FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN
  THE　GIRL　WHO　TROD　ON　THE　LOAF
  by　Hans　Christian　Andersen
  THERE　was　once　a　girl　who　trod　on　a　loaf　to　avoid　soiling　her
  shoes；　and　the　misfortunes　that　happened　to　her　in　consequence　are
  well　known。　Her　name　was　Inge；　she　was　a　poor　child；　but　proud　and
  presuming；　and　with　a　bad　and　cruel　disposition。　When　quite　a　little
  child　she　would　delight　in　catching　flies；　and　tearing　off　their
  wings；　so　as　to　make　creeping　things　of　them。　When　older；　she　would
  take　cockchafers　and　beetles；　and　stick　pins　through　them。　Then　she
  pushed　a　green　leaf；　or　a　little　scrap　of　paper　towards　their　feet；
  and　when　the　poor　creatures　would　seize　it　and　hold　it　fast；　and
  turn　over　and　over　in　their　struggles　to　get　free　from　the　pin；　she
  would　say；　〃The　cockchafer　is　reading；　see　how　he　turns　over　the
  leaf。〃　She　grew　worse　instead　of　better　with　years；　and；
  unfortunately；　she　was　pretty；　which　caused　her　to　be　excused；　when
  she　should　have　been　sharply　reproved。
  〃Your　headstrong　will　requires　severity　to　conquer　it；〃　her　mother
  often　said　to　her。　〃As　a　little　child　you　used　to　trample　on　my　apron；
  but　one　day　I　fear　you　will　trample　on　my　heart。〃　And；　alas！　this　fear
  was　realized。
  Inge　was　taken　to　the　house　of　some　rich　people；　who　lived　at　a
  distance；　and　who　treated　her　as　their　own　child；　and　dressed　her　so
  fine　that　her　pride　and　arrogance　increased。
  When　she　had　been　there　about　a　year；　her　patroness　said　to　her；
  〃You　ought　to　go；　for　once；　and　see　your　parents；　Inge。〃
  So　Inge　started　to　go　and　visit　her　parents；　but　she　only　wanted
  to　show　herself　in　her　native　place；　that　the　people　might　see　how
  fine　she　was。　She　reached　the　entrance　of　the　village；　and　saw　the
  young　laboring　men　and　maidens　standing　together　chatting；　and　her　own
  mother　amongst　them。　Inge's　mother　was　sitting　on　a　stone　to　rest；
  with　a　fagot　of　sticks　lying　before　her；　which　she　had　picked　up　in
  the　wood。　Then　Inge　turned　back；　she　who　was　so　finely　dressed　she
  felt　ashamed　of　her　mother；　a　poorly　clad　woman；　who　picked　up　wood　in
  the　forest。　She　did　not　turn　back　out　of　pity　for　her　mother's
  poverty；　but　from　pride。
  Another　half…year　went　by；　and　her　mistress　said；　〃you　ought　to　go
  home　again；　and　visit　your　parents；　Inge；　and　I　will　give　you　a
  large　wheaten　loaf　to　take　to　them；　they　will　be　glad　to　see　you；　I　am
  sure。〃
  So　Inge　put　on　her　best　clothes；　and　her　new　shoes；　drew　her　dress
  up　around　her；　and　set　out；　stepping　very　carefully；　that　she　might　be
  clean　and　neat　about　the　feet；　and　there　was　nothing　wrong　in　doing
  so。　But　when　she　came　to　the　place　where　the　footpath　led　across　the
  moor；　she　found　small　pools　of　water；　and　a　great　deal　of　mud；　so
  she　threw　the　loaf　into　the　mud；　and　trod　upon　it；　that　she　might　pass
  without　wetting　her　feet。　But　as　she　stood　with　one　foot　on　the　loaf
  and　the　other　lifted　up　to　step　forward；　the　loaf　began　to　sink
  under　her；　lower　and　lower；　till　she　disappeared　altogether；　and
