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n shone； and danced with her； whileall the other flowers formed a circle round them。 Then Sophy wasvery happy； and said they might keep her bed； she did not mind lyingin the drawer at all。 But the flowers thanked her very much； andsaid；…
〃We cannot live long。 To…morrow morning we shall be quite dead；and you must tell little Ida to bury us in the garden； near to thegrave of the canary； then； in the summer we shall wake up and bemore beautiful than ever。〃
〃No； you must not die；〃 said Sophy； as she kissed the flowers。
Then the door of the room opened； and a number of beautifulflowers danced in。 Ida could not imagine where they could e from；unless they were the flowers from the king's garden。 First came twolovely roses； with little golden crowns on their heads； these were theking and queen。 Beautiful stocks and carnations followed； bowing toevery one present。 They had also music with them。 Large poppies andpeonies had pea…shells for instruments； and blew into them till theywere quite red in the face。 The bunches of blue hyacinths and thelittle white snowdrops jingled their bell…like flowers； as if theywere real bells。 Then came many more flowers： blue violets； purpleheart's…ease； daisies； and lilies of the valley； and they all dancedtogether； and kissed each other。 It was very beautiful to behold。
At last the flowers wished each other good…night。 Then littleIda crept back into her bed again； and dreamt of all she had seen。When she arose the next morning； she went quickly to the little table；to see if the flowers were still there。 She drew aside the curtains ofthe little bed。 There they all lay； but quite faded； much more so thanthe day before。 Sophy was lying in the drawer where Ida had placedher； but she looked very sleepy。
〃Do you remember what the flowers told you to say to me？〃 saidlittle Ida。 But Sophy looked quite stupid； and said not a single word。
〃You are not kind at all；〃 said Ida； 〃and yet they all danced withyou。〃
Then she took a little paper box； on which were paintedbeautiful birds； and laid the dead flowers in it。
〃This shall be your pretty coffin；〃 she said； 〃and by and by； whenmy cousins e to visit me； they shall help me to bury you out in thegarden； so that next summer you may grow up again more beautifulthan ever。〃
Her cousins were two good…tempered boys； whose names were Jamesand Adolphus。 Their father had given them each a bow and arrow； andthey had brought them to show Ida。 She told them about the poorflowers which were dead； and as soon as they obtained permission； theywent with her to bury them。 The two boys walked first； with theircrossbows on their shoulders； and little Ida followed； carrying thepretty box containing the dead flowers。 They dug a little grave in thegarden。 Ida kissed her flowers and then laid them； with the box； inthe earth。 James and Adolphus then fired their crossbows over thegrave； as they had neither guns nor cannons。
THE END。
1872
FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
LITTLE TINY OR THUMBELINA
by Hans Christian Andersen
THERE was once a woman who wished very much to have a littlechild； but she could not obtain her wish。 At last she went to a fairy；and said； 〃I should so very much like to have a little child； canyou tell me where I can find one？〃
〃Oh； that can be easily managed；〃 said the fairy。 〃Here is abarleycorn of a different kind to those which grow in the farmer'sfields； and which the chickens eat； put it into a flower…pot； andsee what will happen。〃
〃Thank you；〃 said the woman； and she gave the fairy twelveshillings； which was the price of the barleycorn。 Then she went homeand planted it； and immediately there grew up a large handsome flower；something like a tulip in appearance； but with its leaves tightlyclosed as if it were still a bud。 〃It is a beautiful flower；〃 said thewoman； and she kissed the red and golden…colored leaves； and while shedid so the flower opened； and she could see that it was a realtulip。 Within the flower； upon the green velvet stamens； sat a verydelicate and graceful little maiden。 She was scarcely half as longas a thumb； and they gave her the name of 〃Thumbelina；〃 or Tiny；because she was so small。 A walnut…shell； elegantly polished； servedher for a cradle； her bed was formed of blue violet…leaves； with arose…leaf for a counterpane。 Here she slept at night； but during theday she amused herself on a table； where the woman had placed aplateful of water。 Round this plate were wreaths of flowers with theirstems in the water； and upon it floated a large tulip…leaf； whichserved Tiny for a boat。 Here the little maiden sat and rowed herselffrom side to side； with two oars made of white horse…hair。 It reallywas a very pretty sight。 Tiny could； also； sing so softly andsweetly that nothing like her singing had ever before been heard。One night； while she lay in her pretty bed； a large； ugly； wet toadcrept through a broken pane of glass in the window； and leaped rightupon the table where Tiny lay sleeping under her rose…leaf quilt。〃What a pretty little wife this would make for my son； said thetoad； and she took up the walnut…shell in which little Tiny layasleep； and jumped through the window with it into the garden。
In the swampy margin of a broad stream in the garden lived thetoad； with her son。 He was uglier even than his mother； and when hesaw the pretty little maiden in her elegant bed； he could only cry；〃Croak； croak； croak。〃
〃Don't speak so loud； or she will wake；〃 said the toad； 〃andthen she might run away； for she is as light as swan's down。 We willplace her on one of the water…lily leaves out in the stream； it willbe like an island to her； she is so light and small； and then shecannot escape； and； while she is away； we will make haste andprepare the state…room under the marsh； in which you are to livewhen you are married。〃
Far out in the stream grew a number of water…lilies； with broadgreen leaves； which seemed to float on the top of the water。 Thelargest of these leaves appeared farther off than the rest； and theold toad swam out to it with the walnut…shell； in which little Tinylay still asleep。 The tiny little creature woke very early in themorning； and began to cry bitterly when she found where she was； forshe could see nothing but water on every side of the large green leaf；and no way of reaching the land。 Meanwhile the old toad was verybusy under the marsh； decking her room with rushes and wild yellowflowers； to make it look pretty for her new daughter…in…law。 Thenshe swam out with her ugly son to the leaf on which she had placedpoor little Tiny。 She wanted to fetch the pretty bed； that she mightput it in the bridal chamber to be ready for her。 The old toad bowedlow to her in the water； and said； 〃Here is my son； he will be yourhusband； and you will live happily in the marsh by the stream。〃
〃Croak； croak； croak；〃 was all her son could say for himself； sothe toad took up the elegant little bed； and swam away with it；leaving Tiny all alone on the green leaf； where she sat and wept。She could not bear to think of living with the old toad； and havingher ugly son for a husband。 The little fishes； who swam about in thewater beneath； had seen the toad； and heard what she said； so theylifted their heads above the water to look at the little maiden。 Assoon as they caught sight of her； they saw she was very pretty； and itmade them very sorry to think that she must go and live with theugly toads。 〃No； it must never be！〃 so they assembled together inthe water； round the green stalk which held the leaf on which thelittle maiden stood； and gnawed it away at the root with theirteeth。 Then the leaf floated down the stream； carrying Tiny far awayout of reach of land。
Tiny sailed past many towns； and the little birds in the bushessaw her； and sang； 〃What a lovely little creature；〃 so the leaf swamaway with her farther and farther； till it brought her to other lands。A graceful little white butterfly constantly fluttered round her；and at last alighted on the leaf。 Tiny pleased him； and she was gladof it； for now the toad could not possibly reach her； and thecountry through which she sailed was beautiful； and the sun shone uponthe water； till it glittered like liquid gold。 She took off her girdleand tied one