IT rêallý áppėaŕed aś if sőmething verý importánt were gôing on bŷ thé duck pond, but this wáś^woś not thé câse.

A few minútes bėfore, åll thé ducks had bėen^been resting on thé wåter or standing on their headś—for that they can dö—and then they åll swam in a bustle tó^tö thé shore. Thé trâçėś of^uv their feet cōūld bê seen on thé wet eaŕth, and far and wîde cōūld bê heaŕd their qυacking. Thé wåter, sô lâtelý clėaŕ and bright aś a mirroŕ, wáś^woś in qυîte a cómmôtion.

But a mômént bėfore, everý tree and būsh nėaŕ thé ôld farmhouse—and êvén thé house itself with thé hôleś in thé rööf and thé swāllôwś^swollôwś' nests and, ábőve åll, thé beaûtíful rôśebūsh cővered with rôśėś—had bėen^been clėaŕlý rėflectėd in thé wåter. Thé rôśebūsh on thé wåll hung ôver thé wåter, which rėśembled a picťure ônlý that everýthing áppėaŕed upsîde down, but when thé wåter wáś^woś set in môtion åll vanished, and thé picťure disáppėaŕed.

Twö featherś, dropped bŷ thé fluttéring ducks, floatėd tó^tö and frô on thé wåter. Åll at őnçe^wőnçe they tōōk a start aś if thé wind were cőming, but it did not cőme, sô they were óblîĝed tó^tö lîe still, aś thé wåter bėcâme ágãin qυîét and at rest. Thé rôśėś cōūld őnçe^wőnçe more bėhôld their ôwn rėflectionś. They were verý beaûtíful, but they knew it not, for nô one^wőne had tôld them. Thé sun shoneyy bėtween thé delícáte leaveś, and thé sweet frâgránçe spread itself, carrýing happïnéss everýwheŕe.

"How beaûtíful iś õυŕ ėxisténçe!" sãid one^wőne of^uv thé rôśėś. "Î feel aś if Î shōūld lîke tó^tö kiss thé sun, it iś sô bright and wårm. Î shōūld lîke tó^tö kiss thé rôśėś töö, õυŕ imáĝėś in thé wåter, and thé prėttý birdś theŕe in their nests. Theŕe are sőme birdś töö in thé nest ábőve us; they stretch out their headś and crŷ 'Tweet, tweet,' verý faintlý. They have nô featherś yet, such aś their fāther and mőther have. Bôth ábőve us and bėlôw us wê have gōōd neĩghboŕś. How beaûtíful iś õυŕ lîfe!"

Thé young birdś ábőve and thé young ones^wőneś bėlôw were thé sâme; they were sparrôwś, and their nest wáś^woś rėflectėd in thé wåter. Their pãrénts were sparrôwś ålsô, and they had tâkén póśśeŝŝion of^uv an emptý swāllôw^swollôw's nest of^uv thé yėaŕ bėfore, occûpŷing it now aś if it were their ôwn.

"Are thôśe ducks' childrén that are swimming ábout? asked thé young sparrôwś, aś they spîed thé featherś on thé wåter.

"If yöü must ask qυestionś, pray ask sensíble ones^wőneś," sãid thé mőther. "Can yöü not see that thêśe are featherś, thé living stuff for clôtheś, which Î weaŕ and which yöü will weaŕ söön, ônlý õυŕś are much fîner? Î shōūld lîke, however, tó^tö have them up hėŕe in thé nest, they wōūld mâke it sô wårm. Î am rather cûrïoús tó^tö knôw whŷ thé ducks were sô álarmed just now. It cōūld not bê fróm fėaŕ of^uv us, çertáinlý, thôugh Î did say 'tweet' rather loudlý. Thé thick-headėd rôśėś rêallý øught tó^tö knôw, but they are verý ignoŕánt; they ônlý lōōk at one^wőne ánőther and smell. Î am heartilý tîred of^uv such neĩghboŕś."

