FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN
  THE　CONCEITED　APPLE…BRANCH
  by　Hans　Christian　Andersen
  IT　was　the　month　of　May。　The　wind　still　blew　cold；　but　from　bush
  and　tree；　field　and　flower；　came　the　welcome　sound；　〃Spring　is
  come。〃　Wild…flowers　in　profusion　covered　the　hedges。　Under　the
  little　apple…tree；　Spring　seemed　busy；　and　told　his　tale　from　one　of
  the　branches　which　hung　fresh　and　blooming；　and　covered　with
  delicate　pink　blossoms　that　were　just　ready　to　open。　The　branch　well
  knew　how　beautiful　it　was；　this　knowledge　exists　as　much　in　the　leaf
  as　in　the　blood；　I　was　therefore　not　surprised　when　a　nobleman's
  carriage；　in　which　sat　the　young　countess；　stopped　in　the　road　just
  by。　She　said　that　an　apple…branch　was　a　most　lovely　object；　and　an
  emblem　of　spring　in　its　most　charming　aspect。　Then　the　branch　was
  broken　off　for　her；　and　she　held　it　in　her　delicate　hand；　and
  sheltered　it　with　her　silk　parasol。　Then　they　drove　to　the　castle；
  in　which　were　lofty　halls　and　splendid　drawing…rooms。　Pure　white
  curtains　fluttered　before　the　open　windows；　and　beautiful　flowers
  stood　in　shining；　transparent　vases；　and　in　one　of　them；　which
  looked　as　if　it　had　been　cut　out　of　newly　fallen　snow；　the
  apple…branch　was　placed；　among　some　fresh；　light　twigs　of　beech。　It
  was　a　charming　sight。　Then　the　branch　became　proud；　which　was　very
  much　like　human　nature。
  People　of　every　description　entered　the　room；　and；　according　to
  their　position　in　society；　so　dared　they　to　express　their
  admiration。　Some　few　said　nothing；　others　expressed　too　much；　and
  the　apple…branch　very　soon　got　to　understand　that　there　was　as　much
  difference　in　the　characters　of　human　beings　as　in　those　of　plants　and
  flowers。　Some　are　all　for　pomp　and　parade；　others　have　a　great　deal　to
  do　to　maintain　their　own　importance；　while　the　rest　might　be　spared
  without　much　loss　to　society。　So　thought　the　apple…branch；　as　he　stood
  before　the　open　window；　from　which　he　could　see　out　over　gardens　and
  fields；　where　there　were　flowers　and　plants　enough　for　him　to　think
  and　reflect　upon；　some　rich　and　beautiful；　some　poor　and　humble
  indeed。
  〃Poor；　despised　herbs；〃　said　the　apple…branch；　〃there　is　really
  a　difference　between　them　and　such　as　I　am。　How　unhappy　they　must
  be；　if　they　can　feel　as　those　in　my　position　do！　There　is　a　difference
  indeed；　and　so　there　ought　to　be；　or　we　should　all　be　equals。〃
  And　the　apple…branch　looked　with　a　sort　of　pity　upon　them；
  especially　on　a　certain　little　flower　that　is　found　in　fields　and　in
  ditches。　No　one　bound　these　flowers　together　in　a　nosegay；　they　were
  too　common；　they　were　even　known　to　grow　between　the　paving…stones；
  shooting　up　everywhere；　like　bad　weeds；　and　they　bore　the　very　ugly
  name　of　〃dog…flowers〃　or　〃dandelions。〃
  〃Poor；　despised　plants；〃　said　the　apple…bough；　〃it　is　not　your
  fault　that　you　are　so　ugly；　and　that　you　have　such　an　ugly　name；　but
  it　is　with　plants　as　with　men；…　there　must　be　a　difference。〃
  〃A　difference！〃　cried　the　sunbeam；　as　he　kissed　the　blooming
  apple…branch；　and　then　kissed　the　yellow　dandelion　out　in　the
  fields。　All　were　brothers；　and　the　sunbeam　kissed　them…　the　poor
  flowers　as　well　as　the　rich。
  The　apple…bough　had　never　thought　of　the　boundless　love　of　God；
  which　extends　over　all　the　works　of　creation；　over　everything　which
  lives；　and　moves；　and　has　its　being　in　Him；　he　had　never　thought　of
  the　good　and　beautiful　which　are　so　often　hidden；　but　can　never　remain
  forgotten　by　Him；…　not　only　among　the　lower　creation；　but　also　among
  men。　The　sunbeam；　the　ray　of　light；　knew　better。
  〃You　do　not　see　very　far；　nor　very　clearly；〃　he　said　to　the
  apple…branch。　〃Which　is　the　despised　plant　you　so　specially　pity？〃
  〃The　dandelion；〃　he　replied。　〃No　one　ever　places　it　in　a
  nosegay；　it　is　often　trodden　under　foot；　there　are　so　many　of　them；
  and　when　they　run　to　seed；　they　have　flowers　like　wool；　which　fly　away
