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1872
FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN
THE　TRAVELLING　COMPANION
by　Hans　Christian　Andersen
　
POOR　John　was　very　sad；　for　his　father　was　so　ill；　he　had　no
hope　of　his　recovery。　John　sat　alone　with　the　sick　man　in　the　little
room；　and　the　lamp　had　nearly　burnt　out；　for　it　was　late　in　the　night。
〃You　have　been　a　good　son；　John；〃　said　the　sick　father；　〃and　God
will　help　you　on　in　the　world。〃　He　looked　at　him；　as　he　spoke；　with
mild；　earnest　eyes；　drew　a　deep　sigh；　and　died；　yet　it　appeared　as
if　he　still　slept。

John　wept　bitterly。　He　had　no　one　in　the　wide　world　now；　neither
father；　mother；　brother；　nor　sister。　Poor　John！　he　knelt　down　by　the
bed；　kissed　his　dead　father's　hand；　and　wept　many；　many　bitter
tears。　But　at　last　his　eyes　closed；　and　he　fell　asleep　with　his　head
resting　against　the　hard　bedpost。　Then　he　dreamed　a　strange　dream；
he　thought　he　saw　the　sun　shining　upon　him；　and　his　father　alive　and
well；　and　even　heard　him　laughing　as　he　used　to　do　when　he　was　very
happy。　A　beautiful　girl；　with　a　golden　crown　on　her　head；　and　long；
shining　hair；　gave　him　her　hand；　and　his　father　said；　〃See　what　a
bride　you　have　won。　She　is　the　loveliest　maiden　on　the　whole　earth。〃
Then　he　awoke；　and　all　the　beautiful　things　vanished　before　his
eyes；　his　father　lay　dead　on　the　bed；　and　he　was　all　alone。　Poor　John！
During　the　following　week　the　dead　man　was　buried。　The　son
walked　behind　the　coffin　which　contained　his　father；　whom　he　so　dearly　loved；　and　would　never　again　behold。　He　heard　the　earth　fall　on　the　coffin…lid；　and　watched　it　till　only　a　corner　remained　in　sight；　and
at　last　that　also　disappeared。　He　felt　as　if　his　heart　would　break
with　its　weight　of　sorrow；　till　those　who　stood　round　the　grave　sang　a
psalm；　and　the　sweet；　holy　tones　brought　tears　into　his　eyes；　which
relieved　him。　The　sun　shone　brightly　down　on　the　green　trees；　as　if　it
would　say；　〃You　must　not　be　so　sorrowful；　John。　Do　you　see　the
beautiful　blue　sky　above　you？　Your　father　is　up　there；　and　he　prays　to
the　loving　Father　of　all；　that　you　may　do　well　in　the　future。〃

〃I　will　always　be　good；〃　said　John；　〃and　then　I　shall　go　to　be
with　my　father　in　heaven。　What　joy　it　will　be　when　we　see　each　other
again！　How　much　I　shall　have　to　relate　to　him；　and　how　many　things
he　will　be　able　to　explain　to　me　of　the　delights　of　heaven；　and
teach　me　as　he　once　did　on　earth。　Oh；　what　joy　it　will　be！〃

He　pictured　it　all　so　plainly　to　himself；　that　he　smiled　even
while　the　tears　ran　down　his　cheeks。

The　little　birds　in　the　chestnut…trees　twittered；　〃Tweet；
tweet；〃　they　were　so　happy；　although　they　had　seen　the　funeral；　but
they　seemed　as　if　they　knew　that　the　dead　man　was　now　in　heaven；　and　that　he　had　wings　much　larger　and　more　beautiful　than　their　own；　and　he　was　happy　now；　because　he　had　been　good　here　on　earth；　and　they　were　glad　of　it。　John　saw　them　fly　away　out　of　the　green　trees　into　the　wide　world；　and　he　longed　to　fly　with　them；　but　first　he　cut　out　a　large　wooden　cross；　to　place　on　his　father's　grave；　and　when　he
brought　it　there　in　the　evening；　he　found　the　grave　decked　out　with
gravel　and　flowers。　Strangers　had　done　this；　they　who　had　known　the
good　old　father　who　was　now　dead；　and　who　had　loved　him　very　much。

