ng。 But when Eve plucked the fruit of the treeof knowledge of good and evil； when she and Adam were driven fromParadise； there fell from the flaming sword of the cherub a spark intothe nest of the bird； which blazed up forthwith。 The bird perishedin the flames； but from the red egg in the nest there flutteredaloft a new one… the one solitary Phoenix bird。 The fable tells thathe dwells in Arabia； and that every hundred years； he burns himself todeath in his nest； but each time a new Phoenix； the only one in theworld； rises up from the red egg。
The bird flutters round us； swift as light； beauteous in color；charming in song。 When a mother sits by her infant's cradle； he standson the pillow； and； with his wings； forms a glory around theinfant's head。 He flies through the chamber of content； and bringssunshine into it； and the violets on the humble table smell doublysweet。
But the Phoenix is not the bird of Arabia alone。 He wings hisway in the glimmer of the Northern Lights over the plains ofLapland； and hops among the yellow flowers in the short Greenlandsummer。 Beneath the copper mountains of Fablun； and England's coalmines； he flies； in the shape of a dusty moth； over the hymnbookthat rests on the knees of the pious miner。 On a lotus leaf hefloats down the sacred waters of the Ganges； and the eye of the Hindoomaid gleams bright when she beholds him。
The Phoenix bird； dost thou not know him？ The Bird of Paradise；the holy swan of song！ On the car of Thespis he sat in the guise ofa chattering raven； and flapped his black wings； smeared with the leesof wine； over the sounding harp of Iceland swept the swan's redbeak； on Shakspeare's shoulder he sat in the guise of Odin's raven；and whispered in the poet's ear 〃Immortality！〃 and at the minstrels'feast he fluttered through the halls of the Wartburg。
The Phoenix bird； dost thou not know him？ He sang to thee theMarseillaise； and thou kissedst the pen that fell from his wing； hecame in the radiance of Paradise； and perchance thou didst turn awayfrom him towards the sparrow who sat with tinsel on his wings。
The Bird of Paradise… renewed each century… born in flame；ending in flame！ Thy picture； in a golden frame； hangs in the halls ofthe rich； but thou thyself often fliest around； lonely anddisregarded； a myth… 〃The Phoenix of Arabia。〃
In Paradise； when thou wert born in the first rose； beneath theTree of Knowledge； thou receivedst a kiss； and thy right name wasgiven thee… thy name； Poetry。
THE END。
1872
FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
THE PORTER'S SON
by Hans Christian Andersen
THE General lived in the grand first floor； and the porter livedin the cellar。 There was a great distance between the two families…the whole of the ground floor； and the difference in rank； but theylived in the same house； and both had a view of the street； and of thecourtyard。 In the courtyard was a grass…plot； on which grew a bloomingacacia tree （when it was in bloom）； and under this tree satoccasionally the finely…dressed nurse； with the still morefinely…dressed child of the General… little Emily。 Before themdanced about barefoot the little son of the porter； with his greatbrown eyes and dark hair； and the little girl smiled at him； andstretched out her hands towards him； and when the General saw thatfrom the window； he would nod his head and cry； 〃Charming！〃 TheGeneral's lady （who was so young that she might very well have beenher husband's daughter from an early marriage） never came to thewindow that looked upon the courtyard。 She had given orders； though；that the boy might play his antics to amuse her child； but mustnever touch it。 The nurse punctually obeyed the gracious lady'sorders。
The sun shone in upon the people in the grand first floor； andupon the people in the cellar； the acacia tree was covered withblossoms； and they fell off； and next year new ones came。 The treebloomed； and the porter's little son bloomed too； and looked like afresh tulip。
The General's little daughter became delicate and pale； like theleaf of the acacia blossom。 She seldom came down to the tree now；for she took the air in a carriage。 She drove out with her mamma；and then she would always nod at the porter's George； yes； she usedeven to kiss her hand to him； till her mamma said she was too old todo that now。
One morning George was sent up to carry the General the lettersand newspapers that had been delivered at the porter's room in themorning。 As he was running up stairs； just as he passed the door ofthe sand…box； he heard a faint piping。 He thought it was some youngchicken that had strayed there； and was raising cries of distress； butit was the General's little daughter； decked out in lace and finery。
〃Don't tell papa and mamma；〃 she whimpered； 〃they would be angry。〃
〃What's the matter； little missie？〃 asked George。
〃It's all on fire！〃 she answered。 〃It's burning with a brightflame！〃 George hurried up stairs to the General's apartments； heopened the door of the nursery。 The window curtain was almost entirelyburnt； and the wooden curtain…pole was one mass of flame。 Georgesprang upon a chair he brought in haste； and pulled down the burningarticles； he then alarmed the people。 But for him； the house wouldhave been burned down。
The General and his lady cross…questioned little Emily。
〃I only took just one lucifer…match；〃 she said； 〃and it wasburning directly； and the curtain was burning too。 I spat at it； toput it out； I spat at it as much as ever I could； but I could notput it out； so I ran away and hid myself； for papa and mamma wouldbe angry。〃
〃I spat！〃 cried the General's lady； 〃what an expression！ Did youever hear your papa and mamma talk about spitting？ You must have gotthat from down stairs！〃
And George had a penny given him。 But this penny did not go to thebaker's shop； but into the savings…box； and soon there were so manypennies in the savings…box that he could buy a paint…box and color thedrawings he made； and he had a great number of drawings。 They seemedto shoot out of his pencil and out of his fingers' ends。 His firstcolored pictures he presented to Emily。
〃Charming！〃 said the General； and even the General's ladyacknowledged that it was easy to see what the boy had meant to draw。〃He has genius。〃 Those were the words that were carried down intothe cellar。
The General and his gracious lady were grand people。 They hadtwo coats of arms on their carriage； a coat of arms for each ofthem； and the gracious lady had had this coat of arms embroidered onboth sides of every bit of linen she had； and even on her nightcap andher dressing…bag。 One of the coats of arms； the one that belonged toher； was a very dear one； it had been bought for hard cash by herfather； for he had not been born with it； nor had she； she had einto the world too early； seven years before the coat of arms； andmost people remembered this circumstance； but the family did notremember it。 A man might well have a bee in his bon； when he hadsuch a coat of arms to carry as that； let alone having to carry two；and the General's wife had a bee in hers when she drove to the courtball； as stiff and as proud as you please。
The General was old and gray； but he had a good seat on horseback；and h