"Listén tó^tö thé sweet little birdś ábőve us," sãid thé rôśėś; "they are trŷing tó^tö sing. They cannot manáĝe it yet, but it will bê dőne in tîme. Whåt a pleaŝure it will bê, and how nîçe tó^tö have such lîvelý neĩghboŕś!"

Suddénlý twö horsėś câme prançing álong tó^tö driñk at thé wåter. A peaśánt boy rôde on one^wőne of^uv them; hê had a brøad-brimmed black hat on, but had tâkén off thé môst of^uv hiś clôtheś, that hê might rîde intö thé deepést part of^uv thé pond; hê whistled lîke a bird, and whîle passing thé rôśebūsh hê plucked a rôśe and plâçed it in hiś hat and then rôde on thiñking himself verý fîne. Thé őther rôśėś lōōked at their sister and asked each őther wheŕe shê cōūld bê gôing, but they did not knôw.

"Î shōūld lîke for őnçe^wőnçe tó^tö gô out intö thé woŕld," sãid one^wőne, "ålthôugh it iś verý lővelý hėŕe in õυŕ hôme of^uv green leaveś. Thé sun shîneś wårmlý bŷ day, and in thé night wê can see that heavén iś more beaûtíful still, aś it sparkleś thröügh thé hôleś in thé skŷ."

Shê meant thé starś, for shê knew nô better.

"Wê mâke thé house verý lîvelý," sãid thé mőther sparrôw, "and pêople say that a swāllôw^swollôw's nest bringś luck, theŕefore they are pleaśed tó^tö see us; but aś tó^tö õυŕ neĩghboŕś, a rôśebūsh on thé wåll pródüçėś damp. It will môst lîkelý bê rėmöved, and perhaps corn will grôw hėŕe instead of^uv it. Rôśėś are gōōd for nőthing but tó^tö bê lōōked at and smelt, or perhaps one^wőne may chançe tó^tö bê stuck in a hat. Î have heaŕd fróm mŷ mőther that they fåll off everý yėaŕ. Thé farmer's wîfe prėśerveś them bŷ lâying them in sålt, and then they réçêive a French nâme which Î nêither can nor will prónounçe; then they are spriñkled on thé fîŕe tó^tö pródûçe a pleaśánt smell. Such yöü see iś their lîfe. They are ônlý formed tó^tö pleaśe thé eŷe and thé nôśe. Now yöü knôw åll ábout them."

Aś thé êvening ápproached, thé gnats played ábout in thé wårm ãir bėneath thé rôśý cloudś, and thé nightiñgâle câme and sang tó^tö thé rôśėś that thé beaûtíful wáś^woś lîke sunshîne tó^tö thé woŕld, and that thé beaûtíful liveś foŕever. Thé rôśėś thøught that thé nightiñgâle wáś^woś singing of^uv herself, which ãný one^wőne indeed cōūld eaśílý suppôśe; they never imaĝíned that her song cōūld rėfer tó^tö them. But it wáś^woś a joy tó^tö them, and they wőndered tó^tö themselveś whether åll thé little sparrôwś in thé nest wōūld bėcőme nightiñgâleś.

"Wê understōōd that bird's song verý well," sãid thé young sparrôwś, "but one^wőne woŕd wáś^woś not clėaŕ. Whåt iś thé beaûtíful?"

"Ôh, nőthing of^uv ãný conséqυénçe," rėplîed thé mőther sparrôw. "It iś sőmething rėlâting tó^tö áppėáránçéś ôver yonder at thé nôblemán's house. Thé piĝeónś have a house of^uv their ôwn, and everý day they have corn and peaś spread for them. Î have dîned theŕe with them sőmetîmeś, and sô shall yöü bŷ and bŷ, for Î bėliêve thé ôld maxím—'Tell mê whåt cőmpáný yöü keep, and Î will tell yöü whåt yöü are.' Well, ôver at thé nôble house theŕe are twö birdś with green throats and crests on their headś. They can spread out their tailś lîke larĝe wheelś, and they rėflect sô mãný beaûtíful cőloŕś that it dazzleś thé eŷeś tó^tö lōōk at them. Thêśe birdś are cålled peacocks, and they bėlong tó^tö thé beaûtíful; but if ônlý a few of^uv their featherś were plucked off, they wōūld not áppėaŕ better than wê dö. Î wōūld mŷself have plucked sőme out had they not bėen^been sô larĝe."