Early　the　next　morning；　John　packed　up　his　little　bundle　of
clothes；　and　placed　all　his　money；　which　consisted　of　fifty　dollars
and　a　few　shillings；　in　his　girdle；　with　this　he　determined　to　try　his
fortune　in　the　world。　But　first　he　went　into　the　churchyard；　and；　by
his　father's　grave；　he　offered　up　a　prayer；　and　said；　〃Farewell。〃
As　he　passed　through　the　fields；　all　the　flowers　looked　fresh
and　beautiful　in　the　warm　sunshine；　and　nodded　in　the　wind；　as　if　they
wished　to　say；　〃Welcome　to　the　green　wood；　where　all　is　fresh　and
bright。〃

Then　John　turned　to　have　one　more　look　at　the　old　church；　in　which
he　had　been　christened　in　his　infancy；　and　where　his　father　had
taken　him　every　Sunday　to　hear　the　service　and　join　in　singing　the
psalms。　As　he　looked　at　the　old　tower；　he　espied　the　ringer　standing
at　one　of　the　narrow　openings；　with　his　little　pointed　red　cap　on
his　head；　and　shading　his　eyes　from　the　sun　with　his　bent　arm。　John
nodded　farewell　to　him；　and　the　little　ringer　waved　his　red　cap；
laid　his　hand　on　his　heart；　and　kissed　his　hand　to　him　a　great　many
times；　to　show　that　he　felt　kindly　towards　him；　and　wished　him　a
prosperous　journey。

John　continued　his　journey；　and　thought　of　all　the　wonderful
things　he　should　see　in　the　large；　beautiful　world；　till　he　found
himself　farther　away　from　home　than　ever　he　had　been　before。　He　did
not　even　know　the　names　of　the　places　he　passed　through；　and　could
scarcely　understand　the　language　of　the　people　he　met；　for　he　was
far　away；　in　a　strange　land。　The　first　night　he　slept　on　a　haystack；
out　in　the　fields；　for　there　was　no　other　bed　for　him；　but　it　seemed
to　him　so　nice　and　comfortable　that　even　a　king　need　not　wish　for　a
better。　The　field；　the　brook；　the　haystack；　with　the　blue　sky　above；
formed　a　beautiful　sleeping…room。　The　green　grass；　with　the　little　red
and　white　flowers；　was　the　carpet；　the　elder…bushes　and　the　hedges
of　wild　roses　looked　like　garlands　on　the　walls；　and　for　a　bath　he
could　have　the　clear；　fresh　water　of　the　brook；　while　the　rushes　bowed　their　heads　to　him；　to　wish　him　good　morning　and　good　evening。　The　moon；　like　a　large　lamp；　hung　high　up　in　the　blue　ceiling；　and　he　had　no　fear　of　its　setting　fire　to　his　curtains。　John　slept　here　quite　safely　all　night；　and　when　he　awoke；　the　sun　was　up；　and　all　the
little　birds　were　singing　round　him；　〃Good　morning；　good　morning。
Are　you　not　up　yet？〃

It　was　Sunday；　and　the　bells　were　ringing　for　church。　As　the
people　went　in；　John　followed　them；　he　heard　God's　word；　joined　in
singing　the　psalms；　and　listened　to　the　preacher。　It　seemed　to　him
just　as　if　he　were　in　his　own　church；　where　he　had　been　christened；
and　had　sung　the　psalms　with　his　father。　Out　in　the　churchyard　were
several　graves；　and　on　some　of　them　the　grass　had　grown　very　high。
John　thought　of　his　father's　grave；　which　he　knew　at　last　would　look
like　these；　as　he　was　not　there　to　weed　and　attend　to　it。　Then　he
set　to　work；　pulled　up　the　high　grass；　raised　the　wooden　crosses　which　had　fallen　down；　and　replaced　the　wreaths　which　had　been　blown　away　from　their　places　by　the　wind；　thinking　all　the　time；　〃Perhaps　some　one　is　doing　the　same　for　my　father's　grave；　as　I　am　not　there　to　do　it　〃

