Page:Fairy tales and stories (Andersen, Tegner).djvu/145



Y poor flowers are quite dead!" said little Ida. "They were so beautiful last night, and now all the leaves are hanging down quite faded! Why are they doing that?" she asked the student, who sat on the sofa. She was very fond of him; he could tell the most beautiful stories and cut out the funniest pictures, such as hearts with little damsels who danced, and flowers, and large castles with doors that could be opened; he was indeed a merry student!

"Why do the flowers, look so poorly to-day?" she asked again, and showed him a whole bouquet which was entirely faded.

"Don't you know what's the matter with them?" said the student. "The flowers were at a ball last night, and that's why they hang their heads!"

"But flowers cannot dance!" said little Ida.

"Oh, yes," said the student, "when it is dark and we are asleep, they run about quite merrily; almost every night they hold a ball!"

"Can't children go to those balls?"

"Yes," said the student, "as tiny daisies and lilies of the valley."

"Where do the prettiest flowers dance?" asked little Ida.

"Haven't you often been outside the gate of the great palace, where the king lives in summer, and where there is a beautiful garden with many flowers? You have seen the swans, which swim toward you when you want to give them bread crumbs. They hold real balls out there, I can tell you!"

"I was there in the garden yesterday with my mother," said Ida; "but all the leaves had fallen off the trees, and there were no flowers at all! Where are they? Last summer I saw so many!"

"They are in the palace," said the student. "You must know that as soon as ever the king and all the court move into the town, the flowers at once run away from the garden up to the palace and make merry. You ought to see that! Two most beautiful roses take a seat on the throne, and then they are king and queen. All the red cockscombs range themselves by their side and stand bowing; they are the chamberlains. Then all sorts of lovely flowers arrive and then they have a great ball; the blue Rh