1 22
ANDERSEN'S FAIRY TALES
daughter and granddaughter held him in their arms as if they were giving him a morning saluta- tion in their joy after a long, heavy dream.
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And there was joy over all the house and in the storks' nest, but there it was chiefly over the good food, and the swarming hosts of frogs ; and whilst the learned men made haste to note down in brief the history of the two princesses and the flower of health, which was such a great event and a blessing for house and country, the parent storks related it in their fashion to their own family, but not till they had all satisfied their hunger, or else they would have had something else to do than to listen to stories.
" Now you will become somebody ! " whispered mother-stork ; " that is certain ! " " Well ! what should I become ? " said father-stork ; " and what have I done ? A mere
nothing ! "
" You have done more than all the others ! Rut for you and the young ones the two princesses would never have seen Egypt again, and made the old man well. You will become somebody ! You will certainly receive a Doctor's degree, and our young ones will bear it afterwards, artd their young ones will have it in turn. You look already like an Egyptian doctor — in my eyes ! "
The wise and learned expounded the fundamental idea, as they called it, that ran through the whole history : " Love brings forth life ! " — they gave that explanation in different ways — " the warm sunbeam was the Egyptian princess, she descended to the Marsh King, and in their meeting the flower
sprang forth "
" I can't repeat the words quite right," said father-stork, who had heard it from the roof, and was expected to tell them all about it in his nest. " What they said was so in-
volved, it was so clever, that they immediately received hon- ours and gifts. Even the head cook obtained a high mark of distinction — that was for the soup ! "
" And what did you receive ? " inquired mother-stork ; "they ought not to forget the most important, and that is yourself The learned have only chattered about it all, but your turn will come ! "
Late that night, while peaceful s'umber enwrapped the now prosperous house, there was one who was still awake ; and that was not the father-stork, though he stood on one leg in the nest and slept like a sentinel. No, little Helga was awake. She leaned out over the balcony and gazed at the clear sky with the great, bright stars, larger and purer in their lustre than she had seen them in the north, and yet the same. She thought of the Viking's wife by the moor, of her foster-mother's gentle eyes, and the tears she had shed over her poor toad-child, who now stood in the light and splendour of the stars by the waters of the Nile in the soft air of spring. She thought of the love in that heathen woman's breast, that love which she had shown to a miserable creature who, in human form, was an evil brute, and in the form of an animal, loathsome to look at and to touch. She looked at the shining stars, and called to mind the splendour on the forehead of the dead man, when they flew away over forest and moor ; tones resounded in her recollection, words she had heard pronounced when they rode away, and she sat as if paralyzed — words about the great Author of Love, the highest Love, embracing all generations.
Yes, how much had been given, gained, obtained ! Little Helga's thoughts were occupied, night and day, with all her good fortune, and she stood in contemplation of it like a child which turns quickly from the giver to all the beautiful presents that have been given ; so she rose up in her increasing happiness, which could come and would come. She was indeed borne in mysterious ways to even higher joy and happiness, and in this she lost herself one day so entirely that she thought no more of the Giver. It was the strength of youthful courage that. inspired her bold venture. Her eyes shone, but suddenly she was called back by a great clamour in the courtyard
SHE SAW TWO POWERFUL OSTRICHES RUNNING ROUND IN NARROW CIRCLES.
