FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN
  THE　PEA　BLOSSOM
  by　Hans　Christian　Andersen
  THERE　were　once　five　peas　in　one　shell；　they　were　green；　the　shell
  was　green；　and　so　they　believed　that　the　whole　world　must　be　green
  also；　which　was　a　very　natural　conclusion。　The　shell　grew；　and　the
  peas　grew；　they　accommodated　themselves　to　their　position；　and　sat　all
  in　a　row。　The　sun　shone　without　and　warmed　the　shell；　and　the　rain
  made　it　clear　and　transparent；　it　was　mild　and　agreeable　in　broad
  daylight；　and　dark　at　night；　as　it　generally　is；　and　the　peas　as
  they　sat　there　grew　bigger　and　bigger；　and　more　thoughtful　as　they
  mused；　for　they　felt　there　must　be　something　else　for　them　to　do。
  〃Are　we　to　sit　here　forever？〃　asked　one；　〃shall　we　not　become　hard
  by　sitting　so　long？　It　seems　to　me　there　must　be　something　outside；
  and　I　feel　sure　of　it。〃
  And　as　weeks　passed　by；　the　peas　became　yellow；　and　the　shell
  became　yellow。
  〃All　the　world　is　turning　yellow；　I　suppose；〃　said　they；…　and
  perhaps　they　were　right。
  Suddenly　they　felt　a　pull　at　the　shell；　it　was　torn　off；　and
  held　in　human　hands；　then　slipped　into　the　pocket　of　a　jacket　in
  company　with　other　full　pods。
  〃Now　we　shall　soon　be　opened；〃　said　one；…　just　what　they　all
  wanted。
  〃I　should　like　to　know　which　of　us　will　travel　furthest；〃　said　the
  smallest　of　the　five；　〃we　shall　soon　see　now。〃
  〃What　is　to　happen　will　happen；〃　said　the　largest　pea。
  〃Crack〃　went　the　shell　as　it　burst；　and　the　five　peas　rolled　out
  into　the　bright　sunshine。　There　they　lay　in　a　child's　hand。　A　little
  boy　was　holding　them　tightly；　and　said　they　were　fine　peas　for　his
  pea…shooter。　And　immediately　he　put　one　in　and　shot　it　out。
  〃Now　I　am　flying　out　into　the　wide　world；〃　said　he；　〃catch　me　if
  you　can；〃　and　he　was　gone　in　a　moment。
  〃I；〃　said　the　second；　〃intend　to　fly　straight　to　the　sun；　that
  is　a　shell　that　lets　itself　be　seen；　and　it　will　suit　me　exactly；〃　and
  away　he　went。
  〃We　will　go　to　sleep　wherever　we　find　ourselves；〃　said　the　two
  next；　〃we　shall　still　be　rolling　onwards；〃　and　they　did　certainly　fall
  on　the　floor；　and　roll　about　before　they　got　into　the　pea…shooter；　but
  they　were　put　in　for　all　that。　〃We　shall　go　farther　than　the
  others；〃　said　they。
  〃What　is　to　happen　will　happen；〃　exclaimed　the　last；　as　he　was
  shot　out　of　the　pea…shooter；　and　as　he　spoke　he　flew　up　against　an　old
  board　under　a　garret…window；　and　fell　into　a　little　crevice；　which　was
  almost　filled　up　with　moss　and　soft　earth。　The　moss　closed　itself
  round　him；　and　there　he　lay；　a　captive　indeed；　but　not　unnoticed　by
  God。
  〃What　is　to　happen　will　happen；〃　said　he　to　himself。
  Within　the　little　garret　lived　a　poor　woman；　who　went　out　to　clean
  stoves；　chop　wood　into　small　pieces　and　perform　such…like　hard　work；
  for　she　was　strong　and　industrious。　Yet　she　remained　always　poor；
  and　at　home　in　the　garret　lay　her　only　daughter；　not　quite　grown　up；
  and　very　delicate　and　weak。　For　a　whole　year　she　had　kept　her　bed；　and
  it　seemed　as　if　she　could　neither　live　nor　die。
  〃She　is　going　to　her　little　sister；〃　said　the　woman；　〃I　had　but
  the　two　children；　and　it　was　not　an　easy　thing　to　support　both　of
  them；　but　the　good　God　helped　me　in　my　work；　and　took　one　of　them　to
  Himself　and　provided　for　her。　Now　I　would　gladly　keep　the　other　that
  was　left　to　me；　but　I　suppose　they　are　not　to　be　separated；　and　my
  sick　girl　will　very　soon　go　to　her　sister　above。〃　But　the　sick　girl
