seekitinthesun;seeitthereifyoucan.

thebrightnessistoodazzlingthere.wehavenotyetsucheyesascanseeintotheglorieswhichgodhascreated,butweshallreceivethemby-and-by;andthatwillbethemostbeautifulstoryofall,andweshallallhaveourshareinit.

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

thetopandball

byhanschristianandersen

awhippingtopandalittleballlaytogetherinabox,amongothertoys,andthetopsaidtotheball,"shallwebemarried,asweliveinthesamebox?"

buttheball,whichworeadressofmoroccoleather,andthoughtasmuchofherselfasanyotheryounglady,wouldnotevencondescendtoreply.

thenextdaycamethelittleboytowhomtheplaythingsbelonged,andhepaintedthetopredandyellow,anddroveabrass-headednailintothemiddle,sothatwhilethetopwasspinningrounditlookedsplendid.

"lookatme,"saidthetoptotheball."whatdoyousaynow?shallwebeengagedtoeachother?weshouldsuitsowell;youspring,andidance.noonecouldbehappierthanweshouldbe."

"indeed!doyouthinkso?perhapsyoudonotknowthatmyfatherandmotherweremoroccoslippers,andthatihaveaspanishcorkinmybody."

"yes;butiammadeofmahogany,"saidthetop."themajorhimselfturnedme.hehasaturninglatheofhisown,anditisagreatamusementtohim."

"canibelieveit?"askedtheball.

"mayineverbewhippedagain,"saidthetop,"ifiamnottellingyouthetruth."

"youcertainlyknowhowtospeakforyourselfverywell,"saidtheball;"buticannotacceptyourproposal.iamalmostengagedtoaswallow.everytimeiflyupintheair,heputshisheadoutofthenest,andsays,'willyou?'andihavesaid,'yes,'tomyselfsilently,andthatisasgoodasbeinghalfengaged;butiwillpromisenevertoforgetyou."

"muchgoodthatwillbetome,"saidthetop;andtheyspoketoeachothernomore.

nextdaytheballwastakenoutbytheboy.thetopsawitflyinghighintheair,likeabird,tillitwouldgoquiteoutofsight.eachtimeitcameback,asittouchedtheearth,itgaveahigherleapthanbefore,eitherbecauseitlongedtoflyupwards,orfromhavingaspanishcorkinitsbody.buttheninthtimeitroseintheair,itremainedaway,anddidnotreturn.theboysearchedeverywhereforit,buthesearchedinvain,foritcouldnotbefound;itwasgone.

"iknowverywellwheresheis,"sighedthetop;"sheisintheswallow'snest,andhasmarriedtheswallow."

themorethetopthoughtofthis,themorehelongedforthesloveincreasedthemore,justbecausehecouldnotgether;andthatsheshouldhavebeenwonbyanother,wastheworstofall.thetopstilltwirledaboutandhummed,buthecontinuedtothinkoftheball;andthemorehethoughtofher,themorebeautifulsheseemedtohisfancy.

thusseveralyearspassedby,andhislovebecamequiteold.thetop,also,wasnolongeryoung;buttherecameadaywhenhelookedhandsomerthanever;forhewasgildedallover.hewasnowagoldentop,andwhirledanddancedabouttillhehummedquiteloud,andwassomethingworthlookingat;butonedayheleapedtoohigh,andthenhe,also,wasgone.theysearchedeverywhere,eveninthecellar,buthewasnowheretobefound.wherecouldhebe?hehadjumpedintothedust-bin,whereallsortsofrubbishwerelying:cabbage-stalks,dust,andrain-droppingsthathadfallendownfromthegutterundertheroof.

"nowiaminaniceplace,"saidhe;"mygildingwillsoonbewashedoffhere.ohdear,whatasetofrabbleihavegotamongst!"