  only　a　few　bubbles　on　the　surface　of　the　muddy　pool　remained　to　show
  where　she　had　sunk。　And　this　is　the　story。
  But　where　did　Inge　go？　She　sank　into　the　ground；　and　went　down
  to　the　Marsh　Woman；　who　is　always　brewing　there。
  The　Marsh　Woman　is　related　to　the　elf　maidens；　who　are　well…known；
  for　songs　are　sung　and　pictures　painted　about　them。　But　of　the　Marsh
  Woman　nothing　is　known；　excepting　that　when　a　mist　arises　from　the
  meadows；　in　summer　time；　it　is　because　she　is　brewing　beneath　them。　To
  the　Marsh　Woman's　brewery　Inge　sunk　down　to　a　place　which　no　one　can
  endure　for　long。　A　heap　of　mud　is　a　palace　compared　with　the　Marsh
  Woman's　brewery；　and　as　Inge　fell　she　shuddered　in　every　limb；　and
  soon　became　cold　and　stiff　as　marble。　Her　foot　was　still　fastened　to
  the　loaf；　which　bowed　her　down　as　a　golden　ear　of　corn　bends　the　stem。
  An　evil　spirit　soon　took　possession　of　Inge；　and　carried　her　to
  a　still　worse　place；　in　which　she　saw　crowds　of　unhappy　people；
  waiting　in　a　state　of　agony　for　the　gates　of　mercy　to　be　opened　to
  them；　and　in　every　heart　was　a　miserable　and　eternal　feeling　of
  unrest。　It　would　take　too　much　time　to　describe　the　various　tortures
  these　people　suffered；　but　Inge's　punishment　consisted　in　standing
  there　as　a　statue；　with　her　foot　fastened　to　the　loaf。　She　could
  move　her　eyes　about；　and　see　all　the　misery　around　her；　but　she
  could　not　turn　her　head；　and　when　she　saw　the　people　looking　at　her
  she　thought　they　were　admiring　her　pretty　face　and　fine　clothes；　for
  she　was　still　vain　and　proud。　But　she　had　forgotten　how　soiled　her
  clothes　had　become　while　in　the　Marsh　Woman's　brewery；　and　that　they
  were　covered　with　mud；　a　snake　had　also　fastened　itself　in　her　hair；
  and　hung　down　her　back；　while　from　each　fold　in　her　dress　a　great　toad
  peeped　out　and　croaked　like　an　asthmatic　poodle。　Worse　than　all　was
  the　terrible　hunger　that　tormented　her；　and　she　could　not　stoop　to
  break　off　a　piece　of　the　loaf　on　which　she　stood。　No；　her　back　was　too
  stiff；　and　her　whole　body　like　a　pillar　of　stone。　And　then　came
  creeping　over　her　face　and　eyes　flies　without　wings；　she　winked　and
  blinked；　but　they　could　not　fly　away；　for　their　wings　had　been
  pulled　off；　this；　added　to　the　hunger　she　felt；　was　horrible　torture。
  〃If　this　lasts　much　longer；〃　she　said；　〃I　shall　not　be　able　to
  bear　it。〃　But　it　did　last；　and　she　had　to　bear　it；　without　being
  able　to　help　herself。
  A　tear；　followed　by　many　scalding　tears；　fell　upon　her　head；　and
  rolled　over　her　face　and　neck；　down　to　the　loaf　on　which　she　stood。
  Who　could　be　weeping　for　Inge？　She　had　a　mother　in　the　world　still；
  and　the　tears　of　sorrow　which　a　mother　sheds　for　her　child　will　always
  find　their　way　to　the　child's　heart；　but　they　often　increase　the
  torment　instead　of　being　a　relief。　And　Inge　could　hear　all　that　was
  said　about　her　in　the　world　she　had　left；　and　every　one　seemed　cruel
  to　her。　The　sin　she　had　committed　in　treading　on　the　loaf　was　known　on