  in　little　pieces　over　the　roads；　and　cling　to　the　dresses　of　the
  people。　They　are　only　weeds；　but　of　course　there　must　be　weeds。　O；　I
  am　really　very　thankful　that　I　was　not　made　like　one　of　these
  flowers。〃
  There　came　presently　across　the　fields　a　whole　group　of
  children；　the　youngest　of　whom　was　so　small　that　it　had　to　be
  carried　by　the　others；　and　when　he　was　seated　on　the　grass；　among
  the　yellow　flowers；　he　laughed　aloud　with　joy；　kicked　out　his　little
  legs；　rolled　about；　plucked　the　yellow　flowers；　and　kissed　them　in
  childlike　innocence。　The　elder　children　broke　off　the　flowers　with
  long　stems；　bent　the　stalks　one　round　the　other；　to　form　links；　and
  made　first　a　chain　for　the　neck；　then　one　to　go　across　the
  shoulders；　and　hang　down　to　the　waist；　and　at　last　a　wreath　to　wear
  round　the　head；　so　that　they　looked　quite　splendid　in　their　garlands
  of　green　stems　and　golden　flowers。　But　the　eldest　among　them
  gathered　carefully　the　faded　flowers；　on　the　stem　of　which　was　grouped
  together　the　seed；　in　the　form　of　a　white　feathery　coronal。　These
  loose；　airy　wool…flowers　are　very　beautiful；　and　look　like　fine
  snowy　feathers　or　down。　The　children　held　them　to　their　mouths；　and
  tried　to　blow　away　the　whole　coronal　with　one　puff　of　the　breath。　They
  had　been　told　by　their　grandmothers　that　who　ever　did　so　would　be　sure
  to　have　new　clothes　before　the　end　of　the　year。　The　despised　flower
  was　by　this　raised　to　the　position　of　a　prophet　or　foreteller　of
  events。
  〃Do　you　see；〃　said　the　sunbeam；　〃do　you　see　the　beauty　of　these
  flowers？　do　you　see　their　powers　of　giving　pleasure？〃
  〃Yes；　to　children；〃　said　the　apple…bough。
  By…and…by　an　old　woman　came　into　the　field；　and；　with　a　blunt
  knife　without　a　handle；　began　to　dig　round　the　roots　of　some　of　the
  dandelion…plants；　and　pull　them　up。　With　some　of　these　she　intended　to
  make　tea　for　herself；　but　the　rest　she　was　going　to　sell　to　the
  chemist；　and　obtain　some　money。
  〃But　beauty　is　of　higher　value　than　all　this；〃　said　the　apple…tree
  branch；　〃only　the　chosen　ones　can　be　admitted　into　the　realms　of　the
  beautiful。　There　is　a　difference　between　plants；　just　as　there　is　a
  difference　between　men。〃
  Then　the　sunbeam　spoke　of　the　boundless　love　of　God；　as　seen　in
  creation；　and　over　all　that　lives；　and　of　the　equal　distribution　of
  His　gifts；　both　in　time　and　in　eternity。
  〃That　is　your　opinion；〃　said　the　apple…bough。
  Then　some　people　came　into　the　room；　and；　among　them；　the　young
  countess；…　the　lady　who　had　placed　the　apple…bough　in　the
  transparent　vase；　so　pleasantly　beneath　the　rays　of　the　sunlight。
  She　carried　in　her　hand　something　that　seemed　like　a　flower。　The
  object　was　hidden　by　two　or　three　great　leaves；　which　covered　it
  like　a　shield；　so　that　no　draught　or　gust　of　wind　could　injure　it；　and
  it　was　carried　more　carefully　than　the　apple…branch　had　ever　been。
  Very　cautiously　the　large　leaves　were　removed；　and　there　appeared
  the　feathery　seed…crown　of　the　despised　dandelion。　This　was　what　the
  lady　had　so　carefully　plucked；　and　carried　home　so　safely　covered；
  so　that　not　one　of　the　delicate　feathery　arrows　of　which　its　mist…like
  shape　was　so　lightly　formed；　should　flutter　away。　She　now　drew　it
  forth　quite　uninjured；　and　wondered　at　its　beautiful　form；　and　airy
  lightness；　and　singular　construction；　so　soon　to　be　blown　away　by
  the　wind。
  〃See；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃how　wonderfully　God　has　made　this　little
  flower。　I　will　paint　it　with　the　apple…branch　together。　Every　one
  admires　the　beauty　of　the　apple…bough；　but　this　humble　flower　has　been
  endowed　by　Heaven　with　another　kind　of　loveliness；　and　although　they
  differ　in　appearance；　both　are　the　children　of　the　realms　of　beauty。〃
  Then　the　sunbeam　kissed　the　lowly　flower；　and　he　kissed　the
  blooming　apple…branch；　upon　whose　leaves　appeared　a　rosy　blush。
  THE　END
  。