Page:Fairy tales and stories (Andersen, Tegner).djvu/78

46 The other toys thought the same, although they did not say so; there were other things to talk about. The top drawer was partly open, and there a large doll appeared; she was rather old, and had had her neck riveted. She looked round and said: "Shall we play men and women? It 'll be something for a change." And then there was a commotion! Even the pictures on the wall turned themselves round; they knew that they had another side as well, but they did not turn round just for the sake of contradicting.

CRASH! THERE HE LAY ON THE FLOOR, ALL IN BITS AND PIECES, WHILE THE MONEY ROLLED ABOUT.

It was midnight; the moon shone through the window and provided lighting for nothing. Now the fun was going to begin; everything in the room had been invited, even the perambulator, which, after all, only belonged to the commoner kind of toys. "Everyone is good enough in his own estimation," it said; "we cannot all be of noble birth! Somebody must make himself useful, as they say."

The money-pig was the only one who got a written invitation; he stood too high, they all thought, to hear them if they spoke to him. He did not send word, either, whether he was coming, for he did not turn up. If he was to take any part in it he would have to enjoy it up there from