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1872
FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN
WHAT　THE　MOON　SAW
by　Hans　Christian　Andersen
　
INTRODUCTION
IT　is　a　strange　thing；　when　I　feel　most　fervently　and　most　deeply；
my　hands　and　my　tongue　seem　alike　tied；　so　that　I　cannot　rightly
describe　or　accurately　portray　the　thoughts　that　are　rising　within　me；
and　yet　I　am　a　painter；　my　eye　tells　me　as　much　as　that；　and　all　my
friends　who　have　seen　my　sketches　and　fancies　say　the　same。
I　am　a　poor　lad；　and　live　in　one　of　the　narrowest　of　lanes；　but
I　do　not　want　for　light；　as　my　room　is　high　up　in　the　house；　with　an
extensive　prospect　over　the　neighbouring　roofs。　During　the　first　few
days　I　went　to　live　in　the　town；　I　felt　low…spirited　and　solitary
enough。　Instead　of　the　forest　and　the　green　hills　of　former　days；　I
had　here　only　a　forest　of　chimney…pots　to　look　out　upon。　And　then　I
had　not　a　single　friend；　not　one　familiar　face　greeted　me。
So　one　evening　I　sat　at　the　window；　in　a　desponding　mood；　and
presently　I　opened　the　casement　and　looked　out。　Oh；　how　my　heart
leaped　up　with　joy！　Here　was　a　well…known　face　at　last…　a　round；
friendly　countenance；　the　face　of　a　good　friend　I　had　known　at　home。
In；　fact；　it　was　the　MOON　that　looked　in　upon　me。　He　was　quite
unchanged；　the　dear　old　Moon；　and　had　the　same　face　exactly　that　he
used　to　show　when　he　peered　down　upon　me　through　the　willow　trees　on　the　moor。　I　kissed　my　hand　to　him　over　and　over　again；　as　he　shone　far　into　my　little　room；　and　he；　for　his　part；　promised　me　that　every　evening；　when　he　came　abroad；　he　would　look　in　upon　me　for　a　few　moments。　This　promise　he　has　faithfully　kept。　It　is　a　pity　that　he　can　only　stay　such　a　short　time　when　he　comes。　Whenever　he　appears；　he　tells　me　of　one　thing　or　another　that　he　has　seen　on　the　previous　night；　or　on　that　same　evening。　〃Just　paint　the　scenes　I　describe　to　you〃…　this　is　what　he　said　to　me…　〃and　you　will　have　a　very　pretty　picture…book。〃　I　have　followed　his　injunction　for　many　evenings。　I　could　make　up　a　new　〃Thousand　and　One　Nights；〃　in　my　own　way；　out　of　these　pictures；　but　the　number　might　be　too　great；　after　all。　The　pictures　I　have　here　given　have　not　been　chosen　at　random；　but　follow　in　their　proper　order；　just　as　they　were　described　to　me。

Some　great　gifted　painter；　or　some　poet　or　musician；　may　make
something　more　of　them　if　he　likes；　what　I　have　given　here　are　only
hasty　sketches；　hurriedly　put　upon　the　paper；　with　some　of　my　own
thoughts；　interspersed；　for　the　Moon　did　not　come　to　me　every　evening…　a　cloud　sometimes　hid　his　face　from　me。

FIRST　EVENING
〃Last　night〃…　I　am　quoting　the　Moon's　own　words…　〃last　night　I　was
gliding　through　the　cloudless　Indian　sky。　My　face　was　mirrored　in
the　waters　of　the　Ganges；　and　my　beams　strove　to　pierce　through　the
thick　intertwining　boughs　of　the　bananas；　arching　beneath　me　like
the　tortoise's　shell。　Forth　from　the　thicket　tripped　a　Hindoo　maid；
light　as　a　gazelle；　beautiful　as　Eve。　Airy　and　etherial　as　a　vision；
and　yet　sharply　defined　amid　the　surrounding　shadows；　stood　this
daughter　of　Hindostan：　I　could　read　on　her　delicate　brow　the　thought
that　had　brought　her　hither。　The　thorny　creeping　plants　tore　her
sandals；　but　for　all　that　she　came　rapidly　forward。　The　deer　that
had　come　down　to　the　river　to　quench　her　thirst；　sprang　by　with　a
startled　bound；　for　in　her　hand　the　maiden　bore　a　lighted　lamp。　I
could　see　the　blood　in　her　delicate　finger　tips；　as　she　spread　them
for　a　screen　before　the　dancing　flame。　She　came　down　to　the　stream；
and　set　the　lamp　upon　the　water；　and　let　it　float　away。　The　flame
flickered　to　and　fro；　and　seemed　ready　to　expire；　but　still　the　lamp
burned　on；　and　the　girl's　black　sparkling　eyes；　half　veiled　behind
their　long　silken　lashes；　followed　it　with　a　gaze　of　earnest
intensity。　She　knew　that　if　the　lamp　continued　to　burn　so　long　as
she　could　keep　it　in　sight；　her　betrothed　was　still　alive；　but　if
the　lamp　was　suddenly　extinguished；　he　was　dead。　And　the　lamp　burned　bravely　on；　and　she　fell　on　her　knees；　and　prayed。　Near　her　in　the　grass　lay　a　speckled　snake；　but　she　heeded　it　not…　she　thought　only　of　Bramah　and　of　her　betrothed。　'He　lives！'　she　shouted　joyfully；　'he　lives！'　And　from　the　mountains　the　echo　came　back　upon　her；　'he
lives！〃

