and the shilling jumped and rattled for joy, when it was put backagain into the purse.
  Here it lay among a number of foreign companions, who werealways coming and going, one taking the place of another, but theshilling from home was always put back, and had to remain in thepurse, which was certainly a mark of distinction. Many weeks passed,during which the shilling had travelled a long distance in thepurse, without in the least knowing where he was. He had found outthat the other coins were French and Italian; and one coin said theywere in this town, and another said they were in that, but theshilling was unable to make out or imagine what they meant. A mancertainly cannot see much of the world if he is tied up in a bag,and this was really the shilling's fate. But one day, as he waslying in the purse, he noticed that it was not quite closed, and so heslipped near to the opening to have a little peep into society. Hecertainly had not the least idea of what would follow, but he wascurious, and curiosity often brings its own punishment. In hiseagerness, he came so near the edge of the purse that he slipped outinto the pocket of the trousers; and when, in the evening, the pursewas taken out, the shilling was left behind in the corner to whichit had fallen. As the clothes were being carried into the hall, theshilling fell out on the floor, unheard and unnoticed by any one.The next morning the clothes were taken back to the room, thegentleman put them on, and started on his journey again; but theshilling remained behind on the floor. After a time it was found,and being considered a good coin, was placed with three other coins."Ah," thought the shilling, "this is pleasant; I shall now see theworld, become acquainted with other people, and learn other customs."
  "Do you call that a shilling?" said some one the next moment."That is not a genuine coin of the country,- it is false; it is goodfor nothing."
  Now begins the story as it was afterwards related by theshilling himself.
  "'False! good for nothing!' said he. That remark went throughand through me like a dagger. I knew that I had a true ring, andthat mine was a genuine stamp. These people must at all events bewrong, or they could not mean me. But yes, I was the one they called'false, and good for nothing.'
  "'Then I must pay it away in the dark,' said the man who hadreceived me. So I was to be got rid of in the darkness, and be againinsulted in broad daylight.
  "'False! good for nothing!' Oh, I must contrive to get lost,thought I. And I trembled between the fingers of the people every timethey tried to pass me off slyly as a coin of the country. Ah!unhappy shilling that I was! Of what use were my silver, my stamp, andmy real value here, where all these qualities were worthless. In theeyes of the world, a man is valued just according to the opinionformed of him. It must be a shocking thing to have a guiltyconscience, and to be sneaking about on account of wicked deeds. Asfor me, innocent as I was, I could not help shuddering before theireyes whenever they brought me out, for I knew I should be thrownback again up the table as a false pretender. At length I was paidaway to a poor old woman, who received me as wages for a hard day'swork. But she could not again get rid of me; no one would take me. Iwas to the woman a most unlucky shilling. 'I am positively obligedto pass this shilling to somebody,' said she; 'I cannot, with the bestintentions, lay by a bad shilling. The rich baker shall have it,- hecan bear the loss better than I can. But, after all, it is not a rightthing to do.'
  "'Ah!