1872
  FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN
  UNDER　THE　WILLOW…TREE
  by　Hans　Christian　Andersen
  THE　region　round　the　little　town　of　Kjoge　is　very　bleak　and
  cold。　The　town　lies　on　the　sea　shore；　which　is　always　beautiful；　but
  here　it　might　be　more　beautiful　than　it　is；　for　on　every　side　the
  fields　are　flat；　and　it　is　a　long　way　to　the　forest。　But　when
  persons　reside　in　a　place　and　get　used　to　it；　they　can　always　find
  something　beautiful　in　it；…　something　for　which　they　long；　even　in　the
  most　charming　spot　in　the　world　which　is　not　home。　It　must　be　owned　that　there　are　in　the　outskirts　of　the　town　some　humble　gardens　on　the　banks　of　a　little　stream　that　runs　on　towards　the　sea；　and　in　summer　these　gardens　look　very　pretty。　Such　indeed　was　the　opinion　of　two　little　children；　whose　parents　were　neighbors；　and　who　played　in　these　gardens；　and　forced　their　way　from　one　garden　to　the　other　through　the　gooseberry…bushes　that　divided　them。　In　one　of　the　gardens　grew　an　elder…tree；　and　in　the　other　an　old　willow；　under　which　the　children　were　very　fond　of　playing。　They　had　permission　to　do　so；　although　the　tree　stood　close　by　the　stream；　and　they　might　easily　have　fallen　into　the　water；　but　the　eye　of　God　watches　over　the　little　ones；　otherwise　they　would　never　be　safe。　At　the　same　time；　these　children　were　very　careful　not　to　go　too　near　the　water；　indeed；　the　boy　was　so　afraid　of　it；　that　in　the　summer；　while　the　other
  children　were　splashing　about　in　the　sea；　nothing　could　entice　him
  to　join　them。　They　jeered　and　laughed　at　him；　and　he　was　obliged　to
  bear　it　all　as　patiently　as　he　could。　Once　the　neighbor's　little　girl；
  Joanna；　dreamed　that　she　was　sailing　in　a　boat；　and　the　boy…　Knud
  was　his　name…　waded　out　in　the　water　to　join　her；　and　the　water　came
  up　to　his　neck；　and　at　last　closed　over　his　head；　and　in　a　moment　he
  had　disappeared。　When　little　Knud　heard　this　dream；　it　seemed　as　if　he　could　not　bear　the　mocking　and　jeering　again；　how　could　he　dare　to　go　into　the　water　now；　after　Joanna's　dream！　He　never　would　do　it；　for　this　dream　always　satisfied　him。　The　parents　of　these　children；　who　were　poor；　often　sat　together　while　Knud　and　Joanna　played　in　the　gardens　or　in　the　road。　Along　this　road…　a　row　of　willow…trees　had
  been　planted　to　separate　it　from　a　ditch　on　one　side　of　it。　They
  were　not　very　handsome　trees；　for　the　tops　had　been　cut　off；
  however；　they　were　intended　for　use；　and　not　for　show。　The　old
  willow…tree　in　the　garden　was　much　handsomer；　and　therefore　the
  children　were　very　fond　of　sitting　under　it。　The　town　had　a　large
  market…place；　and　at　the　fair…time　there　would　be　whole　rows；　like
  streets；　of　tents　and　booths　containing　silks　and　ribbons；　and　toys
  and　cakes；　and　everything　that　could　be　wished　for。　There　were
  crowds　of　people；　and　sometimes　the　weather　would　be　rainy；　and　splash　with　moisture　the　woollen　jackets　of　the　peasants；　but　it　did　not　destroy　the　beautiful　fragrance　of　the　honey…cakes　and　gingerbread　with　which　one　booth　was　filled；　and　the　best　of　it　was；　that　the　man　who　sold　these　cakes　always　lodged　during　the　fair…time　with　little　Knud's　parents。　So　every　now　and　then　he　had　a　present　of
