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〃Do not touch them；〃 said Death。 〃You say you are unhappy； andwould you make another mother as unhappy as yourself？〃
〃Another mother！〃 cried the poor woman； setting the flowers freefrom her hands。
〃There are your eyes；〃 said Death。 〃I fished them up out of thelake for you。 They were shining brightly； but I knew not they wereyours。 Take them back… they are clearer now than before… and then lookinto the deep well which is close by here。 I will tell you the namesof the two flowers which you wished to pull up； and you will see thewhole future of the human beings they represent； and what you wereabout to frustrate and destroy。〃
Then she looked into the well； and it was a glorious sight tobehold how one of them became a blessing to the world； and how muchhappiness and joy it spread around。 But she saw that the life of theother was full of care and poverty； misery and woe。
〃Both are the will of God；〃 said Death。
〃Which is the unhappy flower； and which is the blessed one？〃 shesaid。
〃That I may not tell you；〃 said Death； 〃but thus far you maylearn； that one of the two flowers represents your own child。 It wasthe fate of your child that you saw；… the future of your own child。〃
Then the mother screamed aloud with terror； 〃Which of them belongsto my child？ Tell me that。 Deliver the unhappy child。 Release itfrom so much misery。 Rather take it away。 Take it to the kingdom ofGod。 Forget my tears and my entreaties； forget all that I have said ordone。〃
〃I do not understand you；〃 said Death。 〃Will you have your childback？ or shall I carry him away to a place that you do not know？〃
Then the mother wrung her hands； fell on her knees； and prayedto God； 〃Grant not my prayers； when they are contrary to Thy will；which at all times must be the best。 Oh； hear them not；〃 and herhead sank on her bosom。
Then Death carried away her child to the unknown land。
THE END。
1872
FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
THE STORY OF THE WIND
by Hans Christian Andersen
〃NEAR the shores of the great Belt； which is one of the straitsthat connect the Cattegat with the Baltic； stands an old mansionwith thick red walls。 I know every stone of it；〃 says the Wind。 〃I sawit when it was part of the castle of Marck Stig on the promontory。 Butthe castle was obliged to be pulled down； and the stone was used againfor the walls of a new mansion on another spot… the baronial residenceof Borreby； which still stands near the coast。 I knew them well； thosenoble lords and ladies； the successive generations that dwelt there；and now I'm going to tell you of Waldemar Daa and his daughters。 Howproud was his bearing； for he was of royal blood； and could boast ofmore noble deeds than merely hunting the stag and emptying thewine…cup。 His rule was despotic： 'It shall be；' he was accustomed tosay。 His wife； in garments embroidered with gold； stepped proudly overthe polished marble floors。 The tapestries were gorgeous； and thefurniture of costly and artistic taste。 She had brought gold and platewith her into the house。 The cellars were full of wine。 Black； fieryhorses； neighed in the stables。 There was a look of wealth about thehouse of Borreby at that time。 They had three children； daughters；fair and delicate maidens… Ida； Joanna； and Anna Dorothea； I havenever forgotten their names。 They were a rich； noble family； born inaffluence and nurtured in luxury。
〃Whir…r…r； whir…r…r！〃 roared the Wind； and went on； 〃I did not seein this house； as in other great houses； the high…born lady sittingamong her women； turning the spinning…wheel。 She could sweep thesounding chords of the guitar； and sing to the music； not alwaysDanish melodies； but the songs of a strange land。 It was 'Live and letlive；' here。 Stranger guests came from far and near； music sounded；goblets clashed； and I；〃 said the Wind； 〃was not able to drown thenoise。 Ostentation； pride； splendor； and display ruled； but not thefear of the Lord。
〃It was on the evening of the first day of May；〃 the Windcontinued； 〃I came from the west； and had seen the ships overpoweredwith the waves； when all on board persisted or were cast shipwreckedon the coast of Jutland。 I had hurried across the heath and overJutland's wood…girt eastern coast； and over the island of Funen； andthen I drove across the great belt； sighing and moaning。 At length Ilay down to rest on the shores of Zeeland； near to the great houseof Borreby； where the splendid forest of oaks still flourished。 Theyoung men of the neighborhood were collecting branches and brushwoodunder the oak…trees。 The largest and dryest they could find theycarried into the village； and piled them up in a heap and set themon fire。 Then the men and maidens danced； and sung in a circle roundthe blazing pile。 I lay quite quiet；〃 said the Wind； 〃but I silentlytouched a branch which had been brought by one of the handsomest ofthe young men； and the wood blazed up brightly； blazed brighter thanall the rest。 Then he was chosen as the chief； and received the nameof the Shepherd； and might choose his lamb from among the maidens。There was greater mirth and rejoicing than I had ever heard in thehalls of the rich baronial house。 Then the noble lady drove by towardsthe baron's mansion with her three daughters； in a gilded carriagedrawn by six horses。 The daughters were young and beautiful… threecharming blossoms… a rose； a lily； and a white hyacinth。 The motherwas a proud tulip； and never acknowledged the salutations of any ofthe men or maidens who paused in their sport to do her honor。 Thegracious lady seemed like a flower that was rather stiff in the stalk。Rose； lily； and hyacinth… yes； I saw them all three。 Whose littlelambs will they one day bee？ thought I； their shepherd will be agallant knight； perhaps a prince。 The carriage rolled on； and thepeasants resumed their dancing。 They drove about the summer throughall the villages near。 But one night； when I rose again； the high…bornlady lay down to rise again no more； that thing came to her whiches to us all； in which there is nothing new。 Waldemar Daaremained for a time silent and thoughtful。 'The loftiest tree may bebowed without being broken；' said a voice within him。 His daughterswept； all the people in the mansion wiped their eyes； but Lady Daa haddriven away； and I drove away too；〃 said the Wind。 〃Whir…r…r；whir…r…r…！
〃I returned again； I often returned and passed over the islandof Funen and the shores of the Belt。 Then I rested by Borreby； nearthe glorious wood； where the heron made his nest； the haunt of thewood…pigeons； the blue…birds； and the black stork。 It was yetspring； some were sitting on their eggs； others had already hatchedtheir young broods； but how they fluttered about and cried out whenthe axe sounded through the forest； blow upon blow！ The trees of theforest were doomed。 Waldemar Daa wanted to build a noble ship； aman…of…war； a three…decker； which the king would be sure to buy； andthese； the trees of the wood； the landmark of the seamen； the refugeof the birds； must be felled。 The hawk started up and flew away； forits nest was destroyed； the heron and all the birds of the forestbecame homeless； and flew about in fear and anger。 I could wellunderstand how they felt。 Crows and ravens croaked； as if in scorn；while the trees were cracking and falling around them。 Far in theinterior of the wood； where a noisy swarm of laborers were working；stood Waldemar Daa and his three daughters； and all were laughing atthe wild cries of the birds； excepting one； the youngest； AnnaDorothea； who felt grieved to the heart； and when they madepreparations to fell a tree that was almost dead； and on whose nakedbranches the black stork had built her nest； she saw the poor littlethings stretching out their necks； and she begged for mercy forthem； with the tears in her eyes。 So the tree with the black stork'snest was left standing； the tree itself； however； was not worth muchto speak of。 Then there was a great deal of hewing and sawing； andat last the three…decker was built。 The builder was a man of loworigin； but possessing great pride； his eyes and forehead spoke oflarge intellect； and Waldemar Daa was fond of listening to him； and sowas Waldemar's daughter Ida； the eldest； now about fifteen yearsold； and while he was buil