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d through the fir…trees。 The poet felt as if his own heart wereweeping； but in tones of melody like the sound of a woman's voice。It seemed not only the strings； but every part of the instrumentfrom which these sounds were produced。 It was a wonderfulperformance and a difficult piece； and yet the bow seemed to glideacross the strings so easily that it was as if any one could do it whotried。 Even the violin and the bow appeared to perform independentlyof their master who guided them； it was as if soul and spirit had beenbreathed into the instrument； so the audience forgot the performerin the beautiful sounds he produced。 Not so the poet； he rememberedhim； and named him； and wrote down his thoughts on the subject。 〃Howfoolish it would be for the violin and the bow to boast of theirperformance； and yet we men often mit that folly。 The poet； theartist； the man of science in his laboratory； the general；… we alldo it； and yet we are only the instruments which the Almighty uses； toHim alone the honor is due。 We have nothing of ourselves of which weshould be proud。〃 Yes； this is what the poet wrote down。 He wrote itin the form of a parable； and called it 〃The Master and theInstruments。〃
〃That is what you have got； madam；〃 said the pen to theinkstand； when the two were alone again。 〃Did you hear him readaloud what I had written down？〃
〃Yes； what I gave you to write；〃 retorted the inkstand。 〃Thatwas a cut at you because of your conceit。 To think that you couldnot understand that you were being quizzed。 I gave you a cut fromwithin me。 Surely I must know my own satire。〃
〃Ink…pitcher！〃 cried the pen。
〃Writing…stick！〃 retorted the inkstand。 And each of them feltsatisfied that he had given a good answer。 It is pleasing to beconvinced that you have settled a matter by your reply； it issomething to make you sleep well； and they both slept well upon it。But the poet did not sleep。 Thoughts rose up within him like thetones of the violin； falling like pearls； or rushing like the strongwind through the forest。 He understood his own heart in thesethoughts； they were as a ray from the mind of the Great Master of allminds。
〃To Him be all the honor。〃
THE END。
1872
FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE
by Hans Christian Andersen
FAR away towards the east； in India； which seemed in those daysthe world's end； stood the Tree of the Sun； a noble tree； such as wehave never seen； and perhaps never may see。
The summit of this tree spread itself for miles like an entireforest； each of its smaller branches forming a plete tree。 Palms；beech…trees； pines； plane…trees； and various other kinds； which arefound in all parts of the world； were here like small branches；shooting forth from the great tree； while the larger boughs； withtheir knots and curves； formed valleys and hills； clothed with velvetygreen and covered with flowers。 Everywhere it was like a bloomingmeadow or a lovely garden。 Here were birds from all quarters of theworld assembled together； birds from the primeval forests ofAmerica； from the rose gardens of Damascus； and from the deserts ofAfrica； in which the elephant and the lion may boast of being the onlyrulers。 Birds from the Polar regions came flying here； and of coursethe stork and the swallow were not absent。 But the birds were notthe only living creatures。 There were stags； squirrels； antelopes； andhundreds of other beautiful and light…footed animals here found ahome。
The summit of the tree was a wide…spreading garden； and in themidst of it； where the green boughs formed a kind of hill； stood acastle of crystal； with a view from it towards every quarter ofheaven。 Each tower was erected in the form of a lily； and within thestern was a winding staircase； through which one could ascend to thetop and step out upon the leaves as upon balconies。 The calyx of theflower itself formed a most beautiful； glittering； circular hall；above which no other roof arose than the blue firmament and the sunand stars。
Just as much splendor； but of another kind； appeared below； in thewide halls of the castle。 Here； on the walls； were reflectedpictures of the world； which represented numerous and varied scenes ofeverything that took place daily； so that it was useless to read thenewspapers； and indeed there were none to be obtained in this spot。All was to be seen in living pictures by those who wished it； butall would have been too much for even the wisest man； and this mandwelt here。 His name is very difficult； you would not be able topronounce it； so it may be omitted。 He knew everything that a man onearth can know or imagine。 Every invention already in existence or yetto be； was known to him； and much more； still everything on earthhas a limit。 The wise king Solomon was not half so wise as this man。He could govern the powers of nature and held sway over potentspirits； even Death itself was obliged to give him every morning alist of those who were to die during the day。 And King Solomon himselfhad to die at last； and this fact it was which so often occupied thethoughts of this great man in the castle on the Tree of the Sun。 Heknew that he also； however high he might tower above other men inwisdom； must one day die。 He knew that his children would fade awaylike the leaves of the forest and bee dust。 He saw the human racewither and fall like leaves from the tree； he saw new men e to filltheir places； but the leaves that fell off never sprouted forth again；they crumbled to dust or were absorbed into other plants。
〃What happens to man；〃 asked the wise man of himself； 〃whentouched by the angel of death？ What can death be？ The body decays； andthe soul。 Yes； what is the soul； and whither does it go？〃
〃To eternal life；〃 says the forting voice of religion。
〃But what is this change？ Where and how shall we exist？〃
〃Above； in heaven；〃 answers the pious man； 〃it is there we hope togo。〃
〃Above！〃 repeated the wise man； fixing his eyes upon the moonand stars above him。 He saw that to this earthly sphere above andbelow were constantly changing places； and that the position variedaccording to the spot on which a man found himself。 He knew； also；that even if he ascended to the top of the highest mountain whichrears its lofty summit on this earth； the air； which to us seems clearand transparent； would there be dark and cloudy； the sun would havea coppery glow and send forth no rays； and our earth would lie beneathhim wrapped in an orange…colored mist。 How narrow are the limits whichconfine the bodily sight； and how little can be seen by the eye of thesoul。 How little do the wisest among us know of that which is soimportant to us all。
In the most secret chamber of the castle lay the greatest treasureon earth… the Book of Truth。 The wise man had read it through pageafter page。 Every man may read in this book； but only in fragments。 Tomany eyes the characters seem so mixed in confusion that the wordscannot be distinguished。 On certain pages the writing often appears sopale or so blurred that the page bees a blank。 The wiser a manbees； the more he will read； and those who are wisest read most。
The wise man knew how to unite the sunlight and the moonlight withthe light of reason and the hidden powers of nature； and throughthis stronger light； many things in the pages were made clear tohim。 But in the portion of the book entitled 〃Life after Death〃 nota single point could he see distinctly。 This pained him。 Should henever be able here on earth to obtain a light by which everythingwritten in the Book of Truth should bee clear to him？ Like the wiseKing Solomon； he understood the language of animals； and couldinterpret their talk into song； but that made him none the wiser。 Hefound out the nature of plants and metals； and their power in curingdiseases and arresting death； but none to destroy death itself。 In allcreated things within his reach he sought the light that shouldshine upon the certainty of an eternal life； but he found it not。The Book of Truth lay open before him； but； its pages were to him asblank paper。 Christianity placed before him in the Bible a promiseof eternal life； but he wanted to read it in his book； in whichnothing on the subject appeared to be written。
He had five children； four sons； e