bewildered　amongst　them。
  〃Just　look　at　that　fellow；〃　said　the　chickens。
  Then　the　turkey…cock　puffed　himself　out　as　large　as　he　could；
  and　inquired　who　he　was；　and　the　ducks　waddled　backwards；　crying；
  〃Quack；　quack。〃
  Then　the　stork　told　them　all　about　warm　Africa；　of　the　pyramids；
  and　of　the　ostrich；　which；　like　a　wild　horse；　runs　across　the
  desert。　But　the　ducks　did　not　understand　what　he　said；　and　quacked
  amongst　themselves；　〃We　are　all　of　the　same　opinion；　namely；　that　he
  is　stupid。〃
  〃Yes；　to　be　sure；　he　is　stupid；〃　said　the　turkey…cock；　and
  gobbled。
  Then　the　stork　remained　quite　silent；　and　thought　of　his　home　in
  Africa。
  〃Those　are　handsome　thin　legs　of　yours；〃　said　the　turkey…cock。
  〃What　do　they　cost　a　yard？〃
  〃Quack；　quack；　quack；〃　grinned　the　ducks；　but；　the　stork　pretended
  not　to　hear。
  〃You　may　as　well　laugh；〃　said　the　turkey；　〃for　that　remark　was
  rather　witty；　or　perhaps　it　was　above　you。　Ah；　ah；　is　he　not　clever？
  He　will　be　a　great　amusement　to　us　while　he　remains　here。〃　And　then　he
  gobbled；　and　the　ducks　quacked；　〃Gobble；　gobble；　Quack；　quack。〃
  What　a　terrible　uproar　they　made；　while　they　were　having　such
  fun　among　themselves！
  Then　Hjalmar　went　to　the　hen…house；　and；　opening　the　door；
  called　to　the　stork。　Then　he　hopped　out　on　the　deck。　He　had　rested
  himself　now；　and　he　looked　happy；　and　seemed　as　if　he　nodded　to
  Hjalmar；　as　if　to　thank　him。　Then　he　spread　his　wings；　and　flew　away
  to　warmer　countries；　while　the　hens　clucked；　the　ducks　quacked；　and
  the　turkey…cock　turned　quite　scarlet　in　the　head。
  〃To…morrow　you　shall　be　made　into　soup；〃　said　Hjalmar　to　the
  fowls；　and　then　he　awoke；　and　found　himself　lying　in　his　little　bed。
  It　was　a　wonderful　journey　which　Ole…Luk…Oie　had　made　him　take
  this　night。
  THURSDAY
  THURSDAY
  〃What　do　you　think　I　have　got　here？〃　said　Ole…Luk…Oie；　〃Do　not
  be　frightened；　and　you　shall　see　a　little　mouse。〃　And　then　he　held　out
  his　hand　to　him；　in　which　lay　a　lovely　little　creature。　〃It　has　come
  to　invite　you　to　a　wedding。　Two　little　mice　are　going　to　enter　into
  the　marriage　state　tonight。　They　reside　under　the　floor　of　your
  mother's　store…room；　and　that　must　be　a　fine　dwelling…place。〃
  〃But　how　can　I　get　through　the　little　mouse…hole　in　the　floor？〃
  asked　Hjalmar。
  〃Leave　me　to　manage　that；〃　said　Ole…Luk…Oie。　〃I　will　soon　make　you
  small　enough。〃　And　then　he　touched　Hjalmar　with　his　magic　wand；
  whereupon　he　became　less　and　less；　until　at　last　he　was　not　longer
  than　a　little　finger。　〃Now　you　can　borrow　the　dress　of　the　tin
  soldier。　I　think　it　will　just　fit　you。　It　looks　well　to　wear　a　uniform
  when　you　go　into　company。〃
  〃Yes；　certainly；〃　said　Hjalmar；　and　in　a　moment　he　was　dressed
  as　neatly　as　the　neatest　of　all　tin　soldiers。
  〃Will　you　be　so　good　as　to　seat　yourself　in　your　mamma's　thimble；〃
  said　the　little　mouse；　〃that　I　may　have　the　pleasure　of　drawing　you　to
  the　wedding。〃
