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as mirrored in his heart。 He sang it out clearly； sweetly； richly； inwell…sounding verses； while the other investigated created matteritself； and even cut it open where need was。 He looked upon God'screation as a great sum in arithmetic… subtracted； multiplied； andtried to know it within and without； and to talk with understandingconcerning it； and that was a very sensible thing； and he spokejoyously and cleverly of it。 They were good； joyful men； those two；
〃There sits a good specimen of a toad；〃 said the naturalist。 〃Imust have that fellow in a bottle of spirits。〃
〃You have two of them already；〃 replied the poet。 〃Let the thingsit there and enjoy its life。〃
〃But it's so wonderfully ugly；〃 persisted the first。
〃Yes； if we could find the jewel in its head；〃 said the poet； 〃Itoo should be for cutting it open。'
〃A jewel！〃 cried the naturalist。 〃You seem to know a great dealabout natural history。〃
〃But is there not something beautiful in the popular belief thatjust as the toad is the ugliest of animals； it should often carrythe most precious jewel in its head？ Is it not just the same thingwith men？ What a jewel that was that Aesop had； and still more；Socrates！〃
The Toad did not hear any more； nor did she understand half ofwhat she had heard。 The two friends walked on； and thus she escapedthe fate of being bottled up in spirits。
〃Those two also were speaking of the jewel；〃 said the Toad toherself。 〃What a good thing that I have not got it！ I might havebeen in a very disagreeable position。〃
Now there was a clapping on the roof of the farm…house。Father…Stork was making a speech to his family； and his family wasglancing down at the two young men in the kitchen garden。
〃Man is the most conceited creature！〃 said the Stork。 〃Listenhow their jaws are wagging； and for all that they can't clap properly。They boast of their gifts of eloquence and their language！ Yes； a finelanguage truly！ Why； it changes in every day's journey we make。 One ofthem doesn't understand another。 Now； we can speak our language overthe whole earth… up in the North and in Egypt。 And then men are notable to fly； moreover。 They rush along by means of an invention theycall 'railway；' but they often break their necks over it。 It makesmy beak turn cold when I think of it。 The world could get on withoutmen。 We could do without them very well； so long as we only keep frogsand earth…worms。〃
〃That was a powerful speech；〃 thought the little Toad。 〃What agreat man that is yonder！ and how high he sits！ Higher than ever I sawany one sit yet； and how he can swim！〃 she cried； as the Storksoared away through the air with outspread pinions。
And the Mother…Stork began talking in the nest； and told aboutEgypt and the waters of the Nile； and the inparable mud that was tobe found in that strange land； and all this sounded new and verycharming to the little Toad。
〃I must go to Egypt！〃 said she。 〃If the Stork or one of hisyoung ones would only take me！ I would oblige him in return。 Yes； Ishall get to Egypt； for I feel so happy！ All the longing and all thepleasure that I feel is much better than having a jewel in one'shead。〃
And it was just she who had the jewel。 That jewel was thecontinual striving and desire to go upward… ever upward。 It gleamed inher head； gleamed in joy； beamed brightly in her longing。
Then； suddenly； up came the Stork。 He had seen the Toad in thegrass； and stooped down and seized the little creature anything butgently。 The Stork's beak pinched her； and the wind whistled； it wasnot exactly agreeable； but she was going upward… upward towards Egypt…and she knew it； and that was why her eyes gleamed； and a spark seemedto fly out of them。
〃Quunk！… ah！〃
The body was dead… the Toad was killed！ But the spark that hadshot forth from her eyes； what became of that？
The sunbeam took it up； the sunbeam carried the jewel from thehead of the toad。 Whither？
Ask not the naturalist； rather ask the poet。 He will tell itthee under the guise of a fairy tale； and the Caterpillar on thecabbage； and the Stork family belong to the story。 Think！ theCaterpillar is changed； and turns into a beautiful butterfly； theStork family flies over mountains and seas； to the distant Africa； andyet finds the shortest way home to the same country… to the same roof。Nay； that is almost too improbable； and yet it is true。 You may askthe naturalist； he will confess it is so； and you know it yourself；for you have seen it。
But the jewel in the head of the toad？
Seek it in the sun； see it there if you can。
The brightness is too dazzling there。 We have not yet such eyes ascan see into the glories which God has created； but we shall receivethem by…and…by； and that will be the most beautiful story of all；and we shall all have our share in it。
THE END。
1872
FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
THE TOP AND BALL
by Hans Christian Andersen
A WHIPPING TOP and a little ball lay together in a box； amongother toys； and the top said to the ball； 〃Shall we be married； aswe live in the same box？〃
But the ball； which wore a dress of morocco leather； and thoughtas much of herself as any other young lady； would not evencondescend to reply。
The next day came the little boy to whom the playthingsbelonged； and he painted the top red and yellow； and drove abrass…headed nail into the middle； so that while the top wasspinning round it looked splendid。
〃Look at me；〃 said the top to the ball。 〃What do you say now？Shall we be engaged to each other？ We should suit so well； you spring；and I dance。 No one could be happier than we should be。〃
〃Indeed！ do you think so？ Perhaps you do not know that my fatherand mother were morocco slippers； and that I have a Spanish cork in mybody。〃
〃Yes； but I am made of mahogany；〃 said the top。 〃The major himselfturned me。 He has a turning lathe of his own； and it is a greatamusement to him。〃
〃Can I believe it？〃 asked the ball。
〃May I never be whipped again；〃 said the top； 〃if I am not tellingyou the truth。〃
〃You certainly know how to speak for yourself very well；〃 said theball； 〃but I cannot accept your proposal。 I am almost engaged to aswallow。 Every time I fly up in the air； he puts his head out of thenest； and says； 'Will you？' and I have said； 'Yes；' to myselfsilently； and that is as good as being half engaged； but I willpromise never to forget you。〃
〃Much good that will be to me；〃 said the top； and they spoke toeach other no more。
Next day the ball was taken out by the boy。 The top saw itflying high in the air； like a bird； till it would go quite out ofsight。 Each time it came back； as it touched the earth； it gave ahigher leap than before； either because it longed to fly upwards； orfrom having a Spanish cork in its body。 But the ninth time it rosein the air； it remained away； and did not return。 The boy searchedeverywhere for it； but he searched in vain； for it could not be found；it was gone。
〃I know very well where she is；〃 sighed the top； 〃she is in theswallow's nest； and has married the swallow。〃
The more the top thought of this； the more he longed for the ball。His love increased the more； just because he could not get her； andthat she should have been won by another； was the worst of all。 Thetop still twirled about and hummed； but he continued to think of theball； and the more he thought of her； the more beautiful she seemed tohis fancy。
Thus several years passed by； and his love became quite old。 Thetop； also； was no longer young； but there came a day when he lookedhandsomer than ever； for he was gilded all over。 He was now a goldentop； and whirled and danced about till he hummed quite loud； and wassomething worth looking at； but one day he leaped too high； and thenhe； also； was gone。 They searched everywhere； even in the cellar；but he was nowhere to be found。 Where could he be？ He had jumpedinto the dust…bin； where all sorts of rubbish were lying：cabbage…stalks； dust； and rain…droppings that had fallen down from thegutter under the roof。
〃Now I am in a nice place；〃 said he； 〃my gilding will soon bewashed off here。 Oh dear； what a set of rabble I have got amongst！〃And then he glanced at a curious round thing like an old apple；which lay near a long； leafless cabbage…stalk。 It