SECOND　EVENING
〃Yesterday；〃　said　the　Moon　to　me；　〃I　looked　down　upon　a　small
courtyard　surrounded　on　all　sides　by　houses。　In　the　courtyard　sat　a
clucking　hen　with　eleven　chickens；　and　a　pretty　little　girl　was
running　and　jumping　around　them。　The　hen　was　frightened；　and　screamed；　and　spread　out　her　wings　over　the　little　brood。　Then　the　girl's　father　came　out　and　scolded　her；　and　I　glided　away　and　thought　no　more　of　the　matter。

〃But　this　evening；　only　a　few　minutes　ago；　I　looked　down　into
the　same　courtyard。　Everything　was　quiet。　But　presently　the　little
girl　came　forth　again；　crept　quietly　to　the　hen…house；　pushed　back　the
bolt；　and　slipped　into　the　apartment　of　the　hen　and　chickens。　They
cried　out　loudly；　and　came　fluttering　down　from　their　perches；　and　ran　about　in　dismay；　and　the　little　girl　ran　after　them。　I　saw　it　quite
plainly；　for　I　looked　through　a　hole　in　the　hen…house　wall。　I　was
angry　with　the　willful　child；　and　felt　glad　when　her　father　came　out
and　scolded　her　more　violently　than　yesterday；　holding　her　roughly
by　the　arm；　she　held　down　her　head；　and　her　blue　eyes　were　full　of
large　tears。　'What　are　you　about　here？'　he　asked。　She　wept　and　said；
'I　wanted　to　kiss　the　hen　and　beg　her　pardon　for　frightening　her
yesterday；　but　I　was　afraid　to　tell　you。'

〃And　the　father　kissed　the　innocent　child's　forehead；　and　I　kissed
her　on　the　mouth　and　eyes。〃

THIRD　EVENING
〃In　the　narrow　street　round　the　corner　yonder…　it　is　so　narrow
that　my　beams　can　only　glide　for　a　minute　along　the　walls　of　the
house；　but　in　that　minute　I　see　enough　to　learn　what　the　world　is　made
of…　in　that　narrow　street　I　saw　a　woman。　Sixteen　years　ago　that
woman　was　a　child；　playing　in　the　garden　of　the　old　parsonage；　in
the　country。　The　hedges　of　rose…bush　were　old；　and　the　flowers　were
faded。　They　straggled　wild　over　the　paths；　and　the　ragged　branches
grew　up　among　the　boughs　of　the　apple　trees；　here　and　there　were　a　few　roses　still　in　bloom…　not　so　fair　as　the　queen　of　flowers　generally
appears；　but　still　they　had　colour　and　scent　too。　The　clergyman's
little　daughter　appeared　to　me　a　far　lovelier　rose；　as　she　sat　on
her　stool　under　the　straggling　hedge；　hugging　and　caressing　her　doll
with　the　battered　pasteboard　cheeks。

〃Ten　years　afterwards　I　saw　her　again。　I　beheld　her　in　a
splendid　ballroom：　she　was　the　beautiful　bride　of　a　rich　merchant。　I
rejoiced　at　her　happiness；　and　sought　her　on　calm　quiet　evenings…
ah；　nobody　thinks　of　my　clear　eye　and　my　silent　glance！　Alas！　my
rose　ran　wild；　like　the　rose　bushes　in　the　garden　of　the　parsonage。

