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spectacles and myear…trumpet again。〃
And so saying； she took both from him。
〃Now I do not see the smallest thing；〃 said the young man； 〃andnow I don't hear anything more。〃
〃Why； then； you can't be a poet by Easter；〃 said the wise woman。
〃But； by what time can I be one？〃 asked he。
〃Neither by Easter nor by Whitsuntide！ You will not learn how toinvent anything。〃
〃What must I do to earn my bread by poetry？〃
〃You can do that before Shrove Tuesday。 Hunt the poets！ Kill theirwritings and thus you will kill them。 Don't be put out of countenance。Strike at them boldly； and you'll have carnival cake； on which you cansupport yourself and your wife too。〃
〃What one can invent！〃 cried the young man。 And so he hit outboldly at every second poet； because he could not be a poet himself。
We have it from the wise woman。 She knows WHAT ONE CAN INVENT。
THE END。
1872
FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
WHAT THE MOON SAW
by Hans Christian AndersenINTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
IT is a strange thing； when I feel most fervently and most deeply；my hands and my tongue seem alike tied； so that I cannot rightlydescribe or accurately portray the thoughts that are rising within me；and yet I am a painter； my eye tells me as much as that； and all myfriends who have seen my sketches and fancies say the same。
I am a poor lad； and live in one of the narrowest of lanes； butI do not want for light； as my room is high up in the house； with anextensive prospect over the neighbouring roofs。 During the first fewdays I went to live in the town； I felt low…spirited and solitaryenough。 Instead of the forest and the green hills of former days； Ihad here only a forest of chimney…pots to look out upon。 And then Ihad not a single friend； not one familiar face greeted me。
So one evening I sat at the window； in a desponding mood； andpresently I opened the casement and looked out。 Oh； how my heartleaped up with joy！ Here was a well…known face at last… a round；friendly countenance； the face of a good friend I had known at home。In； fact； it was the MOON that looked in upon me。 He was quiteunchanged； the dear old Moon； and had the same face exactly that heused to show when he peered down upon me through the willow trees onthe moor。 I kissed my hand to him over and over again； as he shone farinto my little room； and he； for his part； promised me that everyevening； when he came abroad； he would look in upon me for a fewmoments。 This promise he has faithfully kept。 It is a pity that he canonly stay such a short time when he es。 Whenever he appears； hetells me of one thing or another that he has seen on the previousnight； or on that same evening。 〃Just paint the scenes I describe toyou〃… this is what he said to me… 〃and you will have a very prettypicture…book。〃 I have followed his injunction for many evenings。 Icould make up a new 〃Thousand and One Nights；〃 in my own way； out ofthese pictures； but the number might be too great； after all。 Thepictures I have here given have not been chosen at random； butfollow in their proper order； just as they were described to me。Some great gifted painter； or some poet or musician； may makesomething more of them if he likes； what I have given here are onlyhasty sketches； hurriedly put upon the paper； with some of my ownthoughts； interspersed； for the Moon did not e to me every evening…a cloud sometimes hid his face from me。
FIRST EVENING
〃Last night〃… I am quoting the Moon's own words… 〃last night I wasgliding through the cloudless Indian sky。 My face was mirrored inthe waters of the Ganges； and my beams strove to pierce through thethick intertwining boughs of the bananas； arching beneath me likethe tortoise's shell。 Forth from the thicket tripped a Hindoo maid；light as a gazelle； beautiful as Eve。 Airy and etherial as a vision；and yet sharply defined amid the surrounding shadows； stood thisdaughter of Hindostan： I could read on her delicate brow the thoughtthat had brought her hither。 The thorny creeping plants tore hersandals； but for all that she came rapidly forward。 The deer thathad e down to the river to quench her thirst； sprang by with astartled bound； for in her hand the maiden bore a lighted lamp。 Icould see the blood in her delicate finger tips； as she spread themfor a screen before the dancing flame。 She came down to the stream；and set the lamp upon the water； and let it float away。 The flameflickered to and fro； and seemed ready to expire； but still the lampburned on； and the girl's black sparkling eyes； half veiled behindtheir long silken lashes； followed it with a gaze of earnestintensity。 She knew that if the lamp continued to burn so long asshe could keep it in sight； her betrothed was still alive； but ifthe lamp was suddenly extinguished； he was dead。 And the lamp burnedbravely on； and she fell on her knees； and prayed。 Near her in thegrass lay a speckled snake； but she heeded it not… she thought only ofBramah and of her betrothed。 'He lives！' she shouted joyfully； 'helives！' And from the mountains the echo came back upon her； 'helives！〃
SECOND EVENING
〃Yesterday；〃 said the Moon to me； 〃I looked down upon a smallcourtyard surrounded on all sides by houses。 In the courtyard sat aclucking hen with eleven chickens； and a pretty little girl wasrunning and jumping around them。 The hen was frightened； and screamed；and spread out her wings over the little brood。 Then the girl's fathercame out and scolded her； and I glided away and thought no more of thematter。
〃But this evening； only a few minutes ago； I looked down intothe same courtyard。 Everything was quiet。 But presently the littlegirl came forth again； crept quietly to the hen…house； pushed back thebolt； and slipped into the apartment of the hen and chickens。 Theycried out loudly； and came fluttering down from their perches； and ranabout in dismay； and the little girl ran after them。 I saw it quiteplainly； for I looked through a hole in the hen…house wall。 I wasangry with the willful child； and felt glad when her father came outand scolded her more violently than yesterday； holding her roughlyby the arm； she held down her head； and her blue eyes were full oflarge tears。 'What are you about here？' he asked。 She wept and said；'I wanted to kiss the hen and beg her pardon for frightening heryesterday； but I was afraid to tell you。'
〃And the father kissed the innocent child's forehead； and I kissedher on the mouth and eyes。〃
THIRD EVENING
〃In the narrow street round the corner yonder… it is so narrowthat my beams can only glide for a minute along the walls of thehouse； but in that minute I see enough to learn what the world is madeof… in that narrow street I saw a woman。 Sixteen years ago thatwoman was a child； playing in the garden of the old parsonage； inthe country。 The hedges of rose…bush were old； and the flowers werefaded。 They straggled wild over the paths； and the ragged branchesgrew up among the boughs of the apple trees； here and there were a fewroses still in bloom… not so fair as the queen of flowers generallyappears； but still they had colour and scent too。 The clergyman'slittle daughter appeared to me a far lovelier rose； as she sat onher stool under the straggling hedge； hugging and caressing her dollwith the battered pasteboard cheeks。
〃Ten years afterwards I saw her again。 I beheld her in asplendid ballroom： she was the beautiful bride of a rich merchant。 Irejoiced at her happiness； and sought her on calm quiet evenings…ah； nobody thinks of my clear eye and my silent glance！ Alas！ myrose ran wild； like the rose bushes in the garden of the parsonage。There are tragedies in every…day life； and tonight I saw the lastact of one。
〃She was lying in bed in a house in that narrow street： she wassick unto death； and the cruel landlord came up； and tore away thethin coverlet； her only protection against the cold。 'Get up！' saidhe； 'your face is enough to frighten one。 Get up and dress yourself；give me money； or I'll turn you out into the street！ Quick… get up！'She answered； 'Alas！ death is gnawing at my heart。 Let me rest。' Buthe forced her to get up and bathe her face； and put a wreath ofroses in her hair； and he placed her in a chair at the window； witha candle burning beside her； and went away