Page:The fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen (c1899).djvu/57

 boat was painted red and white, the sails were as dazzling as silver, and six swans all wearing gold crowns round their necks, and a brightly beaming blue star on their heads, towed the boat past the green forest, where the trees related stories of robbers and witches, and the flowers told all about pretty little elves, as well as what the butterflies had said to them.

The most beautiful fishes with gold and silver scales swam after the boat; and every now