theprincewasofopinionthatallthiswasright,andthatitwasonlythenaturalcoursewhichthingsoughttotake.hispowerincreaseddaybyday,hisnamewasfearedbyall,andfortunefavouredhisdeeds.

hebroughtenormouswealthhomefromtheconqueredtowns,andgraduallyaccumulatedinhisresidencericheswhichcouldnowherebeequalled.heerectedmagnificentpalaces,churches,andhalls,andallwhosawthesesplendidbuildingsandgreattreasuresexclaimedadmiringly:"whatamightyprince!"buttheydidnotknowwhatendlessmiseryhehadbroughtuponothercountries,nordidtheyhearthesighsandlamentationswhichroseupfromthedebrisofthedestroyedcities.

theprinceoftenlookedwithdelightuponhisgoldandhismagnificentedifices,andthought,likethecrowd:"whatamightyprince!butimusthavemore-muchmore.nopoweronearthmustequalmine,farlessexceedit."

hemadewarwithallhisneighbours,anddefeatedthem.theconqueredkingswerechainedupwithgoldenfetterstohischariotwhenhedrovethroughthestreetsofhiscity.thesekingshadtokneelathisandhiscourtiers'feetwhentheysatattable,andliveonthemorselswhichtheyleft.atlasttheprincehadhisownstatueerectedonthepublicplacesandfixedontheroyalpalaces;nay,heevenwishedittobeplacedinthechurches,onthealtars,butinthisthepriestsopposedhim,saying:"prince,youaremightyindeed,butgod'spowerismuchgreaterthanyours;wedarenotobeyyourorders."

"well,"saidtheprince."theniwillconquergodtoo."andinhishaughtinessandfoolishpresumptionheorderedamagnificentshiptobeconstructed,withwhichhecouldsailthroughtheair;itwasgorgeouslyfittedoutandofmanycolours;likethetailofapeacock,itwascoveredwiththousandsofeyes,buteacheyewasthebarrelofagun.theprincesatinthecentreoftheship,andhadonlytotouchaspringinordertomakethousandsofbulletsflyoutinalldirections,whilethegunswereatonceloadedagain.hundredsofeagleswereattachedtothisship,anditrosewiththeswiftnessofanarrowuptowardsthesun.theearthwassoonleftfarbelow,andlooked,withitsmountainsandwoods,likeacornfieldwheretheploughhadmadefurrowswhichseparatedgreenmeadows;soonitlookedonlylikeamapwithindistinctlinesuponit;andatlastitentirelydisappearedinmistandclouds.higherandhigherrosetheeaglesupintotheair;thengodsentoneofhisnumberlessangelsagainsttheship.thewickedprinceshoweredthousandsofbulletsuponhim,buttheyreboundedfromhisshiningwingsandfelldownlikeordinaryhailstones.onedropofblood,onesingledrop,cameoutofthewhitefeathersoftheangel'swingsandfellupontheshipinwhichtheprincesat,burntintoit,andweigheduponitlikethousandsofhundredweights,draggingitrapidlydowntotheearthagain;thestrongwingsoftheeaglesgaveway,thewindroaredroundtheprince'shead,andthecloudsaround-weretheyformedbythesmokerisingupfromtheburntcities?-tookstrangeshapes,likecrabsmany,manymileslong,whichstretchedtheirclawsoutafterhim,androseuplikeenormousrocks,fromwhichrollingmassesdasheddown,andbecamefire-spittingdragons.

theprincewaslyinghalf-deadinhisship,whenitsankatlastwithaterribleshockintothebranchesofalargetreeinthewood.

"iwillconquergod!"saidtheprince."ihaveswornit:mywillmustbedone!"

andhespentsevenyearsintheconstructionofwonderfulshipstosailthroughtheair,andhaddartscastfromthehardeststeeltobreakthewallsofheavenwith.hegatheredwarriorsfromallcountries,somanythatwhentheywereplacedsidebysidetheycoveredthespaceofseveralmiles.theyenteredtheshipsandtheprincewasapproachinghisown,whengodsentaswarmofgnats-oneswarmoflittlegnats.theybuzzedroundtheprinceandstunghisfaceandhands;angrilyhedrewhisswordandbrandishedit,butheonlytouchedtheairanddidnothitthegnats.thenheorderedhisservantstobringcostlycoveringsandwraphiminthem,thatthegnatsmightnolongerbeabletoreachhim.theservantscarriedouthisorders,butonesinglegnathadplaceditselfinsideoneofthecoverings,creptintotheprince'searandstunghim.theplaceburntlikefire,andthepoisonenteredintohisblood.madwithpain,hetoreoffthecoveringsandhisclothestoo,flingingthemfaraway,anddancedaboutbeforetheeyesofhisferocioussoldiers,whonowmockedathim,themadprince,whowishedtomakewarwithgod,andwasovercomebyasinglelittlegnat.

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

thewildswans

byhanschristianandersen

farawayinthelandtowhichtheswallowsflywhenitiswinter,dweltakingwhohadelevensons,andonedaughter,namedeliza.theelevenbrotherswereprinces,andeachwenttoschoolwithastaronhisbreast,andaswordbyhisside.theywrotewithdiamondpencilsongoldslates,andlearnttheirlessonssoquicklyandreadsoeasilythateveryonemightknowtheywerersisterelizasatonalittlestoolofplate-glass,andhadabookfullofpictures,whichhadcostasmuchashalfakingdom.oh,thesechildrenwereindeedhappy,butitwasnottoremainsoalways.theirfather,whowaskingofthecountry,marriedaverywickedqueen,whodidnotlovethepoorchildrenatall.theyknewthisfromtheveryfirstdayafterthewedding.inthepalacethereweregreatfestivities,andthechildrenplayedatreceivingcompany;butinsteadofhaving,asusual,allthecakesandapplesthatwereleft,shegavethemsomesandinatea-cup,andtoldthemtopretenditwascake.theweekafter,shesentlittleelizaintothecountrytoapeasantandhiswife,andthenshetoldthekingsomanyuntruethingsabouttheyoungprinces,thathegavehimselfnomoretroublerespectingthem.

"gooutintotheworldandgetyourownliving,"saidthequeen."flylikegreatbirds,whohavenovoice."butshecouldnotmakethemuglyasshewished,fortheywereturnedintoelevenbeautifulwildswans.then,withastrangecry,theyflewthroughthewindowsofthepalace,overthepark,totheforestbeyond.itwasearlymorningwhentheypassedthepeasant'scottage,wheretheirsisterelizalayasleepinherroom.theyhoveredovertheroof,twistedtheirlongnecksandflappedtheirwings,butnooneheardthemorsawthem,sotheywereatlastobligedtoflyaway,highupintheclouds;andoverthewideworldtheyflewtilltheycametoathick,darkwood,whichstretchedfarawaytotheseashore.poorlittleelizawasaloneinherroomplayingwithagreenleaf,forshehadnootherplaythings,andshepiercedaholethroughtheleaf,andlookedthroughitatthesun,anditwasasifshesawherbrothers'cleareyes,andwhenthewarmsunshoneonhercheeks,shethoughtofallthekissestheyhadgivenher.onedaypassedjustlikeanother;sometimesthewindsrustledthroughtheleavesoftherose-bush,andwouldwhispertotheroses,"whocanbemorebeautifulthanyou!"