavebeencalledathistlebush.nobodylookedatit,excepttheoldasswhichdrewthemilk-maid'scart.thisassusedtostretchouthisnecktowardsthethistle,andsay,"youarebeautiful;ishouldliketoeatyou!"buthishalterwasnotlongenoughtolethimreachitandeatit.
therewasgreatcompanyatthemanor-house-someverynoblepeoplefromthecapital;youngprettygirls,andamongthemayoungladywhocamefromalongdistance.shehadcomefromscotland,andwasofhighbirth,andwasrichinlandandingold-abrideworthwinning,saidmorethanoneoftheyounggentlemen;andtheirladymotherssaidthesamething.
theyoungpeopleamusedthemselvesonthelawn,andplayedatball;theywanderedamongtheflowers,andeachoftheyounggirlsbrokeoffaflower,andfasteneditinayounggentleman'sbuttonhole.buttheyoungscotchladylookedround,foralongtime,inanundecidedway.noneoftheflowersseemedtosuithertaste.thenhereyeglancedacrossthepaling-outsidestoodthegreatthistlebush,withthereddish-blue,sturdyflowers;shesawthem,shesmiled,andaskedthesonofthehousetopluckoneforher.
"itistheflowerofscotland,"shesaid."itbloomsinthescutcheonofmycountry.givemeyonderflower."
andhebroughtthefairestblossom,andprickedhisfingersascompletelyasifithadgrownonthesharpestrosebush.
sheplacedthethistle-flowerinthebuttonholeoftheyoungman,andhefelthimselfhighlyhonored.eachoftheotheryounggentlemenwouldwillinglyhavegivenhisownbeautifulflowertohavewornthisone,presentedbythefairhandofthescottishdifthesonofthehousefelthimselfhonored,whatwerethefeelingsofthethistlebush?