  earth；　for　she　had　been　seen　by　the　cowherd　from　the　hill；　when　she
  was　crossing　the　marsh　and　had　disappeared。
  When　her　mother　wept　and　exclaimed；　〃Ah；　Inge！　what　grief　thou
  hast　caused　thy　mother〃　she　would　say；　〃Oh　that　I　had　never　been　born！
  My　mother's　tears　are　useless　now。〃
  And　then　the　words　of　the　kind　people　who　had　adopted　her　came
  to　her　ears；　when　they　said；　〃Inge　was　a　sinful　girl；　who　did　not
  value　the　gifts　of　God；　but　trampled　them　under　her　feet。〃
  〃Ah；〃　thought　Inge；　〃they　should　have　punished　me；　and　driven
  all　my　naughty　tempers　out　of　me。〃
  A　song　was　made　about　〃The　girl　who　trod　on　a　loaf　to　keep　her
  shoes　from　being　soiled；〃　and　this　song　was　sung　everywhere。　The　story
  of　her　sin　was　also　told　to　the　little　children；　and　they　called　her
  〃wicked　Inge；〃　and　said　she　was　so　naughty　that　she　ought　to　be
  punished。　Inge　heard　all　this；　and　her　heart　became　hardened　and
  full　of　bitterness。
  But　one　day；　while　hunger　and　grief　were　gnawing　in　her　hollow
  frame；　she　heard　a　little；　innocent　child；　while　listening　to　the　tale
  of　the　vain；　haughty　Inge；　burst　into　tears　and　exclaim；　〃But　will　she
  never　come　up　again？〃
  And　she　heard　the　reply；　〃No；　she　will　never　come　up　again。〃
  〃But　if　she　were　to　say　she　was　sorry；　and　ask　pardon；　and　promise
  never　to　do　so　again？〃　asked　the　little　one。
  〃Yes；　then　she　might　come；　but　she　will　not　beg　pardon；〃　was　the
  answer。
  〃Oh；　I　wish　she　would！〃　said　the　child；　who　was　quite　unhappy
  about　it。　〃I　should　be　so　glad。　I　would　give　up　my　doll　and　all　my
  playthings；　if　she　could　only　come　here　again。　Poor　Inge！　it　is　so
  dreadful　for　her。〃
  These　pitying　words　penetrated　to　Inge's　inmost　heart；　and
  seemed　to　do　her　good。　It　was　the　first　time　any　one　had　said；　〃Poor
  Inge！〃　without　saying　something　about　her　faults。　A　little　innocent
  child　was　weeping；　and　praying　for　mercy　for　her。　It　made　her　feel
  quite　strange；　and　she　would　gladly　have　wept　herself；　and　it　added　to
  her　torment　to　find　she　could　not　do　so。　And　while　she　thus　suffered
  in　a　place　where　nothing　changed；　years　passed　away　on　earth；　and
  she　heard　her　name　less　frequently　mentioned。　But　one　day　a　sigh
  reached　her　ear；　and　the　words；　〃Inge！　Inge！　what　a　grief　thou　hast
  been　to　me！　I　said　it　would　be　so。〃　It　was　the　last　sigh　of　her
  dying　mother。
  After　this；　Inge　heard　her　kind　mistress　say；　〃Ah；　poor　Inge！
  shall　I　ever　see　thee　again？　Perhaps　I　may；　for　we　know　not　what　may
  happen　in　the　future。〃　But　Inge　knew　right　well　that　her　mistress
  would　never　come　to　that　dreadful　place。
  Time…passed…　a　long　bitter　time…　then　Inge　heard　her　name
  pronounced　once　more；　and　saw　what　seemed　two　bright　stars　shining
  above　her。　They　were　two　gentle　eyes　closing　on　earth。　Many　years
  had　passed　since　the　little　girl　had　lamented　and　wept　about　〃poor
  Inge。〃　That　child　was　now　an　old　woman；　whom　God　was　taking　to
  Himself。　In　the　last　hour　of　existence　the　events　of　a　whole　life
  often　appear　before　us；　and　this　ho