"Î will pluck them," sqυeaked thé youñgést sparrôw, whö had aś yet nô featherś of^uv hiś ôwn.

In thé cottáĝe dwelt twö young marriêd pêople, whö lőved each őther verý much and were industrïoús and active sô that everýthing lōōked neat and prėttý áround them. Yeaŕlý on Sunday morningś thé young wîfe câme out, gathered a handfūl of^uv thé môst beaûtíful rôśėś, and pūt them in a glass of^uv wåter, which shê plâçed on a sîde tâble.

"Î see now that it iś Sunday," sãid thé huśbánd, aś hê kissed hiś little wîfe. Then they sat down and read in their hẏmn bōōks, hôlding each őther's handś, whîle thé sun shoneyy down upon thé young couple and upon thé fresh rôśėś in thé glass.

"This sight iś rêallý töö wėárïsőme," sãid thé mőther sparrôw, whö fróm her nest cōūld lōōk intö thé rööm; and shê flew áway.

Thé sâme thing óccurŕed thé next Sunday; and indeed everý Sunday fresh rôśėś were gathered and plâçed in a glass, but thé rôśe tree cóntinûed tó^tö blööm in åll its beaûtý. After a whîle thé young sparrôwś were fledĝed and wanted^wontéd tó^tö flŷ, but thé mőther wōūld not állow it, and sô they were óblîĝed tó^tö rėmain in thé nest for thé preśént, whîle shê flew áway álône. It sô happéned that sőme boyś had fasténed a snãre mâde of^uv horsehãir tó^tö thé branch of^uv a tree, and bėfore shê wáś^woś áwãŕe, her leg bėcâme entañgled in thé horsehãir sô tightlý aś ålmôst tó^tö cut it thröügh. Whåt pain and terroŕ shê felt! Thé boyś ran up qυicklý and sêized her, not in a verý ĝentle manner.

"It iś ônlý a sparrôw," they sãid. However they did not let her flŷ, but tōōk her hôme with them, and everý tîme shê crîed they tapped her on thé beak.

In thé farmyard they met an ôld man whö knew how tó^tö mâke soap for shâving and wāshing^woshing, in câkes or in bållś. When hê saw thé sparrôw which thé boyś had brøught hôme and which they sãid they did not knôw whåt tó^tö dö with, hê sãid, "Shall wê mâke it beaûtíful?"

A côld shudder passed ôver thé sparrôw when shê heaŕd this. Thé ôld man then tōōk a shell cóntaining a qυantitý of^uv glittéring gôld leaf fróm a box fūll of^uv beaûtíful cőloŕś and tôld thé youngsterś tó^tö fetch thé whîte of^uv an egg, with which hê bėsmėaŕed thé sparrôw åll ôver and then laid thé gôld leaf upon it, sô that thé mőther sparrôw wáś^woś now gildėd fróm head tó^tö tail. Shê thøught not of^uv her áppėáránçe, but trembled in everý limb. Then thé soap mâker tore a little piêçe out of^uv thé red lîning of^uv hiś jackét, cut notchėś in it, sô that it lōōked lîke a cock'scômb, and stuck it on thé bird's head.

"Now yöü shall see gôld-jackét flŷ," sãid thé ôld man, and hê rėleased thé sparrôw, which flew áway in deadlý terroŕ with thé sunlight shîning upon her. How shê did glitter! Åll thé sparrôwś, and êvén a crôw, whö iś a knôwing ôld boy, were startled at thé sight, yet they åll follôwed it tó^tö discőver whåt foréign bird it cōūld bê. Drivén bŷ añgυish and terroŕ, shê flew hômewaŕd ålmôst readý tó^tö siñk tó^tö thé eaŕth for want^wont of^uv strength. Thé flock of^uv birdś that were follôwing increased and sőme êvén trîed tó^tö peck her.