Outside　the　church　door　stood　an　old　beggar；　leaning　on　his
crutch。　John　gave　him　his　silver　shillings；　and　then　he　continued
his　journey；　feeling　lighter　and　happier　than　ever。　Towards　evening；
the　weather　became　very　stormy；　and　he　hastened　on　as　quickly　as　he
could；　to　get　shelter；　but　it　was　quite　dark　by　the　time　he　reached
a　little　lonely　church　which　stood　on　a　hill。　〃I　will　go　in　here；〃
he　said；　〃and　sit　down　in　a　corner；　for　I　am　quite　tired；　and　want
rest。〃

So　he　went　in；　and　seated　himself；　then　he　folded　his　hands；　and
offered　up　his　evening　prayer；　and　was　soon　fast　asleep　and
dreaming；　while　the　thunder　rolled　and　the　lightning　flashed
without。　When　he　awoke；　it　was　still　night；　but　the　storm　had
ceased；　and　the　moon　shone　in　upon　him　through　the　windows。　Then　he　saw　an　open　coffin　standing　in　the　centre　of　the　church；　which
contained　a　dead　man；　waiting　for　burial。　John　was　not　at　all　timid；
he　had　a　good　conscience；　and　he　knew　also　that　the　dead　can　never
injure　any　one。　It　is　living　wicked　men　who　do　harm　to　others。　Two
such　wicked　persons　stood　now　by　the　dead　man；　who　had　been　brought　to　the　church　to　be　buried。　Their　evil　intentions　were　to　throw　the　poor　dead　body　outside　the　church　door；　and　not　leave　him　to　rest　in　his　coffin。

〃Why　do　you　do　this？〃　asked　John；　when　he　saw　what　they　were　going　to　do；　〃it　is　very　wicked。　Leave　him　to　rest　in　peace；　in　Christ's
name。〃

〃Nonsense；〃　replied　the　two　dreadful　men。　〃He　has　cheated　us；　he
owed　us　money　which　he　could　not　pay；　and　now　he　is　dead　we　shall
not　get　a　penny；　so　we　mean　to　have　our　revenge；　and　let　him　lie
like　a　dog　outside　the　church　door。〃

〃I　have　only　fifty　dollars；〃　said　John；　〃it　is　all　I　possess　in
the　world；　but　I　will　give　it　to　you　if　you　will　promise　me　faithfully
to　leave　the　dead　man　in　peace。　I　shall　be　able　to　get　on　without
the　money；　I　have　strong　and　healthy　limbs；　and　God　will　always　help
me。〃

〃Why；　of　course；〃　said　the　horrid　men；　〃if　you　will　pay　his　debt
we　will　both　promise　not　to　touch　him。　You　may　depend　upon　that；〃
and　then　they　took　the　money　he　offered　them；　laughed　at　him　for　his
good　nature；　and　went　their　way。

Then　he　laid　the　dead　body　back　in　the　coffin；　folded　the　hands；
and　took　leave　of　it；　and　went　away　contentedly　through　the　great
forest。　All　around　him　he　could　see　the　prettiest　little　elves　dancing
in　the　moonlight；　which　shone　through　the　trees。　They　were　not
disturbed　by　his　appearance；　for　they　knew　he　was　good　and　harmless　among　men。　They　are　wicked　people　only　who　can　never　obtain　a　glimpse　of　fairies。　Some　of　them　were　not　taller　than　the　breadth　of　a　finger；　and　they　wore　golden　combs　in　their　long；　yellow　hair。　They　were　rocking　themselves　tw