There　are　tragedies　in　every…day　life；　and　tonight　I　saw　the　last
act　of　one。

〃She　was　lying　in　bed　in　a　house　in　that　narrow　street：　she　was
sick　unto　death；　and　the　cruel　landlord　came　up；　and　tore　away　the
thin　coverlet；　her　only　protection　against　the　cold。　'Get　up！'　said
he；　'your　face　is　enough　to　frighten　one。　Get　up　and　dress　yourself；
give　me　money；　or　I'll　turn　you　out　into　the　street！　Quick…　get　up！'
She　answered；　'Alas！　death　is　gnawing　at　my　heart。　Let　me　rest。'　But
he　forced　her　to　get　up　and　bathe　her　face；　and　put　a　wreath　of
roses　in　her　hair；　and　he　placed　her　in　a　chair　at　the　window；　with
a　candle　burning　beside　her；　and　went　away。

〃I　looked　at　her；　and　she　was　sitting　motionless；　with　her　hands
in　her　lap。　The　wind　caught　the　open　window　and　shut　it　with　a
crash；　so　that　a　pane　came　clattering　down　in　fragments；　but　still　she
never　moved。　The　curtain　caught　fire；　and　the　flames　played　about
her　face；　and　I　saw　that　she　was　dead。　There　at　the　open　window　sat
the　dead　woman；　preaching　a　sermon　against　sin…　my　poor　faded　rose　out　of　the　parsonage　garden！〃

FOURTH　EVENING
〃This　evening　I　saw　a　German　play　acted；〃　said　the　Moon。　〃It　was
in　a　little　town。　A　stable　had　been　turned　into　a　theatre；　that　is
to　say；　the　stable　had　been　left　standing；　and　had　been　turned　into
private　boxes；　and　all　the　timber　work　had　been　covered　with
coloured　paper。　A　little　iron　chandelier　hung　beneath　the　ceiling；　and
that　it　might　be　made　to　disappear　into　the　ceiling；　as　it　does　in
great　theatres；　when　the　ting…ting　of　the　prompter's　bell　is　heard；
a　great　inverted　tub　has　been　placed　just　above　it。

〃'Ting…ting！'　and　the　little　iron　chandelier　suddenly　rose　at
least　half　a　yard　and　disappeared　in　the　tub；　and　that　was　the　sign
that　the　play　was　going　to　begin。　A　young　nobleman　and　his　lady；　who　happened　to　be　passing　through　the　little　town；　were　present　at　the　performance；　and　consequently　the　house　was　crowded。　But　under　the　chandelier　was　a　vacant　space　like　a　little　crater：　not　a　single
soul　sat　there；　for　the　tallow　was　dropping；　drip；　drip！　I　saw
everything；　for　it　was　so　warm　in　there　that　every　loophole　had　been
opened。　The　male　and　female　servants　stood　outside；　peeping　through　the　chinks；　although　a　real　policeman　was　inside；　threatening　them　with　a　stick。　Close　by　the　orchestra　could　be　seen　the　noble　young　couple　in　two　old　arm…chairs；　which　were　usually　occupied　by　his　worship　the　mayor　and　his　lady；　but　these　latter　were　to…day　obliged　to　content　themselves　with　wooden　forms；　just　as　if　they　had　been　ordinary　citizens；　and　the　lady　observed　quietly　to　herself；　'One
sees；　now；　that　there　is　rank　above　rank；'　and　this　incident　gave　an
air　of　extra　festivity　to　the　whole　proceedings。　The　chandelier　gave
little　leaps；　the　crowd　got　their　knuckles　rapped；　and　I；　the　Moon；
was　present　at　the　performance　from　beginning　to　end。〃

FIFTH　EVENING
〃Yesterday；〃　began　the　Moon；　〃I　looked　down　upon　the　turmoil　of
Paris。　My　eye　penetrated　into　an　apartment　of　the　Louvre。　An　old
grandmother；　poorly　clad…　she　belonged　to　the　working　class…　was
following　one　of　the　under…servants　into　the　great　empty
throne…room；　for　this　was　the　apartment　she　wanted　to　see…　that　she
was　resolved　to　see；　it　had　cost　her　many　a　little　sacrifice；　and　many
a　coaxing　word；　to　penetrate　thus　far。　She　folded　her　thin　hands；
and　looked　round　with　an　air