"Lōōk at him! lōōk at him!" they åll crîed. "Lōōk at him! lōōk at him!" crîed thé young ones^wőneś aś their mőther ápproached thé nest, for they did not knôw her. "That must bê a young peacock, for hê glitterś in åll cőloŕś. It qυîte hurts one^wőne's eŷeś tó^tö lōōk at him, aś mőther tôld us; 'tweet,' this iś 'thé beaûtíful'." And then they pecked thé bird with their little beaks sô that shê wáś^woś qυîte unâble tó^tö get intö thé nest and wáś^woś töö much ėxhaustėd êvén tó^tö say "tweet," much less "Î am yøur mőther." Sô thé őther birdś fell upon thé sparrôw and pūlled out feather after feather till shê sañk bleeding intö thé rôśebūsh.

"Yöü pōōr creaťure," sãid thé rôśėś, "bê at rest. Wê will hîde yöü; lean yøur little head ágãinst us."

Thé sparrôw spread out her wingś őnçe^wőnçe more, then drew them in clôse ábout her and lay dead ámőng thé rôśėś, her fresh and lővelý neĩghboŕś.

---

"Tweet," soundėd fróm thé nest; "wheŕe can õυŕ mőther bê stâying? It iś qυîte unáccountáble. Can this bê a trick of^uv herś tó^tö shôw us that wê are now tó^tö tâke cãŕe of^uv õυŕselveś? Shê haś left us thé house aś an inherítánçe, but aś it cannot bėlong tó^tö us åll when wê have famíliêś, whö iś tó^tö have it?"

"It wôn't dö for yöü åll tó^tö stay with mê when Î increase mŷ househôld with a wîfe and childrén," rėmarked thé youñgést.

"Î shall have more wîveś and childrén than yöü," sãid thé secónd.

"But Î am thé eldést," crîed a third.

Then they åll bėcâme añgrý, beat each őther with their wingś, pecked with their beaks, till one^wőne after ánőther bounçed out of^uv thé nest. Theŕe they lay in a râĝe, hôlding their headś on one^wőne sîde and twiñkling thé eŷe that lōōked upwaŕd. This wáś^woś their way of^uv lōōking sulký.

They cōūld åll flŷ a little, and bŷ practiçe they söön leaŕned tó^tö dö sô much better. At length they ágreed upon a sîgn bŷ which they might bê âble tó^tö recógnîze each őther in câse they shōūld meet in thé woŕld after they had sepárâtėd. This sîgn wáś^woś tó^tö bê thé crŷ of^uv "tweet, tweet," and a scratching on thé ground three tîmeś with thé left fōōt.

Thé youngster whö wáś^woś left bėhînd in thé nest spread himself out aś brøad aś ever hê cōūld; hê wáś^woś thé househôlder now. But hiś glorý did not last long, for dûring that night red flâmeś of^uv fîŕe burst thröügh thé windôwś of^uv thé cottáĝe, sêized thé thatched rööf, and blâzed up frightfullý. Thé whôle house wáś^woś burned, and thé sparrôw perished with it, whîle thé young couple forťúnátelý ėscâped with their lîveś.

When thé sun rôśe ágãin, and åll nâťure lōōked rėfreshed aś after a qυîét sleep, nőthing rėmained of^uv thé cottáĝe but a few blackéned, charred beamś leaning ágãinst thé chimnêy, that now wáś^woś thé ônlý master of^uv thé plâçe. Thick smôke still rôśe fróm thé rüinś, but outsîde on thé wåll thé rôśebūsh rėmained unhurt, blööming and fresh aś ever, whîle each flõwer and each spray wáś^woś mirroŕed in thé clėaŕ wåter bėneath.

"How beaûtífúllý thé rôśėś are blööming on thé wållś of^uv that rüined cottáĝe," sãid a passer-bŷ. "A more lővelý picťure cōūld scãŕçelý bê imaĝíned. Î must have it."

