Smyrna times., 1860-08-16
Translated for the Home Journal. 81
THE STORY OF THE FLAX.
By HANS ANDERSON.

when they have their faces washed and receive
Kiss from their molhers--they look SO much
"People say that stand up SO straight and
strong, said the flax, " and that shall be SO
very long, / shall make beautiful piece of
linen.h OH how happy am / am certainly |
the haPpiest person in the whole wide world.--l
Everything is so good to me, and in the end l
shall become something of use in the world -
How the sunshine rejoices one, and how the
rain refreshes one. / am UNNECESSARILY happy
am the happiest of ALL !" ssE&5,80 ssS7
.Ho, ho.n said the thorn.hedge; ssyou know
nothing OF the world, that's clear but we know
1t, for we have thorns." l., .easss.., ,.rls ~.
And then it snapped out Grossly :. lba.g ii, 81
Schhipp; snap, schnuare,
Basselurrs F5 ~ fsff+sv
The song is done"A ~ - 80
/ "No, il isn't done," said the flax; q to. NOR
row the sun will shine or the rain will fall with
its refreshing showers. / feel that blossom.
am the happiest in the whole world"
Bot one morning came the work.people,
seized the fax by the head. and pulled it up by
the roots--how il did burst! And then they
laid It 10 water, as if they wished to drown ii
and then it was put over the fire, as if they
were going to roast it. 1t was very dreadful.
One can't always have good fortune, said the
fax. One must pass through trouble then
one becomes wise-
And trouble after trouble did come upon it,
II was steamed. and cooked, and broken, and
hacked, till it did not know itself what a II was
done 10 it. Thensit came upon the spinning
wheel. Schnurr, schnurr! II was impossible
to keep ones thoughts together there. u. T
Ibave been so very happy, il thought, amidst
all its pain one must be content with the good
which ana ha racaiuad lyaaaanf To- o oontare
And that il still said when il came upon the
loom; and from that it came forth a large and
beautiful piece of linen. All the fax, to the
very smallest stem, was contained in that one
| piece. ~ Ns 81 % aaa,Hf
This is truly extraordinary. never could
have believed that fortune would be SO kind TO
me. The thorn-hedge certainly did not know
what IL was talking about with it's sSchnipp,
schnapp, schnurre. basselurre T. The song isn't
By any means done. 1t commences now,
really, for the first time. 1t is all so very
/ strange to me. Tam paid now for all my suf
ferings. am the happiest Of all. am SO
1 strong and so fine. so white and SO long. This
somewhat different from being simple plants,
4 although one does bear blossoms. Why, the
4 pastors wife herself stopped to look at me, and
said that was the best piece in the whole par
(
q And now the linen was brought into the
house, and then came the scissors. o ! how
they did cut and slit and how tho needle flew
in and out. That was no pleasure, certainly
bat from the linen cametwelve white garments
OF the Find which one does not quite like tc
: Names but which, nevertheless, every one must
have.
Only see, now, said the flax; now for the
trst time, 1 really have become something use
: fui. Now | shall do some good in the world
and every one knows that TO do good is thu
! greatest pleasure one can have. We have be
come twelve things, but we are still all on,
and the same--we are dozen. What an ex
: tracrdinary piece of good fortune tits. ~
Ell And years passed by, until they could hol'
together no logger. ~ 3bhs'A
q Everything must come to an end some tim,
Z or other. said each piece. Iwould willingl
y have held together little longer, but on
y mustn't wish for impossibilities. so : = a.
7 And 80 il was torn in shreds and rags.
e thought everything was over now, for it wa
9 torn, and steamed, and cooked again, and the
I lit became beautiful white paper
i That is surprise, and a delightful surprise
D. too, said the paper. Now shall be greater tina
% was before, and now shall be written upor
'r What 10 there in the world which cannot b
written. OF what good fortune ii 10. et
= And there were, in truth, the most beautifi
8, stories aud verses written upon ii; and onl
re once was there blot. And the people hear
20 what stood upon il. 1t was so wise and
Or good, it made them SO much wiser and bette
There was great spell in the words upon thl
% paper. leA
IT, This 10 more than ever even dreamed Q
ne when Twas still little blue field flower. Ho
X. could II ever occur 10 me, then that should
fsssssr hone h.. "A.
y. TO mankind Icannotsyet understand ii b
be it really is SO. myself have done na,hing
&c deserve this, and yet | am crowned with Of
ne joyMsfier another. Each time, when | THU
&c the song 70 DONE then directly something be
N ter than all happens. Now shall certainly
las sent all over The werd. that men may read o.
he Nothing else can possibly happen. That
ii the only Thing possible. have precio
81 thoughts upon me, even as once had bl
~ flowers. am The happiest In the VIII,
world. sse 81
But the paper did not go upon. it's trave
az II only went as far as the booksellers; the
has all that was written upon il was placed
ore types that book might be made Of il--y
To- even many hundred books for in this v
lily much more pleasure and good might ba dc
on than If the single sheet Of aper upon whict
and was written had gone forth in the world.
| OF And then the paper was tied together IL
IN bundle. and thrown into large barrel, VIII
to stood in the wood.house. h
ing II il best 10 rest after accomplishing ar
The Decd said the paper. for then one can coll
ones thoughts. and find what more lies Ia O
Now know for the first time what is in D
attic and to know oue's self. j the 6rsf step In
Ice. wisdom. What will nov happea 10 ue I
pers ward must go--evefytAing goes forws
four that know BY experierce