  still　remained　where　she　was；　quietly　and　patiently　she　lay　all　the
  day　long；　while　her　mother　was　away　from　home　at　her　work。
  Spring　came；　and　one　morning　early　the　sun　shone　brightly
  through　the　little　window；　and　threw　its　rays　over　the　floor　of　the
  room。　just　as　the　mother　was　going　to　her　work；　the　sick　girl　fixed
  her　gaze　on　the　lowest　pane　of　the　window…　〃Mother；〃　she　exclaimed；
  〃what　can　that　little　green　thing　be　that　peeps　in　at　the　window？　It
  is　moving　in　the　wind。〃
  The　mother　stepped　to　the　window　and　half　opened　it。　〃Oh！〃　she
  said；　there　is　actually　a　little　pea　which　has　taken　root　and　is
  putting　out　its　green　leaves。　How　could　it　have　got　into　this　crack？
  Well　now；　here　is　a　little　garden　for　you　to　amuse　yourself　with。〃
  So　the　bed　of　the　sick　girl　was　drawn　nearer　to　the　window；　that　she
  might　see　the　budding　plant；　and　the　mother　went　out　to　her　work。
  〃Mother；　I　believe　I　shall　get　well；〃　said　the　sick　child　in　the
  evening；　〃the　sun　has　shone　in　here　so　brightly　and　warmly　to…day；　and
  the　little　pea　is　thriving　so　well：　I　shall　get　on　better；　too；　and　go
  out　into　the　warm　sunshine　again。〃
  〃God　grant　it！〃　said　the　mother；　but　she　did　not　believe　it
  would　be　so。　But　she　propped　up　with　the　little　stick　the　green
  plant　which　had　given　her　child　such　pleasant　hopes　of　life；　so　that
  it　might　not　be　broken　by　the　winds；　she　tied　the　piece　of　string　to
  the　window…sill　and　to　the　upper　part　of　the　frame；　so　that　the
  pea…tendrils　might　twine　round　it　when　it　shot　up。　And　it　did　shoot
  up；　indeed　it　might　almost　be　seen　to　grow　from　day　to　day。
  〃Now　really　here　is　a　flower　coming；〃　said　the　old　woman　one
  morning；　and　now　at　last　she　began　to　encourage　the　hope　that　her　sick
  daughter　might　really　recover。　She　remembered　that　for　some　time　the
  child　had　spoken　more　cheerfully；　and　during　the　last　few　days　had
  raised　herself　in　bed　in　the　morning　to　look　with　sparkling　eyes　at
  her　little　garden　which　contained　only　a　single　pea…plant。　A　week
  after；　the　invalid　sat　up　for　the　first　time　a　whole　hour；　feeling
  quite　happy　by　the　open　window　in　the　warm　sunshine；　while　outside
  grew　the　little　plant；　and　on　it　a　pink　pea…blossom　in　full　bloom。　The
  little　maiden　bent　down　and　gently　kissed　the　delicate　leaves。　This
  day　was　to　her　like　a　festival。
  〃Our　heavenly　Father　Himself　has　planted　that　pea；　and　made　it
  grow　and　flourish；　to　bring　joy　to　you　and　hope　to　me；　my　blessed
  child；〃　said　the　happy　mother；　and　she　smiled　at　the　flower；　as　if
  it　had　been　an　angel　from　God。
  But　what　became　of　the　other　peas？　Why　the　one　who　flew　out　into
  the　wide　world；　and　said；　〃Catch　me　if　you　can；〃　fell　into　a　gutter
  on　the　roof　of　a　house；　and　ended　his　travels　in　the　crop　of　a
  pigeon。　The　two　lazy　ones　were　carried　quite　as　far；　for　they　also
  were　eaten　by　pigeons；　so　they　were　at　least　of　some　use；　but　the
  fourth；　who　wanted　to　reach　the　sun；　fell　into　a　sink　and　lay　there
  in　the　dirty　water　for　days　and　weeks；　till　he　had　swelled　to　a　great
  size。
  〃I　am　getting　beautifully　fat；〃　said　the　pea；　〃I　expect　I　shall
  burst　at　last；　no　pea　could　do　more　that　that；　I　think；　I　am　the
  most　remarkable　of　all　the　five　which　were　in　the　shell。〃　And　the　sink
  confirmed　the　opinion。
  But　the　young　maiden　stood　at　the　open　garret　window；　with
  sparkling　eyes　and　the　rosy　hue　of　health　on　her　cheeks；　she　folded
  her　thin　hands　over　the　pea…blossom；　and　thanked　God　for　what　He　had
  done。
  〃I；〃　said　the　sink；　〃shall　stand　up　for　my　pea。〃
  THE　END
  。