that'sdifficultformetounderstand,howeverenlightenedimaybewithsun,moon,stearine,trainoil,andtallow.myoldwood-workandmyoldbrick-workwillriseagainfromthedust!

"iwillhopethatimaykeepmyoldthoughts,thefatherinthemill,andthemother,greatonesandlittleones-thefamily;foricallthemall,greatandlittle,thecompanyofthoughts,becauseimust,andcannotrefrainfromit.

"andimustalsoremain'myself,'withmythroatinmychest,mywingsonmyhead,thegalleryroundmybody;elseishouldnotknowmyself,norcouldtheothersknowme,andsay,'there'sthemillonthehill,proudtolookat,andyetnotproudatall.'"

thatiswhatthemillsaid.indeed,itsaidmuchmore,butthatisthemostimportantpart.

andthedayscame,andthedayswent,andyesterdaywasthelastday.

thenthemillcaughtfire.theflamesroseuphigh,andbeatoutandin,andbitatthebeamsandplanks,andatethemup.themillfell,andnothingremainedofitbutaheapofashes.thesmokedroveacrossthesceneoftheconflagration,andthewindcarrieditaway.

whateverhadbeenaliveinthemillremained,andwhathadbeengainedbyithasnothingtodowiththisstory.

themiller'sfamily-onesoul,manythoughts,andyetonlyone-builtanew,asplendidmill,whichanswereditspurpose.itwasquiteliketheoldone,andpeoplesaid,"why,yonderisthemillonthehill,proudtolookat!"butthismillwasbetterarranged,moreaccordingtothetimethanthelast,sothatprogressmightbeoldbeamshadbecomeworm-eatenandspongy-theylayindustandashes.thebodyofthemilldidnotriseoutofthedustastheyhadbelieveditwoulddo.theyhadtakenitliterally,andallthingsarenottobetakenliterally.

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

thereisnodoubtaboutit

byhanschristianandersen

thatwasaterribleaffair!"saidahen,andinaquarterofthetown,too,whereithadnottakenplace."thatwasaterribleaffairinahen-roost.icannotsleepaloneto-night.itisagoodthingthatmanyofussitontheroosttogether."andthenshetoldastorythatmadethefeathersontheotherhensbristleup,andthecock'scombfall.therewasnodoubtaboutit.

butwewillbeginatthebeginning,andthatistobefoundinahen-roostinanotherpartofthetown.thesunwassetting,andthefowlswereflyingontotheirroost;onehen,withwhitefeathersandshortlegs,usedtolayhereggsaccordingtotheregulations,andwas,asahen,respectableineveryway.asshewasflyingupontheroost,shepluckedherselfwithherbeak,andalittlefeathercameout.

"thereitgoes,"shesaid;"themoreipluck,themorebeautifuldoiget."shesaidthismerrily,forshewasthebestofthehens,and,moreover,ashadbeensaid,veryrespectable.withthatshewenttosleep.

itwasdarkallaround,andhensatclosetohen,buttheonewhosatnearesttohermerryneighbourdidnotsleep.shehadheardandyetnotheard,asweareoftenobligedtodointhisworld,inordertoliveatpeace;butshecouldnotkeepitfromherneighbourontheothersideanylonger."didyouhearwhatwassaid?imentionnonames,butthereisahenherewhointendstopluckherselfinordertolookwell.ifiwereacock,ishoulddespiseher."

justoverthefowlssattheowl,withfatherowlandthelittleowls.thefamilyhassharpears,andtheyallheardeverywordthattheirneighbourhadsaid.theyrolledtheireyes,andmotherowl,beatingherwings,said:"don'tlistentoher!