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hes them from the branches of themimosa。 The luxuriant herbage is trampled down； crushed by the feet ofelephants。 A troop of negroes are returning from a market in theinterior of the land： the women； with copper buttons in their blackhair； and decked out in clothes dyed with indigo； drive theheavily…laden oxen； on whose backs slumber the naked black children。 Anegro leads a young lion which he has brought； by a string。 Theyapproach the caravan； the young merchant sits pensive andmotionless； thinking of his beautiful wife； dreaming； in the land ofthe blacks； of his white lily beyond the desert。 He raises his head；and… 〃 But at this moment a cloud passed before the Moon； and thenanother。 I heard nothing more from him this evening。
TWENTY…FIRST EVENING
〃I saw a little girl weeping；〃 said the Moon； 〃she was weepingover the depravity of the world。 She had received a most beautifuldoll as a present。 Oh； that was a glorious doll； so fair and delicate！She did not seem created for the sorrows of this world。 But thebrothers of the little girl； those great naughty boys； had set thedoll high up in the branches of a tree and had run away。
〃The little girl could not reach up to the doll； and could nothelp her down； and that is why she was crying。 The doll must certainlyhave been crying too； for she stretched out her arms among the greenbranches； and looked quite mournful。 Yes； these are the troubles oflife of which the little girl had often heard tell。 Alas； poor doll！it began to grow dark already； and suppose night were to e onpletely！ Was she to be left sitting on the bough all night long？No； the little maid could not make up her mind to that。 'I'll staywith you；' she said； although she felt anything but happy in her mind。She could almost fancy she distinctly saw little gnomes； with theirhigh…crowned hats； sitting in the bushes； and further back in the longwalk； tall spectres appeared to be dancing。 They came nearer andnearer； and stretched out their hands towards the tree on which thedoll sat； they laughed scornfully； and pointed at her with theirfingers。 Oh； how frightened the little maid was！ 'But if one has notdone anything wrong；' she thought； 'nothing evil can harm one。 Iwonder if I have done anything wrong？' And she considered。 'Oh； yes！ Ilaughed at the poor duck with the red rag on her leg； she limped alongso funnily； I could not help laughing； but it's a sin to laugh atanimals。' And she looked up at the doll。 'Did you laugh at the ducktoo？' she asked； and it seemed as if the doll shook her head。〃
TWENTY…SECOND EVENING
〃I looked down upon Tyrol；〃 said the Moon； 〃and my beams causedthe dark pines to throw long shadows upon the rocks。 I looked at thepictures of St。 Christopher carrying the Infant Jesus that are paintedthere upon the walls of the houses； colossal figures reaching from theground to the roof。 St。 Florian was represented pouring water on theburning house； and the Lord hung bleeding on the great cross by thewayside。 To the present generation these are old pictures； but I sawwhen they were put up； and marked how one followed the other。 On thebrow of the mountain yonder is perched； like a swallow's nest； alonely convent of nuns。 Two of the sisters stood up in the towertolling the bell； they were both young； and therefore their glancesflew over the mountain out into the world。 A travelling coach passedby below； the postillion wound his horn； and the poor nuns lookedafter the carriage for a moment with a mournful glance； and a teargleamed in the eyes of the younger one。 And the horn sounded faint andmore faintly； and the convent bell drowned its expiring echoes。〃
TWENTY…THIRD EVENING
Hear what the Moon told me。 〃Some years ago； here in Copenhagen； Ilooked through the window of a mean little room。 The father and motherslept； but the little son was not asleep。 I saw the flowered cottoncurtains of the bed move； and the child peep forth。 At first I thoughthe was looking at the great clock； which was gaily painted in redand green。 At the top sat a cuckoo； below hung the heavy leadenweights； and the pendulum with the polished disc of metal went toand fro； and said 'tick； tick。' But no； he was not looking at theclock； but at his mother's spinning wheel； that stood justunderneath it。 That was the boy's favourite piece of furniture； but hedared not touch it； for if he meddled with it he got a rap on theknuckles。 For hours together； when his mother was spinning； he wouldsit quietly by her side； watching the murmuring spindle and therevolving wheel； and as he sat he thought of many things。 Oh； if hemight only turn the wheel himself！ Father and mother were asleep； helooked at them； and looked at the spinning wheel； and presently alittle naked foot peered out of the bed； and then a second foot； andthen two little white legs。 There he stood。 He looked round once more；to see if father and mother were still asleep… yes； they slept； andnow he crept softly； softly； in his short little nightgown； to thespinning wheel； and began to spin。 The thread flew from the wheel； andthe wheel whirled faster and faster。 I kissed his fair hair and hisblue eyes； it was such a pretty picture。
〃At that moment the mother awoke。 The curtain shook； she lookedforth； and fancied she saw a gnome or some other kind of littlespectre。 'In Heaven's name！' she cried； and aroused her husband in afrightened way。 He opened his eyes； rubbed them with his hands； andlooked at the brisk little lad。 'Why； that is Bertel；' said he。 And myeye quitted the poor room； for I have so much to see。 At the samemoment I looked at the halls of the Vatican； where the marble gods areenthroned。 I shone upon the group of the Laocoon； the stone seemedto sigh。 I pressed a silent kiss on the lips of the Muses； and theyseemed to stir and move。 But my rays lingered longest about the Nilegroup with the colossal god。 Leaning against the Sphinx； he lies therethoughtful and meditative； as if he were thinking on the rollingcenturies； and little love…gods sport with him and with thecrocodiles。 In the horn of plenty sat with folded arms a little tinylove…god； contemplating the great solemn river…god； a true pictureof the boy at the spinning wheel… the features were exactly thesame。 Charming and life…like stood the little marble form； and yet thewheel of the year has turned more than a thousand times since the timewhen it sprang forth from the stone。 Just as often as the boy in thelittle room turned the spinning wheel had the great wheel murmured；before the age could again call forth marble gods equal to those heafterwards formed。
〃Years have passed since all this happened；〃 the Moon went on tosay。 〃Yesterday I looked upon a bay on the eastern coast of Denmark。Glorious woods are there； and high trees； an old knightly castlewith red walls； swans floating in the ponds； and in the backgroundappears； among orchards； a little town with a church。 Many boats；the crews all furnished with torches； glided over the silentexpanse… but these fires had not been kindled for catching fish； foreverything had a festive look。 Music sounded； a song was sung； andin one of the boats the man stood erect to whom homage was paid by therest； a tall sturdy man； wrapped in a cloak。 He had blue eyes and longwhite hair。 I knew him； and thought of the Vatican； and of the groupof the Nile； and the old marble gods。 I thought of the simple littleroom where little Bertel sat in his night…shirt by the spinning wheel。The wheel of time has turned； and new gods have e forth from thestone。 From the boats there arose a shout： 'Hurrah； hurrah forBertel Thorwaldsen！'〃
TWENTY…FOURTH EVENING
〃I will now give you a picture from Frankfort；〃 said the Moon。〃I especially noticed one building there。 It was not the house inwhich Goethe was born； nor the old Council House； through whose gratedwindows peered the horns of the oxen that were roasted and given tothe people when the emperors were crowned。 No； it was a private house；plain in appearance； and painted green。 It stood near the old Jews'Street。 It was Rothschild's house。
〃I looked through the open door。 The staircase was brilliantlylighted： servants carrying wax candles in massive silvercandlesticks stood there； and bowed low before an old woman； who wasbeing brought downs