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e winked andblinked； but they could not fly away； for their wings had beenpulled off； this； added to the hunger she felt； was horrible torture。
〃If this lasts much longer；〃 she said； 〃I shall not be able tobear it。〃 But it did last； and she had to bear it； without beingable to help herself。
A tear； followed by many scalding tears； fell upon her head； androlled over her face and neck； down to the loaf on which she stood。Who could be weeping for Inge？ She had a mother in the world still；and the tears of sorrow which a mother sheds for her child will alwaysfind their way to the child's heart； but they often increase thetorment instead of being a relief。 And Inge could hear all that wassaid about her in the world she had left； and every one seemed cruelto her。 The sin she had mitted in treading on the loaf was known onearth； for she had been seen by the cowherd from the hill； when shewas crossing the marsh and had disappeared。
When her mother wept and exclaimed； 〃Ah； Inge！ what grief thouhast caused thy mother〃 she would say； 〃Oh that I had never been born！My mother's tears are useless now。〃
And then the words of the kind people who had adopted her cameto her ears； when they said； 〃Inge was a sinful girl； who did notvalue the gifts of God； but trampled them under her feet。〃
〃Ah；〃 thought Inge； 〃they should have punished me； and drivenall my naughty tempers out of me。〃
A song was made about 〃The girl who trod on a loaf to keep hershoes from being soiled；〃 and this song was sung everywhere。 The storyof her sin was also told to the little children； and they called her〃wicked Inge；〃 and said she was so naughty that she ought to bepunished。 Inge heard all this； and her heart became hardened andfull of bitterness。
But one day； while hunger and grief were gnawing in her hollowframe； she heard a little； innocent child； while listening to the taleof the vain； haughty Inge； burst into tears and exclaim； 〃But will shenever e up again？〃
And she heard the reply； 〃No； she will never e up again。〃
〃But if she were to say she was sorry； and ask pardon； and promisenever to do so again？〃 asked the little one。
〃Yes； then she might e； but she will not beg pardon；〃 was theanswer。
〃Oh； I wish she would！〃 said the child； who was quite unhappyabout it。 〃I should be so glad。 I would give up my doll and all myplaythings； if she could only e here again。 Poor Inge！ it is sodreadful for her。〃
These pitying words perated to Inge's inmost heart； andseemed to do her good。 It was the first time any one had said； 〃PoorInge！〃 without saying something about her faults。 A little innocentchild was weeping； and praying for mercy for her。 It made her feelquite strange； and she would gladly have wept herself； and it added toher torment to find she could not do so。 And while she thus sufferedin a place where nothing changed； years passed away on earth； andshe heard her name less frequently mentioned。 But one day a sighreached her ear； and the words； 〃Inge！ Inge！ what a grief thou hastbeen to me！ I said it would be so。〃 It was the last sigh of herdying mother。
After this； Inge heard her kind mistress say； 〃Ah； poor Inge！shall I ever see thee again？ Perhaps I may； for we know not what mayhappen in the future。〃 But Inge knew right well that her mistresswould never e to that dreadful place。
Time…passed… a long bitter time… then Inge heard her namepronounced once more； and saw what seemed two bright stars shiningabove her。 They were two gentle eyes closing on earth。 Many yearshad passed since the little girl had lamented and wept about 〃poorInge。〃 That child was now an old woman； whom God was taking toHimself。 In the last hour of existence the events of a whole lifeoften appear before us； and this hour the old woman remembered how；when a child； she had shed tears over the story of Inge； and sheprayed for her now。 As the eyes of the old woman closed to earth；the eyes of the soul opened upon the hidden things of eternity； andthen she； in whose last thoughts Inge had been so vividly present； sawhow deeply the poor girl had sunk。 She burst into tears at thesight； and in heaven； as she had done when a little child on earth；she wept and prayed for poor Inge。 Her tears and her prayers echoedthrough the dark void that surrounded the tormented captive soul；and the unexpected mercy was obtained for it through an angel's tears。As in thought Inge seemed to act over again every sin she hadmitted on earth； she trembled； and tears she had never yet beenable to weep rushed to her eyes。 It seemed impossible that the gatesof mercy could ever be opened to her； but while she acknowledgedthis in deep penitence； a beam of radiant light shot suddenly into thedepths upon her。 More powerful than the sunbeam that dissolves the manof snow which the children have raised； more quickly than thesnowflake melts and bees a drop of water on the warm lips of achild； was the stony form of Inge changed； and as a little bird shesoared； with the speed of lightning； upward to the world of mortals。 Abird that felt timid and shy to all things around it； that seemed toshrink with shame from meeting any living creature； and hurriedlysought to conceal itself in a dark corner of an old ruined wall； thereit sat cowering and unable to utter a sound； for it was voiceless。 Yethow quickly the little bird discovered the beauty of everything aroundit。 The sweet； fresh air； the soft radiance of the moon； as itslight spread over the earth； the fragrance which exhaled from bush andtree； made it feel happy as it sat there clothed in its fresh；bright plumage。 All creation seemed to speak of beneficence andlove。 The bird wanted to give utterance to thoughts that stirred inhis breast； as the cuckoo and the nightingale in the spring； but itcould not。 Yet in heaven can be heard the song of praise； even froma worm； and the notes trembling in the breast of the bird were asaudible to Heaven even as the psalms of David before they hadfashioned themselves into words and song。
Christmas…time drew near； and a peasant who dwelt close by the oldwall stuck up a pole with some ears of corn fastened to the top；that the birds of heaven might have feast； and rejoice in the happy；blessed time。 And on Christmas morning the sun arose and shone uponthe ears of corn； which were quickly surrounded by a number oftwittering birds。 Then； from a hole in the wall； gushed forth insong the swelling thoughts of the bird as he issued from his hidingplace to perform his first good deed on earth；… and in heaven it waswell known who that bird was。
The winter was very hard； the ponds were covered with ice； andthere was very little food for either the beasts of the field or thebirds of the air。 Our little bird flew away into the public roads； andfound here and there； in the ruts of the sledges； a grain of corn； andat the halting places some crumbs。 Of these he ate only a few； buthe called around him the other birds and the hungry sparrows； thatthey too might have food。 He flew into the towns； and looked about；and wherever a kind hand had strewed bread on the window…sill forthe birds； he only ate a single crumb himself； and gave all the restto the rest of the other birds。 In the course of the winter the birdhad in this way collected many crumbs and given them to other birds；till they equalled the weight of the loaf on which Inge had trod tokeep her shoes clean； and when the last bread…crumb had been found andgiven； the gray wings of the bird became white； and spreadthemselves out for flight。
〃See； yonder is a sea…gull！〃 cried the children； when they saw thewhite bird； as it dived into the sea； and rose again into the clearsunlight； white and glittering。 But no one could tell whither itwent then although some declared it flew straight to the sun。
THE END。
1872
THE GOBLIN AND THE HUCKSTER
by Hans Christian Andersen
THERE was once a regular student； who lived in a garret； and hadno possessions。 And there was also a regular huckster； to whom thehouse belonged； and who occupied the ground floor。 A goblin lived withthe huckster； because at Christmas he always had a large dish fullof jam； with a great piece of butter in the middle。 The huckster couldafford this； and therefore the goblin remained with the huckster；wh