  gingerbread；　and　of　course　Joanna　always　had　a　share。　And；　more
  delightful　still；　the　gingerbread　seller　knew　all　sorts　of　things　to
  tell　and　could　even　relate　stories　about　his　own　gingerbread。　So　one
  evening　he　told　them　a　story　that　made　such　a　deep　impression　on　the
  children　that　they　never　forgot　it；　and　therefore　I　think　we　may　as
  well　hear　it　too；　for　it　is　not　very　long。
  〃Once　upon　a　time；〃　said　he；　〃there　lay　on　my　counter　two
  gingerbread　cakes；　one　in　the　shape　of　a　man　wearing　a　hat；　the
  other　of　a　maiden　without　a　bonnet。　Their　faces　were　on　the　side
  that　was　uppermost；　for　on　the　other　side　they　looked　very
  different。　Most　people　have　a　best　side　to　their　characters；　which
  they　take　care　to　show　to　the　world。　On　the　left；　just　where　the　heart
  is；　the　gingerbread　man　had　an　almond　stuck　in　to　represent　it；　but
  the　maiden　was　honey　cake　all　over。　They　were　placed　on　the　counter　as　samples；　and　after　lying　there　a　long　time　they　at　last　fell　in　love
  with　each　other；　but　neither　of　them　spoke　of　it　to　the　other；　as　they
  should　have　done　if　they　expected　anything　to　follow。　'He　is　a　man；　he　ought　to　speak　the　first　word；'　thought　the　gingerbread　maiden；　but
  she　felt　quite　happy…　she　was　sure　that　her　love　was　returned。　But　his
  thoughts　were　far　more　ambitious；　as　the　thoughts　of　a　man　often
  are。　He　dreamed　that　he　was　a　real　street　boy；　that　he　possessed
  four　real　pennies；　and　that　he　had　bought　the　gingerbread　lady；　and
  ate　her　up。　And　so　they　lay　on　the　counter　for　days　and　weeks；　till
  they　grew　hard　and　dry；　but　the　thoughts　of　the　maiden　became　ever
  more　tender　and　womanly。　'Ah　well；　it　is　enough　for　me　that　I　have
  been　able　to　live　on　the　same　counter　with　him；'　said　she　one　day；
  when　suddenly；　'crack；'　and　she　broke　in　two。　'Ah；'　said　the
  gingerbread　man　to　himself；　'if　she　had　only　known　of　my　love；　she
  would　have　kept　together　a　little　longer。'　And　here　they　both　are；　and
  that　is　their　history；〃　said　the　cake　man。　〃You　think　the　history　of
  their　lives　and　their　silent　love；　which　never　came　to　anything；
  very　remarkable；　and　there　they　are　for　you。〃　So　saying；　he　gave
  Joanna　the　gingerbread　man；　who　was　still　quite　whole…　and　to　Knud　the　broken　maiden；　but　the　children　had　been　so　much　impressed　by　the　story；　that　they　had　not　the　heart　to　eat　the　lovers　up。
  The　next　day　they　went　into　the　churchyard；　and　took　the　two
  cake　figures　with　them；　and　sat　down　under　the　church　wall；　which
  was　covered　with　luxuriant　ivy　in　summer　and　winter；　and　looked　as
  if　hung　with　rich　tapestry。　They　stuck　up　the　two　gingerbread
  figures　in　the　sunshine　among　the　green　leaves；　and　then　told　the
  story；　and　all　about　the　silent　love　which　came　to　nothing；　to　a　group
  of　children。　They　called　it；　〃love；〃　because　the　story　was　so
  lovely；　and　the　other　children　had　the　same　opinion。　But　when　they
  turned　to　look　at　the　gingerbread　pair；　the　broken　maiden　was　gone！
  A　great　boy；　out　of　wickedness；　had　eaten　her　up。　At　first　the
