stone。 There swims a piece of newspaper； what is writtenupon it has been forgotten long ago； and yet it gives itself airs。 Isit here patiently and quietly。 I know who I am； so I shall not move。〃
One day something lying close to the darning…needle glittered sosplendidly that she thought it was a diamond； yet it was only apiece of broken bottle。 The darning…needle spoke to it； because itsparkled； and represented herself as a breast…pin。 〃I suppose youare really a diamond？〃 she said。
〃Why yes； something of the kind；〃 he replied； and so each believedthe other to be very valuable； and then they began to talk about theworld； and the conceited people in it。
〃I have been in a lady's work…box；〃 said the darning…needle；〃and this lady was the cook。 She had on each hand five fingers； andanything so conceited as these five fingers I have never seen； and yetthey were only employed to take me out of the box and to put me backagain。〃
〃Were they not high…born？〃
〃High…born！〃 said the darning…needle； 〃no indeed； but sohaughty。 They were five brothers； all born fingers； they kept veryproudly together； though they were of different lengths。 The one whostood first in the rank was named the thumb； he was short and thick；and had only one joint in his back； and could therefore make but onebow； but he said that if he were cut off from a man's hand； that manwould be unfit for a soldier。 Sweet…tooth； his neighbor； dippedhimself into sweet or sour； pointed to the sun and moon； and formedthe letters when the fingers wrote。 Longman； the middle finger； lookedover the heads of all the others。 Gold…band； the next finger； wore agolden circle round his waist。 And little Playman did nothing atall； and seemed proud of it。 They were boasters； and boasters theywill remain； and therefore I left them。〃
〃And now we sit here and glitter；〃 said the piece of brokenbottle。
At the same moment more water streamed into the gutter； so that itoverflowed； and the piece of bottle was carried away。
〃So he is promoted；〃 said the darning…needle； 〃while I remainhere； I am too fine； but that is my pride； and what do I care？〃 And soshe sat there in her pride； and had many such thoughts as these；… 〃Icould almost fancy that I came from a sunbeam； I am so fine。 Itseems as if the sunbeams were always looking for me under the water。Ah！ I am so fine that even my mother cannot find me。 Had I still myold eye； which was broken off； I believe I should weep； but no； Iwould not do that； it is not genteel to cry。〃
One day a couple of street boys were paddling in the gutter； forthey sometimes found old nails； farthings； and other treasures。 It wasdirty work； but they took great pleasure in it。 〃Hallo！〃 cried one； ashe pricked himself with the darning…needle； 〃here's a fellow for you。〃
〃I am not a fellow； I am a young lady；〃 said the darning…needle；but no one heard her。
The sealing…wax had e off； and she was quite black； but blackmakes a person look slender； so she thought herself even finer thanbefore。
〃Here es an egg…shell sailing along；〃 said one of the boys；so they stuck the darning…needle into the egg…shell。
〃White walls； and I am black myself；〃 said the darning…needle；〃that looks well； now I can be seen； but I hope I shall not besea…sick； or I shall break again。〃 She was not sea…sick； and she didnot break。 〃It is a good thing against sea…sickness to have a steelstomach； and not to forget one's own importance。 Now my sea…sicknesshas past： delicate people can bear a great deal。〃
Crack went the egg…shell； as a waggon passed over it。 〃Goodheavens； how it crushes！〃 said the darning…needle。 〃I shall be sicknow。 I am breaking！〃 but she did not break； though the waggon wentover her as she lay at full length； and there let her lie。
THE END。
1872
FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
THE DROP OF WATER
by Hans Christian Andersen
OF course you know what is meant by a magnifying glass… one ofthose round spectacle…glasses that make everything look a hundredtimes bigger than it is？ When any one takes one of these and holdsit to his eye； and looks at a drop of water from the pond yonder； hesees above a thousand wonderful creatures that are otherwise neverdiscerned in the water。 But there they are； and it is no delusion。It almost looks like a great plateful of spiders jumping about in acrowd。 And how fierce they are！ They tear off each other's legs。 andarms and bodies； before and behind； and yet they are merry andjoyful in their way。
Now； there once was an old man whom all the people calledKribble…Krabble； for that was his name。 He always wanted the best ofeverything； and when he could not manage it otherwise； he did it bymagic。
There he sat one day； and held his magnifying…glass to his eye；and looked at a drop of water that had been taken out of a puddle bythe ditch。 But what a kribbling and krabbling was there！ All thethousands of little creatures hopped and sprang and tugged at oneanother； and ate each other up。
〃That is horrible！〃 said old Kribble…Krabble。 〃Can one notpersuade them to live in peace and quietness； so that each one maymind his own business？〃
And he thought it over and over； but it would not do； and so hehad recourse to magic。
〃I must give them color； that they may be seen more plainly；〃 saidhe； and he poured something like a little drop of red wine into thedrop of water； but it was witches' blood from the lobes of the ear；the finest kind； at ninepence a drop。 And now the wonderful littlecreatures were pink all over。 It looked like a whole town of nakedwild men。
〃What have you there？〃 asked another old magician； who had noname… and that was the best thing about him。
〃Yes； if you can guess what it is；〃 said Kribble…Krabble； 〃I'llmake you a present of it。〃
But it is not so easy to find out if one does not know。
And the magician who had no name looked through themagnifying…glass。
It looked really like a great town reflected there； in which allthe people were running about without clothes。 It was terrible！ But itwas still more terrible to see how one beat and pushed the other；and bit and hacked； and tugged and mauled him。 Those at the top werebeing pulled down； and those at the bottom were struggling upwards。
〃Look！ look！ his leg is longer than mine！ Bah！ Away with it！ Thereis one who has a little bruise。 It hurts him； but it shall hurt himstill more。〃
And they hacked away at him； and they pulled at him； and ate himup； because of the little bruise。 And there was one sitting as stillas any little maiden； and wishing only for peace and quietness。 Butnow she had to e out； and they tugged at her； and pulled her about；and ate her up。
〃That's funny！〃 said the magician。
〃Yes； but what do you think it is？〃 said Kribble…Krabble。 〃Can youfind that out？〃
〃Why； one can see that easily enough；〃 said the other。 〃That's Paris；or some other great city； for they're all alike。 It's a great city！〃
〃It's a drop of puddle water！〃 said Kribble…Krabble。
THE END。
1872
FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
THE DRYAD
by Hans Christian Andersen
WE are travelling to Paris to the Exhibition。
Now we are there。 That was a journey； a flight without magic。 Weflew on the wings of steam o