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                     FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

                                  GRANDMOTHER

                           by Hans Christian Andersen

GRANDMOTHER



    GRANDMOTHER is very old; her face is wrinkled; and her hair is

quite white; but her eyes are like two stars; and they have a mild;

gentle expression in them when they look at you; which does you

good。 She wears a dress of heavy; rich silk; with large flowers worked

on it; and it rustles when she moves。 And then she can tell the most

wonderful stories。 Grandmother knows a great deal; for she was alive

before father and mother… that's quite certain。 She has a hymn…book

with large silver clasps; in which she often reads; and in the book;

between the leaves; lies a rose; quite flat and dry; it is not so

pretty as the roses which are standing in the glass; and yet she

smiles at it most pleasantly; and tears even come into her eyes。 〃I

wonder why grandmother looks at the withered flower in the old book

that way? Do you know?〃 Why; when grandmother's tears fall upon the

rose; and she is looking at it; the rose revives; and fills the room

with its fragrance; the walls vanish as in a mist; and all around

her is the glorious green wood; where in summer the sunlight streams

through thick foliage; and grandmother; why she is young again; a

charming maiden; fresh as a rose; with round; rosy cheeks; fair;

bright ringlets; and a figure pretty and graceful; but the eyes; those

mild; saintly eyes; are the same;… they have been left to grandmother。

At her side sits a young man; tall and strong; he gives her a rose and

she smiles。 Grandmother cannot smile like that now。 Yes; she is

smiling at the memory of that day; and many thoughts and recollections

of the past; but the handsome young man is gone; and the rose has

withered in the old book; and grandmother is sitting there; again an

old woman; looking down upon the withered rose in the book。

    Grandmother is dead now。 She had been sitting in her arm…chair;

telling us a long; beautiful tale; and when it was finished; she

said she was tired; and leaned her head back to sleep awhile。 We could

hear her gentle breathing as she slept; gradually it became quieter

and calmer; and on her countenance beamed happiness and peace。 It

was as if lighted up with a ray of sunshine。 She smiled once more; and

then people said she was dead。 She was laid in a black coffin; looking

mild and beautiful in the white folds of the shrouded linen; though

her eyes were closed; but every wrinkle had vanished; her hair

looked white and silvery; and around her mouth lingered a sweet smile。

We did not feel at all afraid to look at the corpse of her who had

been such a dear; good grandmother。 The hymn…book; in which the rose

still lay; was placed under her head; for so she had wished it; and

then they buried grandmother。

    On the grave; close by the churchyard wall; they planted a

rose…tree; it was soon full of roses; and the nightingale sat among

the flowers; and sang over the grave。 From the organ in the church

sounded the music and the words of the beautiful psalms; which were

written in the old book under the head of the dead one。

    The moon shone down upon the grave; but the dead was not there;

every child could go safely; even at night; and pluck a rose from

the tree by the churchyard wall。 The dead know more than we do who are

living。 They know what a terror would come upon us if such a strange

thing were to happen; as the appearance of a dead person among us。

They are better off than we are; the dead return no more。 The earth

has been heaped on the coffin; and it is earth only that lies within

it。 The leaves of the hymn…book are dust; and the rose; with all its

recollections; has crumbled to dust also。 But over the grave fresh

roses bloom; the nightingale sings; and the organ sounds and there

still lives a remembrance of old grandmother; with the loving;

gentle eyes that always looked young。 Eyes can never die。 Ours will

once again behold dear grandmother; young and beautiful as when; for

the first time; she kissed the fresh; red rose; that is now dust in

the grave。





                            THE END




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