  children　cried　about　it；　but　afterwards；　thinking　very　probably　that
  the　poor　lover　ought　not　to　be　left　alone　in　the　world；　they　ate　him
  up　too：　but　they　never　forgot　the　story。
  The　two　children　still　continued　to　play　together　by　the
  elder…tree；　and　under　the　willow；　and　the　little　maiden　sang　beautiful
  songs；　with　a　voice　that　was　as　clear　as　a　bell。　Knud；　on　the
  contrary；　had　not　a　note　of　music　in　him；　but　knew　the　words　of　the
  songs；　and　that　of　course　is　something。　The　people　of　Kjoge；　and
  even　the　rich　wife　of　the　man　who　kept　the　fancy　shop；　would　stand　and　listen　while　Joanna　was　singing；　and　say；　〃She　has　really　a　very　sweet　voice。〃
  Those　were　happy　days；　but　they　could　not　last　forever。　The
  neighbors　were　separated；　the　mother　of　the　little　girl　was　dead；
  and　her　father　had　thoughts　of　marrying　again　and　of　residing　in　the
  capital；　where　he　had　been　promised　a　very　lucrative　appointment　as
  messenger。　The　neighbors　parted　with　tears；　the　children　wept　sadly；
  but　their　parents　promised　that　they　should　write　to　each　other　at
  least　once　a　year。
  After　this；　Knud　was　bound　apprentice　to　a　shoemaker；　he　was
  growing　a　great　boy；　and　could　not　be　allowed　to　run　wild　any
  longer。　Besides；　he　was　going　to　be　confirmed。　Ah；　how　happy　he
  would　have　been　on　that　festal　day　in　Copenhagen　with　little　Joanna；
  but　he　still　remained　at　Kjoge；　and　had　never　seen　the　great　city；
  though　the　town　is　not　five　miles　from　it。　But　far　across　the　bay；
  when　the　sky　was　clear；　the　towers　of　Copenhagen　could　be　seen；　and　on　the　day　of　his　confirmation　he　saw　distinctly　the　golden　cross　on　the　principal　church　glittering　in　the　sun。　How　often　his　thoughts
  were　with　Joanna！　but　did　she　think　of　him？　Yes。　About　Christmas
  came　a　letter　from　her　father　to　Knud's　parents；　which　stated　that
  they　were　going　on　very　well　in　Copenhagen；　and　mentioning
  particularly　that　Joanna's　beautiful　voice　was　likely　to　bring　her　a
  brilliant　fortune　in　the　future。　She　was　engaged　to　sing　at　a　concert；
  and　she　had　already　earned　money　by　singing；　out　of　which　she　sent　her　dear　neighbors　at　Kjoge　a　whole　dollar；　for　them　to　make　merry　on　Christmas　eve；　and　they　were　to　drink　her　health。　She　had　herself
  added　this　in　a　postscript；　and　in　the　same　postscript　she　wrote；
  〃Kind　regards　to　Knud。〃
  The　good　neighbors　wept；　although　the　news　was　so　pleasant；　but
  they　wept　tears　of　joy。　Knud's　thoughts　had　been　daily　with　Joanna；
  and　now　he　knew　that　she　also　had　thought　of　him；　and　the　nearer　the
  time　came　for　his　apprenticeship　to　end；　the　clearer　did　it　appear
  to　him　that　he　loved　Joanna；　and　that　she　must　be　his　wife；　and　a
  smile　came　on　his　lips　at　the　thought；　and　at　one　time　he　drew　the
  thread　so　fast　as　he　worked；　and　pressed　his　foot　so　hard　against
  the　knee　strap；　that　he　ran　the　awl　into　his　finger；　but　what　did　he
  care　for　that？　He　was　determined　not　to　play　the　dumb　lover　as　both
  the　gingerbread　cakes　had　done；　the　story　was　a　good　lesson　to　him。
  At　length　he　become　a　journeyman；　and　then；　for　the　first　time；　he
  prepared　for　a　j