  〃Will　you　really　take　so　much　trouble；　young　lady？〃　said
  Hjalmar。　And　so　in　this　way　he　rode　to　the　mouse's　wedding。
  First　they　went　under　the　floor；　and　then　passed　through　a　long
  passage；　which　was　scarcely　high　enough　to　allow　the　thimble　to
  drive　under；　and　the　whole　passage　was　lit　up　with　the
  phosphorescent　light　of　rotten　wood。
  〃Does　it　not　smell　delicious？〃　asked　the　mouse；　as　she　drew　him
  along。　〃The　wall　and　the　floor　have　been　smeared　with　bacon…rind；
  nothing　can　be　nicer。〃
  Very　soon　they　arrived　at　the　bridal　hall。　On　the　right　stood
  all　the　little　lady…mice；　whispering　and　giggling；　as　if　they　were
  making　game　of　each　other。　To　the　left　were　the　gentlemen…mice；
  stroking　their　whiskers　with　their　fore…paws；　and　in　the　centre　of　the
  hall　could　be　seen　the　bridal　pair；　standing　side　by　side；　in　a　hollow
  cheese…rind；　and　kissing　each　other；　while　all　eyes　were　upon　them；
  for　they　had　already　been　betrothed；　and　were　soon　to　be　married。　More
  and　more　friends　kept　arriving；　till　the　mice　were　nearly　treading
  each　other　to　death；　for　the　bridal　pair　now　stood　in　the　doorway；　and
  none　could　pass　in　or　out。
  The　room　had　been　rubbed　over　with　bacon…rind；　like　the　passage；
  which　was　all　the　refreshment　offered　to　the　guests。　But　for　dessert
  they　produced　a　pea；　on　which　a　mouse　belonging　to　the　bridal　pair　had
  bitten　the　first　letters　of　their　names。　This　was　something　quite
  uncommon。　All　the　mice　said　it　was　a　very　beautiful　wedding；　and
  that　they　had　been　very　agreeably　entertained。
  After　this；　Hjalmar　returned　home。　He　had　certainly　been　in
  grand　society；　but　he　had　been　obliged　to　creep　under　a　room；　and　to
  make　himself　small　enough　to　wear　the　uniform　of　a　tin　soldier。
  FRIDAY
  FRIDAY
  〃It　is　incredible　how　many　old　people　there　are　who　would　be
  glad　to　have　me　at　night；〃　said　Ole…Luk…Oie；　〃especially　those　who
  have　done　something　wrong。　'Good　little　Ole；'　say　they　to　me；　'we
  cannot　close　our　eyes；　and　we　lie　awake　the　whole　night　and　see　all
  our　evil　deeds　sitting　on　our　beds　like　little　imps；　and　sprinkling　us
  with　hot　water。　Will　you　come　and　drive　them　away；　that　we　may　have
  a　good　night's　rest？'　and　then　they　sigh　so　deeply　and　say；　'We
  would　gladly　pay　you　for　it。　Good…night；　Ole…Luk；　the　money　lies　on
  the　window。'　But　I　never　do　anything　for　gold。〃　〃What　shall　we　do
  to…night？〃　asked　Hjalmar。　〃I　do　not　know　whether　you　would　care　to
  go　to　another　wedding；〃　he　replied；　〃although　it　is　quite　a
  different　affair　to　the　one　we　saw　last　night。　Your　sister's　large
  doll；　that　is　dressed　like　a　man；　and　is　called　Herman；　intends　to
  marry　the　doll　Bertha。　It　is　also　the　dolls'　birthday；　and　they　will
  receive　many　presents。〃
  〃Yes；　I　know　that　already；〃　said　Hjalmar；　〃my　sister　always　allows
  her　dolls　to　keep　their　birthdays　or　to　have　a　wedding　when　they
  require　new　clothes；　that　has　happened　already　a　hundred　times；　I　am
  quite　sure。〃
