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　of
  those　round　spectacle…glasses　that　make　everything　look　a　hundred
  times　bigger　than　it　is？　When　any　one　takes　one　of　these　and　holds
  it　to　his　eye；　and　looks　at　a　drop　of　water　from　the　pond　yonder；　he
  sees　above　a　thousand　wonderful　creatures　that　are　otherwise　never
  discerned　in　the　water。　But　there　they　are；　and　it　is　no　delusion。
  It　almost　looks　like　a　great　plateful　of　spiders　jumping　about　in　a
  crowd。　And　how　fierce　they　are！　They　tear　off　each　other's　legs。　and
  arms　and　bodies；　before　and　behind；　and　yet　they　are　merry　and
  joyful　in　their　way。
  Now；　there　once　was　an　old　man　whom　all　the　people　called
  Kribble…Krabble；　for　that　was　his　name。　He　always　wanted　the　best　of
  everything；　and　when　he　could　not　manage　it　otherwise；　he　did　it　by
  magic。
  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　by
  the　ditch。　But　what　a　kribbling　and　krabbling　was　there！　All　the
  thousands　of　little　creatures　hopped　and　sprang　and　tugged　at　one
  another；　and　ate　each　other　up。
  〃That　is　horrible！〃　said　old　Kribble…Krabble。　〃Can　one　not
  persuade　them　to　live　in　peace　and　quietness；　so　that　each　one　may
  mind　his　own　business？〃
  And　he　thought　it　over　and　over；　but　it　would　not　do；　and　so　he
  had　recourse　to　magic。
  〃I　must　give　them　color；　that　they　may　be　seen　more　plainly；〃　said
  he；　and　he　poured　something　like　a　little　drop　of　red　wine　into　the
  drop　of　water；　but　it　was　witches'　blood　from　the　lobes　of　the　ear；
  the　finest　kind；　at　ninepence　a　drop。　And　now　the　wonderful　little
  creatures　were　pink　all　over。　It　looked　like　a　whole　town　of　naked
  wild　men。
  〃What　have　you　there？〃　asked　another　old　magician；　who　had　no
  name…　and　that　was　the　best　thing　about　him。
  〃Yes；　if　you　can　guess　what　it　is；〃　said　Kribble…Krabble；　〃I'll
  make　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　the
  magnifying…glass。
  It　looked　really　like　a　great　town　reflected　there；　in　which　all
  the　people　were　running　about　without　clothes。　It　was　terrible！　But　it
  was　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　were
  being　pulled　down；　and　those　at　the　bottom　were　struggling　upwards。
  〃Look！　look！　his　leg　is　longer　than　mine！　Bah！　Away　with　it！　There
  is　one　who　has　a　little　bruise。　It　hurts　him；　but　it　shall　hurt　him
  still　more。〃
  And　they　hacked　away　at　him；　and　they　pulled　at　him；　and　ate　him
  up；　because　of　the　little　bruise。　And　there　was　one　sitting　as　still
  as　any　little　maiden；　and　wishing　only　for　peace　and　quietness。　But
  now　she　had　to　come　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　you
  find　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
  。