FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN
  THE　ANGEL
  by　Hans　Christian　Andersen
  〃WHENEVER　a　good　child　dies；　an　angel　of　God　comes　down　from
  heaven；　takes　the　dead　child　in　his　arms；　spreads　out　his　great
  white　wings；　and　flies　with　him　over　all　the　places　which　the　child
  had　loved　during　his　life。　Then　he　gathers　a　large　handful　of　flowers；
  which　he　carries　up　to　the　Almighty；　that　they　may　bloom　more　brightly
  in　heaven　than　they　do　on　earth。　And　the　Almighty　presses　the
  flowers　to　His　heart；　but　He　kisses　the　flower　that　pleases　Him
  best；　and　it　receives　a　voice；　and　is　able　to　join　the　song　of　the
  chorus　of　bliss。〃
  These　words　were　spoken　by　an　angel　of　God；　as　he　carried　a　dead
  child　up　to　heaven；　and　the　child　listened　as　if　in　a　dream。　Then　they
  passed　over　well…known　spots；　where　the　little　one　had　often　played；
  and　through　beautiful　gardens　full　of　lovely　flowers。
  〃Which　of　these　shall　we　take　with　us　to　heaven　to　be　transplanted
  there？〃　asked　the　angel。
  Close　by　grew　a　slender；　beautiful；　rose…bush；　but　some　wicked
  hand　had　broken　the　stem；　and　the　half…opened　rosebuds　hung　faded
  and　withered　on　the　trailing　branches。
  〃Poor　rose…bush！〃　said　the　child；　〃let　us　take　it　with　us　to
  heaven；　that　it　may　bloom　above　in　God's　garden。〃
  The　angel　took　up　the　rose…bush；　then　he　kissed　the　child；　and　the
  little　one　half　opened　his　eyes。　The　angel　gathered　also　some
  beautiful　flowers；　as　well　as　a　few　humble　buttercups　and
  heart's…ease。
  〃Now　we　have　flowers　enough；〃　said　the　child；　but　the　angel　only
  nodded；　he　did　not　fly　upward　to　heaven。
  It　was　night；　and　quite　still　in　the　great　town。　Here　they
  remained；　and　the　angel　hovered　over　a　small；　narrow　street；　in
  which　lay　a　large　heap　of　straw；　ashes；　and　sweepings　from　the
  houses　of　people　who　had　removed。　There　lay　fragments　of　plates；
  pieces　of　plaster；　rags；　old　hats；　and　other　rubbish　not　pleasant　to
  see。　Amidst　all　this　confusion；　the　angel　pointed　to　the　pieces　of　a
  broken　flower…pot；　and　to　a　lump　of　earth　which　had　fallen　out　of
  it。　The　earth　had　been　kept　from　falling　to　pieces　by　the　roots　of　a
  withered　field…flower；　which　had　been　thrown　amongst　the　rubbish。
  〃We　will　take　this　with　us；〃　said　the　angel；　〃I　will　tell　you
  why　as　we　fly　along。〃
  And　as　they　flew　the　angel　related　the　history。
  〃Down　in　that　narrow　lane；　in　a　low　cellar；　lived　a　poor　sick　boy；
  he　had　been　afflicted　from　his　childhood；　and　even　in　his　best　days　he
  could　just　manage　to　walk　up　and　down　the　room　on　crutches　once　or
  twice；　but　no　more。　During　some　days　in　summer；　the　sunbeams　would　lie
  on　the　floor　of　the　cellar　for　about　half　an　hour。　In　this　spot　the
  poor　sick　boy　would　sit　warming　himself　in　the　sunshine；　and
  watching　the　red　blood　through　his　delicate　fingers　as　he　held　them
  before　his　face。　Then　he　would　say　he　had　been　out；　yet　he　knew
  nothing　of　the　green　forest　in　its　spring　verdure；　till　a　neighbor's
  son　brought　him　a　green　bough　from　a　beech…tree。　This　he　would　place
  over　his　head；　and　fancy　that　he　was　in　the　beech…wood　while　the　sun
  shone；　and　the　birds　carolled　gayly。　One　spring　day　the　neighbor's　boy
  brought　him　some　field…flowers；　and　among　them　was　one　to　which　the
  root　still　adhered。　This　he　carefully　planted　in　a　flower…pot；　and
  placed　in　a　window…seat　near　his　bed。　And　the　flower　had　been
  planted　by　a　fortunate　hand；　for　it　grew；　put　forth　fresh　shoots；
  and　blossomed　every　year。　It　became　a　splendid　flower…garden　to　the
  sick　boy；　and　his　little　treasure　upon　earth。　He　watered　it；　and
  cherished　it；　and　took　care　it　should　have　the　benefit　of　every
  sunbeam　that　found　its　way　into　the　cellar；　from　the　earliest
  morning　ray　to　the　evening　sunset。　The　flower　entwined　itself　even
  in　his　dreams…　for　him　it　bloomed；　for　him　spread　its　perfume。　And
  it　gladdened　his　eyes；　and　to　the　flower　he　turned；　even　in　death；
  when　the　Lord　called　him。　He　has　been　one　year　with　God。　During　that
  time　the　flower　has　stood　in　the　window；　withered　and　forgotten；
  till　at　length　cast　out　among　the　sweepings　into　the　street；　on　the
  day　of　the　lodgers'　removal。　And　this　poor　flower；　withered　and
  faded　as　it　is；　we　have　added　to　our　nosegay；　because　it　gave　more
  real　joy　than　the　most　beautiful　flower　in　the　garden　of　a　queen。〃
  〃But　how　do　you　know　all　this？〃　asked　the　child　whom　the　angel　was
  carrying　to　heaven。
  〃I　know　it；〃　said　the　angel；　〃because　I　myself　was　the　poor　sick
  boy　who　walked　upon　crutches；　and　I　know　my　own　flower　well。〃
  Then　the　child　opened　his　eyes　and　looked　into　the　glorious
  happy　face　of　the　angel；　and　at　the　same　moment　they　found
  themselves　in　that　heavenly　home　where　all　is　happiness　and　joy。　And
  God　pressed　the　dead　child　to　His　heart；　and　wings　were　given　him　so
  that　he　could　fly　with　the　angel；　hand　in　hand。　Then　the　Almighty
  pressed　all　the　flowers　to　His　heart；　but　He　kissed　the　withered
  field…flower；　and　it　received　a　voice。　Then　it　joined　in　the　song　of
  the　angels；　who　surrounded　the　throne；　some　near；　and　others　in　a
  distant　circle；　but　all　equally　happy。　They　all　joined　in　the　chorus
  of　praise；　both　great　and　small；…　the　good；　happy　child；　and　the
  poor　field…flower；　that　once　lay　withered　and　cast　away　on　a　heap　of
  rubbish　in　a　narrow；　dark　street。
  THE　END
  。