Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-26
WORLD FAMOUS STORIES
SOMETHING
BY HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

(Hans Christian Andersen, 1805-1875
was a Danish writer, famous through
all time for his delightful fairly tales
which nearly always contain some idee
or lesson which he wishes to impart)
1T want to be something!" said the
eldest of five brothers. II want to dc
something in the world, don't care how
humble my position may be. I'll make
bricks, for they are quite indispensable
things"
But that something will not be
enough" quoth the second brother
That is journeyman's work and car
be done by a machine. No, I would
rather be bricklayer, for that is some
thing real. That brings rank-a brick
layer can keep journeymen. I shall
become master bricklayer."
That's nothing at all" said the third
brother. Many people in this town are
above the mere artisan. Even master
bricklayer is common man. I shall
be an architect, and enter into art and
speculation. 1 shall stand high among
those who have great minds. That's
what call sometting!"
But don't care at all for that some
thing" said the fourth brother. 81
won't sail in the wake of others.
will be a genius and create some kind
something to fit the climate of strange
country, perhaps. I call being genius
something"
But SuppoSing your climate and ma
terialS are bad" said the fifth brother
Someone must tell you all where you
make your mistakes. I shall keep out
side of reality-I shall observe, and
criticize whatever you produce. To
every work there Is imperfection, and
I will find it and find fault with it
that will be something"
And the fifth brother kept his word
and everybody said what fine intellect
he had, and certainly it appeared to be
something.
The eldest brother manufactured
bricks, as he had hoped to do. He made
very respectable living at 1t. Some
of his bricks were imperfect, but he had
a use even for these--he gave them to
an old woman, named Margaret, who
was poor. With these imperfect bricks
and occasionally good bricks. which
the eldest brother threw in for good
acknowledgement builded her house
on a rampant near the sea.
The second brother became a brick
layer. he became a master and hired
journeymen to work for him. He built
a street full of houses, and those houses
enabled him to build small house of
his own. There he lived with his pretty
young bride and was very, very happy.
The third brother became q famous
architect. He designed some of the
houses that the second brother built Of
the first brothers bricks. He had the
handsomest house Of them all, and that
was something!
The genius Of the family-the fourth
brother-wanted to invent something
entirely new. He thought Of plan for
an extremely original building, with a
special top floor on it for himself. But
his plan was impractical-the building
toppled while he was in the top floor
compartment-and he was killed. But
he had grand funeral and monument
was erected over his grave, and perhaps
that was something.
All three of the first three brothers
died also, and there was only the fifth
brother surviving-the critic. The
Pathfinder had outlived them all. BY
this he got the last word, which is
always necessary to critic.
At last the hour of the fifth brother
came, and he found himself at the gates
of Paradise. There the souls always
enter two by two, and If one arrives
alone he has to wait for another to
come before he can enter the pearly
gates. Who should arrive to enter with
the fifth brother but Margaret, the poor
old dame who built the house on the
rampant by the sea, from imperfect
bricks given her by the eldest brother.
such contrast" exclaimed the
fifth brother, that such wretch SHOULD
happen along to enter Paradise witt
me! Who are you, woman?"
I'm a poor old woman Of very humble
family" was the answer. II lived tr
the house on the sea wall"
well, what did you do on earth?" de
manded the fifth brother. What die
you accomplish for the progress Of man
kind?"
81 didn't accomplish anything" sh.