alled。Then all the kings and queens of Denmark went up the ascent to the oldchurch； hand in hand； with golden crowns on their heads； while theorgan played and the fountains sent forth jets of water。
Little Tuk saw and heard it all。 〃Don't forget the names ofthese towns；〃 said King Hroar。
All at once everything vanished； but where！ It seemed to himlike turning over the leaves of a book。 And now there stood before himan old peasant woman； who had e from Soroe where the grass grows inthe market…place。 She had a green linen apron thrown over her head andshoulders； and it was quite wet； as if it had been raining heavily。〃Yes； that it has；〃 said she； and then； just as she was going totell him a great many pretty stories from Holberg's edies； andabout Waldemar and Absalom； she suddenly shrunk up together； andwagged her head as if she were a frog about to spring。 〃Croak；〃 shecried； 〃it is always wet； and as quiet as death in Soroe。〃 Then littleTuk saw she was changed into a frog。 〃Croak；〃 and again she was an oldwoman。 〃One must dress according to the weather；〃 said she。 〃It iswet； and my town is just like a bottle。 By the cork we must go in； andby the cork we must e out again。 In olden times I had beautifulfish； and now I have fresh； rosy…cheeked boys in the bottom of thebottle； and they learn wisdom； Hebrew and Greek。〃
〃Croak。〃 How it sounded like the cry of the frogs on the moor；or like the creaking of great boots when some one is marching；… alwaysthe same tone； so monotonous and wearing； that little Tuk at lengthfell fast asleep； and then the sound could not annoy him。 But evenin this sleep came a dream or something like it。 His little sisterGustava； with her blue eyes； and fair curly hair； had grown up abeautiful maiden all at once； and without having wings she couldfly。 And they flew together over Zealand； over green forests andblue lakes。
〃Hark； so you hear the cock crow； little Tuk。 'Cock…a…doodle…doo。'The fowls are flying out of Kjoge。 You shall have a large farm…yard。You shall never suffer hunger or want。 The bird of good omen shallbe yours； and you shall bee a rich and happy man； your houseshall rise up like King Waldemar's towers； and shall be richly adornedwith marble statues； like those at Prastoe。 Understand me well； yourname shall travel with fame round the world like the ship that wasto sail from Corsor； and at Roeskilde；… Don't forget the names ofthe towns； as King Hroar said；… you shall speak well and clearlylittle Tuk； and when at last you lie in your grave you shall sleeppeacefully； as…〃
〃As if I lay in Soroe；〃 said little Tuk awaking。 It was brightdaylight； and he could not remember his dream； but that was notnecessary； for we are not to know what will happen to us in thefuture。 Then he sprang out of bed quickly； and read over his lesson inthe book； and knew it all at once quite correctly。 The old washerwomanput her head in at the door； and nodded to him quite kindly； and said；〃Many thanks； you good child； for your help yesterday。 I hope all yourbeautiful dreams will e true。〃
Little Tuk did not at all know what he had dreamt； but One abovedid。
THE END。
1872
FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
OLE THE TOWER…KEEPER
by Hans Christian Andersen
〃IN the world it's always going up and down； and now I can't go upany higher！〃 So said Ole the tower…keeper。 〃Most people have to tryboth the ups and the downs； and； rightly considered； we all get tobe watchmen at last； and look down upon life from a height。〃
Such was the speech of Ole； my friend； the old tower…keeper； astrange； talkative old fellow； who seemed to speak out everything thatcame into his head； and who for all that had many a serious thoughtdeep in his heart。 Yes； he was the child of respectable people； andthere were even some who said that he was the son of a privycouncillor； or that he might have been。 He had studied； too； and hadbeen assistant teacher and deputy clerk； but of what service was allthat to him？ In those days he lived in the clerk's house； and was tohave everything in the house… to be at free quarters； as the sayingis； but he was still； so to speak； a fine young gentleman。 He wantedto have his boots cleaned with patent blacking； and the clerk couldonly afford ordinary grease； and upon that point they split。 One spokeof stinginess； the other of vanity； and the blacking became theblack cause of enmity between them； and at last they parted。
This is what he demanded of the world in general； namely； patentblacking； and he got nothing but grease。 Accordingly； he at lastdrew back from all men； and became a hermit； but the church tower isthe only place in a great city where hermitage； office and bread canbe found together。 So he betook himself up thither； and smoked hispipe as he made his solitary rounds。 He looked upward and downward；and had his own thoughts； and told in his own way of what he read inbooks and in himself。 I often lent him books… good books； and youmay know by the pany he keeps。 He loved neither the Englishgoverness novels nor the French ones； which he called a mixture ofempty wind and raisin…stalks： he wanted biographies； anddescriptions of the wonders of； the world。 I visited him at least oncea year； generally directly after New Year's day； and then he alwaysspoke of this and that which the change of the year had put into hishead。
I will tell the story of three of these visits； and will reproducehis own words whenever I can remember them。
FIRST VISIT
Among the books which I had lately lent Ole； was one which hadgreatly rejoiced and occupied him。 It was a geological book；containing an account of the boulders。
〃Yes； they're rare old fellows； those boulders！〃 he said； 〃andto think that we should pass them without noticing them！ And overthe street pavement； the paving stones； those fragments of theoldest remains of antiquity； one walks without ever thinking aboutthem。 I have done the very thing myself。 But now I look respectfullyat every paving…stone。 Many thanks for the book！ It has filled me withthought； and has made me long to read more on the subject。 The romanceof the earth is； after all； the most wonderful of all romances。 It's apity one can't read the first volume of it； because it is written in alanguage that we don't understand。 One must read in the differentstrata； in the pebble…stones； for each separate period。 Yes； it is aromance； a very wonderful romance； and we all have our place in it。 Wegrope and ferret about； and yet remain where we are； but the ballkeeps turning； without emptying the ocean over us； the clod on whichwe move about； holds； and does not let us through。 And then it's astory that has been acting for thousands upon thousands of years andis still going on。 My best thanks for the book about the boulders。Those are fellows indeed！ They could tell us something worthhearing； if they only knew how to talk。 It's really a pleasure now andthen to bee a mere nothing； especially when a man is as highlyplaced as I am。 And then to think that we all； even with patentlacquer； are nothing more than insects of a moment on that ant…hillthe earth； though we may be insects with stars and garters； places andoffices！ One feels quite a novice beside these venerablemillion…yea