FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN
  THE　MONEY…BOX
  by　Hans　Christian　Andersen
  IN　a　nursery　where　a　number　of　toys　lay　scattered　about；　a
  money…box　stood　on　the　top　of　a　very　high　wardrobe。　It　was　made　of
  clay　in　the　shape　of　a　pig；　and　had　been　bought　of　the　potter。　In
  the　back　of　the　pig　was　a　slit；　and　this　slit　had　been　enlarged　with　a
  knife；　so　that　dollars；　or　crown　pieces；　might　slip　through；　and；
  indeed　there　were　two　in　the　box；　besides　a　number　of　pence。　The
  money…pig　was　stuffed　so　full　that　it　could　no　longer　rattle；　which　is
  the　highest　state　of　perfection　to　which　a　money…pig　can　attain。　There
  he　stood　upon　the　cupboard；　high　and　lofty；　looking　down　upon
  everything　else　in　the　room。　He　knew　very　well　that　he　had　enough
  inside　him　to　buy　up　all　the　other　toys；　and　this　gave　him　a　very　good
  opinion　of　his　own　value。　The　rest　thought　of　this　fact　also；　although
  they　did　not　express　it；　for　there　were　so　many　other　things　to　talk
  about。　A　large　doll；　still　handsome；　though　rather　old；　for　her　neck
  had　been　mended；　lay　inside　one　of　the　drawers　which　was　partly
  open。　She　called　out　to　the　others；　〃Let　us　have　a　game　at　being　men
  and　women；　that　is　something　worth　playing　at。〃
  Upon　this　there　was　a　great　uproar；　even　the　engravings；　which
  hung　in　frames　on　the　wall；　turned　round　in　their　excitement；　and
  showed　that　they　had　a　wrong　side　to　them；　although　they　had　not　the
  least　intention　to　expose　themselves　in　this　way；　or　to　object　to
  the　game。　It　was　late　at　night；　but　as　the　moon　shone　through　the
  windows；　they　had　light　at　a　cheap　rate。　And　as　the　game　was　now　to
  begin；　all　were　invited　to　take　part　in　it；　even　the　children's　wagon；
  which　certainly　belonged　to　the　coarser　playthings。　〃Each　has　its
  own　value；〃　said　the　wagon；　〃we　cannot　all　be　noblemen；　there　must
  be　some　to　do　the　work。〃
  The　money…pig　was　the　only　one　who　received　a　written
  invitation。　He　stood　so　high　that　they　were　afraid　he　would　not　accept
  a　verbal　message。　But　in　his　reply；　he　said；　if　he　had　to　take　a　part；
  he　must　enjoy　the　sport　from　his　own　home；　they　were　to　arrange　for
  him　to　do　so；　and　so　they　did。　The　little　toy　theatre　was　therefore
  put　up　in　such　a　way　that　the　money…pig　could　look　directly　into　it。
  Some　wanted　to　begin　with　a　comedy；　and　afterwards　to　have　a　tea　party
  and　a　discussion　for　mental　improvement；　but　they　commenced　with　the
  latter　first。　The　rocking…horse　spoke　of　training　and　races；　the　wagon
  of　railways　and　steam　power；　for　these　subjects　belonged　to　each　of
  their　professions；　and　it　was　right　they　should　talk　of　them。　The
  clock　talked　politics…　〃tick；　tick；〃　he　professed　to　know　what　was　the
  time　of　day；　but　there　was　a　whisper　that　he　did　not　go　correctly。　The
  bamboo　cane　stood　by；　looking　stiff　and　proud：　he　was　vain　of　his
  brass　ferrule　and　silver　top；　and　on　the　sofa　lay　two　worked　cushions；
  pretty　but　stupid。　When　the　play　at　the　little　theatre　began；　the　rest
  sat　and　looked　on；　they　were　requested　to　applaud　and　stamp；　or　crack；
  when　they　felt　gratified　with　what　they　saw。　But　the　riding…whip
  said　he　never　cracked　for　old　people；　only　for　the　young　who　were
  not　yet　married。　〃I　crack　for　everybody；〃　said　the　cracker。
  〃Yes；　and　a　fine　noise　you　make；〃　thought　the　audience；　as　the
  play　went　on。
  It　was　not　worth　much；　but　it　was　very　well　played；　and　all　the
  characters　turned　their　painted　sides　to　the　audience；　for　they　were
  made　only　to　be　seen　on　one　side。　The　acting　was　wonderful；
  excepting　that　sometimes　they　came　out　beyond　the　lamps；　because　the
  wires　were　a　little　too　long。　The　doll；　whose　neck　had　been　darned；
  was　so　excited　that　the　place　in　her　neck　burst；　and　the　money…pig
  declared　he　must　do　something　for　one　of　the　players；　as　they　had
  all　pleased　him　so　much。　So　he　made　up　his　mind　to　remember　one　of
  them　in　his　will；　as　the　one　to　be　buried　with　him　in　the　family
  vault；　whenever　that　event　should　happen。　They　all　enjoyed　the
  comedy　so　much；　that　they　gave　up　all　thoughts　of　the　tea　party；　and
  only　carried　out　their　idea　of　intellectual　amusement；　which　they
  called　playing　at　men　and　women；　and　there　was　nothing　wrong　about　it；
  for　it　was　only　play。　All　the　while；　each　one　thought　most　of　himself；
  or　of　what　the　money…pig　could　be　thinking。　His　thoughts　were　on；　as
  he　supposed；　a　very　distant　time…　of　making　his　will；　and　of　his
  burial；　and　of　when　it　might　all　come　to　pass。　Certainly　sooner　than
  he　expected…　for　all　at　once　down　he　came　from　the　top　of　the　press；
  fell　on　the　ground；　and　was　broken　to　pieces。　Then　the　pennies
  hopped　and　danced　about　in　the　most　amusing　manner。　The　little　ones
  twirled　round　like　tops；　and　the　large　ones　rolled　away　as　far　as　they
  could；　especially　the　one　great　silver　crown　piece　who　had　often　to　go
  out　into　the　world；　and　now　he　had　his　wish　as　well　as　all　the　rest　of
  the　money。　The　pieces　of　the　money…pig　were　thrown　into　the
  dust…bin；　and　the　next　day　there　stood　a　new　money…pig　on　the
  cupboard；　but　it　had　not　a　farthing　in　its　inside　yet；　and
  therefore；　like　the　old　one；　it　could　not　rattle。　This　was　the
  beginning　with　him；　and　we　will　make　it　the　end　of　our　story。
  THE　END
  。