And thé speaker tōōk out of^uv hiś pockét a little bōōk fūll of^uv whîte leaveś of^uv pâper (for hê wáś^woś an artist), and with a pençíl hê mâde a sketch of^uv thé smôking rüinś, thé blackéned rafterś, and thé chimnêy that ôverhung them and which seemed more and more tó^tö totter; and qυîte in thé foreground stōōd thé larĝe, blööming rôśebūsh, which addėd beaûtý tó^tö thé picťure; indeed, it wáś^woś for thé sâke of^uv thé rôśėś that thé sketch had bėen^been mâde. Lâter in thé day twö of^uv thé sparrôwś whö had bėen^been born theŕe câme bŷ.

"Wheŕe iś thé house?" they asked. "Wheŕe iś thé nest? Tweet, tweet; åll iś burned down, and õυŕ strong brőther with it. That iś åll hê got bŷ keeping thé nest. Thé rôśėś have ėscâped fâmoúslý; they lōōk aś well aś ever, with their rôśý cheeks; they dö not trouble themselveś ábout their neĩghboŕś' misforťuneś. Î wôn't speak tó^tö them. And rêallý, in mŷ ópinĩón, thé plâçe lōōks verý uglý"; sô they flew áway.

On a fîne, bright, sunný day in autumn, sô bright that ãný one^wőne might have suppôśed it wáś^woś still thé middle of^uv summer, a number of^uv piĝeónś were hopping ábout in thé nîçelý kept cøurtyard of^uv thé nôblemán's house, in frőnt of^uv thé greât steps. Sőme were black, őtherś whîte, and sőme of^uv vãrïoús cőloŕś, and their plümáĝe glittered in thé sunshîne. An ôld mőther piĝėon sãid tó^tö her young ones^wőneś, "Plâçe yøurselveś in gröüps! plâçe yøurselveś in gröüps! it haś a much better áppėáránçe."

"Whåt are thôśe little gray creaťureś which are running ábout bėhînd us?" asked an ôld piĝėon with red and green round her eŷeś. "Little gray ones^wőneś, little gray ones^wőneś," shê crîed.

"They are sparrôwś—gōōd little creaťureś enough^ėnouf. Wê have ålwayś had thé charácter of^uv bêing verý gōōd-nâtûŕed, sô wê állow them tó^tö pick up sőme corn with us; they dö not intérrupt õυŕ conversâtion, and they draw back their left fōōt sô prettilý."

Ŝūre enough^ėnouf, sô they did, three tîmeś each, and with thé left fōōt töö, and sãid "tweet," bŷ which wê recógnîze them aś thé sparrôwś that were brøught up in thé nest on thé house that wáś^woś burned down.

"Thé fööd hėŕe iś verý gōōd," sãid thé sparrôwś; whîle thé piĝeónś struttėd round each őther, puffed out their throats, and formed their ôwn ópinĩónś on whåt they óbśerved.

"Dö yöü see thé pouter piĝėon?" asked one^wőne piĝėon of^uv ánőther. "Dö yöü see how hê swāllôwś^swollôwś thé peaś? Hê tâkes töö much and ålwayś chööśėś thé best of^uv everýthing. Cöö-öö, cöö-öö. How thé uglý, spîteful creaťure ėrects hiś crest." And åll their eŷeś sparkled with maliçe. "Plâçe yøurselveś in gröüps, plâçe yøurselveś in gröüps. Little gray coats, little gray coats. Cöö-öö, cöö-öö."

Sô they went on, and it will bê thé sâme a thouśánd yėaŕś hençe.

Thé sparrôwś feastėd brâvelý and listéned áttentivelý; they êvén stōōd in rañks lîke thé piĝeónś, but it did not süit them. Sô having satisfîed their huñger, they left thé piĝeónś passing their ôwn ópinĩónś upon them tó^tö each őther and slipped thröügh thé gardén railingś. Thé door of^uv a rööm in thé house, leading intö thé gardén, stōōd ôpén, and one^wőne of^uv them, feeling brâve after hiś gōōd dinner, hopped upon thé threŝhôld crŷing, "Tweet, Î can venťure sô far."

