FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN
  THE　SHIRT…COLLAR
  by　Hans　Christian　Andersen
  THERE　was　once　a　fine　gentleman　who　possessed　among　other　things　a
  boot…jack　and　a　hair…brush；　but　he　had　also　the　finest　shirt…collar　in
  the　world；　and　of　this　collar　we　are　about　to　hear　a　story。　The　collar
  had　become　so　old　that　he　began　to　think　about　getting　married；　and
  one　day　he　happened　to　find　himself　in　the　same　washing…tub　as　a
  garter。　〃Upon　my　word；〃　said　the　shirt…collar；　〃I　have　never　seen
  anything　so　slim　and　delicate；　so　neat　and　soft　before。　May　I
  venture　to　ask　your　name？〃
  〃I　shall　not　tell　you；〃　replied　the　garter。
  〃Where　do　you　reside　when　you　are　at　home？〃　asked　the
  shirt…collar。　But　the　garter　was　naturally　shy；　and　did　not　know　how
  to　answer　such　a　question。
  〃I　presume　you　are　a　girdle；〃　said　the　shirt…collar；　〃a　sort　of
  under　girdle。　I　see　that　you　are　useful；　as　well　as　ornamental；　my
  little　lady。〃
  〃You　must　not　speak　to　me；〃　said　the　garter；　〃I　do　not　think　I
  have　given　you　any　encouragement　to　do　so。〃
  〃Oh；　when　any　one　is　as　beautiful　as　you　are；〃　said　the
  shirt…collar；　〃is　not　that　encouragement　enough？〃
  〃Get　away；　don't　come　so　near　me；〃　said　the　garter；　〃you　appear　to
  me　quite　like　a　man。〃
  〃I　am　a　fine　gentleman　certainly；〃　said　the　shirt…collar；　〃I
  possess　a　boot…jack　and　a　hair…brush。〃　This　was　not　true；　for　these
  things　belonged　to　his　master；　but　he　was　a　boaster。
  〃Don't　come　so　near　me；〃　said　the　garter；　〃I　am　not　accustomed
  to　it。〃
  〃Affectation！〃　said　the　shirt…collar。
  Then　they　were　taken　out　of　the　wash…tub；　starched；　and　hung
  over　a　chair　in　the　sunshine；　and　then　laid　on　the　ironing…board。
  And　now　came　the　glowing　iron。　〃Mistress　widow；〃　said　the
  shirt…collar；　〃little　mistress　widow；　I　feel　quite　warm。　I　am
  changing；　I　am　losing　all　my　creases。　You　are　burning　a　hole　in　me。
  Ugh！　I　propose　to　you。〃
  〃You　old　rag；〃　said　the　flat…iron；　driving　proudly　over　the
  collar；　for　she　fancied　herself　a　steam…engine；　which　rolls　over　the
  railway　and　draws　carriages。　〃You　old　rag！〃　said　she。
  The　edges　of　the　shirt…collar　were　a　little　frayed；　so　the
  scissors　were　brought　to　cut　them　smooth。　〃Oh！〃　exclaimed　the
  shirt…collar；　〃what　a　first…rate　dancer　you　would　make；　you　can
  stretch　out　your　leg　so　well。　I　never　saw　anything　so　charming；　I　am
  sure　no　human　being　could　do　the　same。〃
  〃I　should　think　not；〃　replied　the　scissors。
  〃You　ought　to　be　a　countess；〃　said　the　shirt　collar；　〃but　all　I
  possess　consists　of　a　fine　gentleman；　a　boot…jack；　and　a　comb。　I
  wish　I　had　an　estate　for　your　sake。〃
  〃What！　is　he　going　to　propose　to　me？〃　said　the　scissors；　and　she
  became　so　angry　that　she　cut　too　sharply　into　the　shirt　collar；　and　it
  was　obliged　to　be　thrown　by　as　useless。
  〃I　shall　be　obliged　to　propose　to　the　hair…brush；〃　thought　the
  shirt　collar；　so　he　remarked　one　day；　〃It　is　wonderful　what
  beautiful　hair　you　have；　my　little　lady。　Have　you　never　thought　of
  being　engaged？〃
  〃You　might　know　I　should　think　of　it；〃　answered　the　hair　brush；　〃I
  am　engaged　to　the　boot…jack。〃
  〃Engaged！〃　cried　the　shirt　collar；　〃now　there　is　no　one　left　to
  propose　to；〃　and　then　he　pretended　to　despise　all　love…making。
  A　long　time　passed；　and　the　shirt　collar　was　taken　in　a　bag　to　the
  paper…mill。　Here　was　a　large　company　of　rags；　the　fine　ones　lying　by
  themselves；　separated　from　the　coarser；　as　it　ought　to　be。　They　had
  all　many　things　to　relate；　especially　the　shirt　collar；　who　was　a
  terrible　boaster。　〃I　have　had　an　immense　number　of　love　affairs；〃　said
  the　shirt　collar；　〃no　one　left　me　any　peace。　It　is　true　I　was　a　very
  fine　gentleman；　quite　stuck　up。　I　had　a　boot…jack　and　a　brush　that　I
  never　used。　You　should　have　seen　me　then；　when　I　was　turned　down。　I
  shall　never　forget　my　first　love；　she　was　a　girdle；　so　charming；　and
  fine；　and　soft；　and　she　threw　herself　into　a　washing　tub　for　my
  sake。　There　was　a　widow　too；　who　was　warmly　in　love　with　me；　but　I
  left　her　alone；　and　she　became　quite　black。　The　next　was　a
  first…rate　dancer；　she　gave　me　the　wound　from　which　I　still　suffer；
  she　was　so　passionate。　Even　my　own　hair…brush　was　in　love　with　me；　and
  lost　all　her　hair　through　neglected　love。　Yes；　I　have　had　great
  experience　of　this　kind；　but　my　greatest　grief　was　for　the　garter…　the
  girdle　I　meant　to　say…　that　jumped　into　the　wash…tub。　I　have　a　great
  deal　on　my　conscience；　and　it　is　really　time　I　should　be　turned　into
  white　paper。〃
  And　the　shirt　collar　came　to　this　at　last。　All　the　rags　were
  made　into　white　paper；　and　the　shirt　collar　became　the　very
  identical　piece　of　paper　which　we　now　see；　and　on　which　this　story
  is　printed。　It　happened　as　a　punishment　to　him；　for　having　boasted
  so　shockingly　of　things　which　were　not　true。　And　this　is　a　warning
  to　us；　to　be　careful　how　we　act；　for　we　may　some　day　find　ourselves　in
  the　rag…bag；　to　be　turned　into　white　paper；　on　which　our　whole　history
  may　be　written；　even　its　most　secret　actions。　And　it　would　not　be
  pleasant　to　have　to　run　about　the　world　in　the　form　of　a　piece　of
  paper；　telling　everything　we　have　done；　like　the　boasting　shirt
  collar。
  THE　END
  。