  〃Yes；　so　it　may；　but　to…night　is　the　hundred　and　first　wedding；
  and　when　that　has　taken　place　it　must　be　the　last；　therefore　this　is
  to　be　extremely　beautiful。　Only　look。〃
  Hjalmar　looked　at　the　table；　and　there　stood　the　little　card…board
  doll's　house；　with　lights　in　all　the　windows；　and　drawn　up　before　it
  were　the　tin　soldiers　presenting　arms。　The　bridal　pair　were　seated
  on　the　floor；　leaning　against　the　leg　of　the　table；　looking　very
  thoughtful；　and　with　good　reason。　Then　Ole…Luk…Oie　dressed　up　in
  grandmother's　black　gown　married　them。
  As　soon　as　the　ceremony　was　concluded；　all　the　furniture　in　the
  room　joined　in　singing　a　beautiful　song；　which　had　been　composed　by
  the　lead　pencil；　and　which　went　to　the　melody　of　a　military　tattoo。
  〃What　merry　sounds　are　on　the　wind；
  As　marriage　rites　together　bind
  A　quiet　and　a　loving　pair；
  Though　formed　of　kid；　yet　smooth　and　fair！
  Hurrah！　If　they　are　deaf　and　blind；
  We'll　sing；　though　weather　prove　unkind。〃
  And　now　came　the　present；　but　the　bridal　pair　had　nothing　to
  eat；　for　love　was　to　be　their　food。
  〃Shall　we　go　to　a　country　house；　or　travel？〃　asked　the　bridegroom。
  Then　they　consulted　the　swallow　who　had　travelled　so　far；　and
  the　old　hen　in　the　yard；　who　had　brought　up　five　broods　of　chickens。
  And　the　swallow　talked　to　them　of　warm　countries；　where　the　grapes
  hang　in　large　clusters　on　the　vines；　and　the　air　is　soft　and　mild；　and
  about　the　mountains　glowing　with　colors　more　beautiful　than　we　can
  think　of。
  〃But　they　have　no　red　cabbage　like　we　have；〃　said　the　hen；　〃I
  was　once　in　the　country　with　my　chickens　for　a　whole　summer；　there　was
  a　large　sand…pit；　in　which　we　could　walk　about　and　scratch　as　we
  liked。　Then　we　got　into　a　garden　in　which　grew　red　cabbage；　oh；　how
  nice　it　was；　I　cannot　think　of　anything　more　delicious。〃
  〃But　one　cabbage　stalk　is　exactly　like　another；〃　said　the　swallow；
  〃and　here　we　have　often　bad　weather。〃
  〃Yes；　but　we　are　accustomed　to　it；〃　said　the　hen。
  〃But　it　is　so　cold　here；　and　freezes　sometimes。〃
  〃Cold　weather　is　good　for　cabbages；〃　said　the　hen；　〃besides　we
  do　have　it　warm　here　sometimes。　Four　years　ago；　we　had　a　summer　that
  lasted　more　than　five　weeks；　and　it　was　so　hot　one　could　scarcely
  breathe。　And　then　in　this　country　we　have　no　poisonous　animals；　and　we
  are　free　from　robbers。　He　must　be　wicked　who　does　not　consider　our
  country　the　finest　of　all　lands。　He　ought　not　to　be　allowed　to　live
  here。〃　And　then　the　hen　wept　very　much　and　said；　〃I　have　also
  travelled。　I　once　went　twelve　miles　in　a　coop；　and　it　was　not　pleasant
  travelling　at　all。〃
  〃The　hen　is　a　sensible　woman；〃　said　the　doll　Bertha。　〃I　don't　care
  for　travelling　over　mountains；　just　to　go　up　and　come　down　again。
  No；　let　us　go　to　the　sand…pit　in　front　of　the　gate；　and　then　take　a
  walk　in　the　cabbage　garden。〃
  And　so　they　settled　it。
  SATURDAY
  SATURDAY
  〃Am　I　to　hear　any　more　stories？〃　asked　little　Hjalmar；　as　soon
  as　Ole…Luk…Oie　had　s