We have seen swan after swan soar by in glorious flight. One lethis pinions glide over the strings of the golden harp, and itresounded through the North. Norway's mountains seemed to risehigher in the sunlight of former days; there was a rustling amongthe pine trees and the birches; the gods of the North, the heroes, andthe noble women, showed themselves in the dark forest depths.
  We have seen a swan beat with his wings upon the marble crag, sothat it burst, and the forms of beauty imprisoned in the stone steppedout to the sunny day, and men in the lands round about lifted up theirheads to behold these mighty forms.
  We have seen a third swan spinning the thread of thought that isfastened from country to country round the world, so that the word mayfly with lightning speed from land to land.
  And our Lord loves the old swan's nest between the Baltic andthe North Sea. And when the mighty birds come soaring through theair to destroy it, even the callow young stand round in a circle onthe margin of the nest, and though their breasts may be struck so thattheir blood flows, they bear it, and strike with their wings and theirclaws.
  Centuries will pass by, swans will fly forth from the nest, menwill see them and hear them in the world, before it shall be said inspirit and in truth, "This is the last swan- the last song from theswan's nest."
  THE END.
  1872
  FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
  THE SWINEHERD
  by Hans Christian Andersen
  ONCE upon a time lived a poor prince; his kingdom was verysmall, but it was large enough to enable him to marry, and marry hewould. It was rather bold of him that he went and asked theemperor's daughter: "Will you marry me?" but he ventured to do so, forhis name was known far and wide, and there were hundreds of princesseswho would have gladly accepted him, but would she do so? Now weshall see.
  On the grave of the prince's father grew a rose-tree, the mostbeautiful of its kind. It bloomed only once in five years, and then ithad only one single rose upon it, but what a rose! It had such a sweetscent that one instantly forgot all sorrow and grief when one smeltit. He had also a nightingale, which could sing as if every sweetmelody was in its throat. This rose and the nightingale he wished togive to the princess; and therefore both were put into big silvercases and sent to her.
  The emperor ordered them to be carried into the great hall wherethe princess was just playing "Visitors are coming" with herladies-in-waiting; when she saw the large cases with the presentstherein, she clapped her hands for joy.
  "I wish it were a little pussy cat," she said. But then therose-tree with the beautiful rose was unpacked.
  "Oh, how nicely it is made," exclaimed the ladies.
  "It is more than nice," said the emperor, "it is charming."
  The princess touched it and nearly began to cry.
  "For shame, pa," she said, "it is not artificial, it is natural!"
  "For shame, it is natural" repeated all her ladies.
  "Let us first see what the other case contains before we areangry," said the emperor; then the nightingale was taken out, and itsang so beautifully that no one could possibly say anything unkindabout it.
  "Superbe, charmant," said the ladies of the court, for they allprattled French, one worse than the other.
  "How much the bird reminds me of the musical box of the latelamented empress," said an old courtier, "it has exactly the sametone, the same execution."
  "You are right," said the emperor, and began to cry like alittle child.
  "I hope it is not natural," said the princess.
  "Yes, certainly it is natural," replied those who had broughtthe presents.
  "Then let it fly," said the princess, and refused to see theprince.
  But the prince was not discouraged. He painted his face, put oncommon clothes, pulled his cap over his forehead, and came back.
  "Good day, emperor," he said, "could you not give me someemployment at the court?"