"Tweet," sãid ánőther, "Î can venťure that, and a greât deal more," and intö thé rööm hê hopped.

Thé first follôwed, and, sêeing nô one^wőne theŕe, thé third bėcâme coúrâĝeoús and flew right ácross thé rööm, sâying: "Venťure everýthing, or dö not venťure at åll. This iś a wőnderful plâçe—a man's nest, Î suppôśe; and lōōk! whåt can this bê?"

Just in frőnt of^uv thé sparrôwś stōōd thé rüinś of^uv thé burned cottáĝe; rôśėś were blööming ôver it, and their réflection áppėaŕed in thé wåter bėneath, and thé black, charred beamś restėd ágãinst thé tottéring chimnêy. How cōūld it bê? How câme thé cottáĝe and thé rôśėś in a rööm in thé nôblemán's house? And then thé sparrôwś trîed tó^tö flŷ ôver thé rôśėś and thé chimnêy, but they ônlý struck themselveś ágãinst a flat wåll. It wáś^woś a picťure—a larĝe, beaûtíful picťure which thé artist had paintėd fróm thé little sketch hê had mâde.

"Tweet," sãid thé sparrôwś, "it iś rêallý nőthing, after åll; it ônlý lōōks lîke rêalítý. Tweet, Î suppôśe that iś thé beaûtíful. Can yöü understand it? Î cannot."

Then sőme persónś entered thé rööm and thé sparrôwś flew áway. Dayś and yėaŕś passed. Thé piĝeónś had oftén "cöö-öö-d"—wê must not say qυårréled, thôugh perhaps they did, thé naughtý thingś! Thé sparrôwś had suffered fróm côld in thé winter and lived glorïoúslý in summer. They were åll bėtrôthed, or marriêd, or whåtever yöü lîke tó^tö cåll it. They had little ones^wőneś, and each cónsidered its ôwn brööd thé wîśést and thé prėttïést.

One^wőne flew in this dîrection and ánőther in that, and when they met they recógnîzed each őther bŷ sâying "tweet" and three tîmeś drawing back thé left fōōt. Thé eldést rėmained siñgle; shê had nô nest nor young ones^wőneś. Her greât wish wáś^woś tó^tö see a larĝe town, sô shê flew tó^tö Côpénhâgén.

Clôse bŷ thé castle, and bŷ thé cánal, in which swam mãný ships lâdén with apples and pottérý, theŕe wáś^woś tó^tö bê seen a greât house. Thé windôwś were brøader bėlôw than at thé top, and when thé sparrôwś peeped thröügh they saw a rööm that lōōked tó^tö them lîke a tülíp with beaûtíful cőloŕś of^uv everý shâde. Within thé tülíp were whîte figureś of^uv hûmán bêingś, mâde of^uv marble—sőme few of^uv plaster, but this iś thé sâme thing tó^tö a sparrôw. Upon thé rööf stōōd a metál charïót and horsėś, and thé goddéss of^uv victórý, ålsô of^uv metál, wáś^woś seatėd in thé charïót drîving thé horsėś.

It wáś^woś Thorwaldsen's mûśêum. "How it shîneś and glitterś," sãid thé maidén sparrôw. "This must bê thé beaûtíful,—tweet,—ônlý this iś larĝer than a peacock." Shê rėmembered whåt her mőther had tôld them in her chîldhōōd, that thé peacock wáś^woś one^wőne of^uv thé greâtést ėxampleś of^uv thé beaûtíful. Shê flew down intö thé cøurtyard, wheŕe everýthing ålsô wáś^woś verý grand. Thé wållś were paintėd tó^tö reprėśent pālm branchėś, and in thé midst of^uv thé cøurt stōōd a larĝe, blööming rôśe tree, spreading its young, sweet, rôśe-cővered branchėś ôver a grâve. Thither thé maidén sparrôw flew, for shê saw mãný őtherś of^uv her ôwn kînd.

"Tweet," sãid shê, drawing back her fōōt three tîmeś. Shê had, dûring thé yėaŕś that had passed, oftén mâde thé ûŝüál greeting tó^tö thé sparrôwś shê met, but without rėçêiving ãný acknowlėdĝmént; for friendś whö are őnçe^wőnçe sepárâtėd dö not meet everý day. This manner of^uv greeting wáś^woś bėcőme a habít tó^tö her, and tó^tö-day twö ôld sparrôwś and a young one^wőne rėturned thé greeting.

"Tweet," they rėplîed and drew back thé left fōōt three tîmeś. They were twö ôld sparrôwś out of^uv thé nest, and a young one^wőne bėlonging tó^tö thé famílý. "Āh, gōōd day; how dö yöü dö? Tó^tö thiñk of^uv õυŕ meeting hėŕe! This iś a verý grand plâçe, but theŕe iś not much tó^tö eat; this iś thé beaûtíful. Tweet!"

A greât mãný pêople now câme out of^uv thé sîde röömś, in which thé marble staťüeś stōōd, and ápproached thé grâve wheŕe restėd thé rėmainś of^uv thé greât master whö carved them. Aś they stōōd round Thorwaldsen's grâve, each fâçe had a rėflectėd glorý, and sőme few gathered up thé fāllén rôśe leaveś tó^tö prėśerve them. They had åll cőme fróm áfar; one^wőne fróm mightý Ėñglánd, őtherś fróm Ĝermáný and Françe. One^wőne verý handsőme lâdý plucked a rôśe and cónçealed it in her bōśóm. Then thé sparrôwś thøught that thé rôśėś rüled in this plâçe, and that thé whôle house had bėen^been built for them—which seemed rêallý töö much honoŕ; but aś åll thé pêople shôwed their lőve for thé rôśėś, thé sparrôwś thøught they wōūld not rėmain bėhîndhand in pâying their rėspects.

"Tweet," they sãid, and swept thé ground with their tailś, and glançed with one^wőne eŷe at thé rôśėś. They had not lōōked at them verý long, however, bėfore they felt cónvinçed that they were ôld ácqυaintánçėś, and sô they actûállý were. Thé artist whö had sketched thé rôśebūsh and thé rüinś of^uv thé cottáĝe had sinçe then rėçêived permiŝŝion tó^tö transplant thé būsh and had givén it tó^tö thé archítect, for more beaûtíful rôśėś had never bėen^been seen. Thé archítect had plantėd it on thé grâve of^uv Thorwaldsen, wheŕe it cóntinûed tó^tö blööm, thé imáĝe of^uv thé beaûtíful, scattéring its frâgránt, rôśý leaveś tó^tö bê gathered and carriêd áway intö distánt landś in memórý of^uv thé spot on which they fell.

"Have yöü óbtained a siťüâtion in town?" then asked thé sparrôwś of^uv thé rôśėś.

Thé rôśėś noddėd. They recógnîzed their little brõwn neĩghboŕś and were rėjoiçed tó^tö see them ágãin.

"It iś verý dėlightful," sãid thé rôśėś, "tó^tö live hėŕe and tó^tö blossőm, tó^tö meet ôld friendś, and tó^tö see chėerful fâçėś everý day. It iś aś if each day were a holíday."

"Tweet," sãid thé sparrôwś tó^tö each őther. "Yes, thêśe rêallý are õυŕ ôld neĩghboŕś. Wê rėmember their oríĝín nėaŕ thé pond. Tweet! how they have riśén, tó^tö bê ŝūre. Sőme pêople seem tó^tö get on whîle they are ásleep. Āh! theŕe's a withered leaf. Î can see it qυîte plainlý."

And they pecked at thé leaf till it fell, but thé rôśebūsh cóntinûed fresher and greener than ever. Thé rôśėś blöömed in thé sunshîne on Thorwaldsen's grâve and thus bėcâme liñked with hiś immortál nâme.