FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN
  DELAYING　IS　NOT　FORGETTING
  by　Hans　Christian　Andersen
  THERE　was　an　old　mansion　surrounded　by　a　marshy　ditch　with　a
  drawbridge　which　was　but　seldom　let　down：…　not　all　guests　are　good
  people。　Under　the　roof　were　loopholes　to　shoot　through；　and　to　pour
  down　boiling　water　or　even　molten　lead　on　the　enemy；　should　he
  approach。　Inside　the　house　the　rooms　were　very　high　and　had　ceilings
  of　beams；　and　that　was　very　useful　considering　the　great　deal　of　smoke
  which　rose　up　from　the　chimney　fire　where　the　large；　damp　logs　of　wood
  smouldered。　On　the　walls　hung　pictures　of　knights　in　armour　and
  proud　ladies　in　gorgeous　dresses；　the　most　stately　of　all　walked　about
  alive。　She　was　called　Meta　Mogen；　she　was　the　mistress　of　the　house；
  to　her　belonged　the　castle。
  Towards　the　evening　robbers　came；　they　killed　three　of　her
  people　and　also　the　yard…dog；　and　attached　Mrs。　Meta　to　the　kennel
  by　the　chain；　while　they　themselves　made　good　cheer　in　the　hall　and
  drank　the　wine　and　the　good　ale　out　of　her　cellar。　Mrs。　Meta　was　now
  on　the　chain；　she　could　not　even　bark。
  But　lo！　the　servant　of　one　of　the　robbers　secretly　approached　her；
  they　must　not　see　it；　otherwise　they　would　have　killed　him。
  〃Mrs。　Meta　Mogen；〃　said　the　fellow；　〃do　you　still　remember　how
  my　father；　when　your　husband　was　still　alive；　had　to　ride　on　the
  wooden　horse？　You　prayed　for　him；　but　it　was　no　good；　he　was　to　ride
  until　his　limbs　were　paralysed；　but　you　stole　down　to　him；　as　I
  steal　now　to　you；　you　yourself　put　little　stones　under　each　of　his
  feet　that　he　might　have　support；　nobody　saw　it；　or　they　pretended
  not　to　see　it；　for　you　were　then　the　young　gracious　mistress。　My
  father　has　told　me　this；　and　I　have　not　forgotten　it！　Now　I　will
  free　you；　Mrs。　Meta　Mogen！〃
  Then　they　pulled　the　horses　out　of　the　stable　and　rode　off　in　rain
  and　wind　to　obtain　the　assistance　of　friends。
  〃Thus　the　small　service　done　to　the　old　man　was　richly
  rewarded！〃　said　Meta　Mogen。
  〃Delaying　is　not　forgetting；〃　said　the　fellow。
  The　robbers　were　hanged。
  There　was　an　old　mansion；　it　is　still　there；　it　did　not　belong
  to　Mrs。　Meta　Mogen；　it　belonged　to　another　old　noble　family。
  We　are　now　in　the　present　time。　The　sun　is　shining　on　the　gilt
  knob　of　the　tower；　little　wooded　islands　lie　like　bouquets　on　the
  water；　and　wild　swans　are　swimming　round　them。　In　the　garden　grow
  roses；　the　mistress　of　the　house　is　herself　the　finest　rose　petal；　she
  beams　with　joy；　the　joy　of　good　deeds：　however；　not　done　in　the　wide
  world；　but　in　her　heart；　and　what　is　preserved　there　is　not　forgotten。
  Delaying　is　not　forgetting！
  Now　she　goes　from　the　mansion　to　a　little　peasant　hut　in　the
  field。　Therein　lives　a　poor　paralysed　girl；　the　window　of　her　little
  room　looks　northward；　the　sun　does　not　enter　here。　The　girl　can　only
  see　a　small　piece　of　field　which　is　surrounded　by　a　high　fence。　But
  to…day　the　sun　shines　here…　the　warm；　beautiful　sun　of　God　is　within
  the　little　room；　it　comes　from　the　south　through　the　new　window；　where
  formerly　the　wall　was。
  The　paralysed　girl　sits　in　the　warm　sunshine　and　can　see　the
  wood　and　the　lake；　the　world　had　become　so　large；　so　beautiful；　and
  only　through　a　single　word　from　the　kind　mistress　of　the　mansion。
  〃The　word　was　so　easy；　the　deed　so　small；〃　she　said；　〃the　joy　it
  afforded　me　was　infinitely　great　and　sweet！〃
  And　therefore　she　does　many　a　good　deed；　thinks　of　all　in　the
  humble　cottages　and　in　the　rich　mansions；　where　there　are　also
  afflicted　ones。　It　is　concealed　and　hidden；　but　God　does　not　forget
  it。　Delayed　is　not　forgotten！
  An　old　house　stood　there；　it　was　in　the　large　town　with　its　busy
  traffic。　There　are　rooms　and　halls　in　it；　but　we　do　not　enter　them；　we
  remain　in　the　kitchen；　where　it　is　warm　and　light；　clean　and　tidy；　the
  copper　utensils　are　shining；　the　table　as　if　polished　with　beeswax；
  the　sink　looks　like　a　freshly　scoured　meatboard。　All　this　a　single
  servant　has　done；　and　yet　she　has　time　to　spare　as　if　she　wished　to　go
  to　church；　she　wears　a　bow　on　her　cap；　a　black　bow；　that　signifies
  mourning。　But　she　has　no　one　to　mourn；　neither　father　nor　mother；
  neither　relations　nor　sweetheart。　She　is　a　poor　girl。　One　day　she
  was　engaged　to　a　poor　fellow；　they　loved　each　other　dearly。
  One　day　he　came　to　her　and　said：
  〃We　both　have　nothing！　The　rich　widow　over　the　way　in　the　basement
  has　made　advances　to　me；　she　will　make　me　rich；　but　you　are　in　my
  heart；　what　do　you　advise　me　to　do？〃
  〃I　advise　you　to　do　what　you　think　will　turn　out　to　your
  happiness；〃　said　the　girl。　〃Be　kind　and　good　to　her；　but　remember
  this；　from　the　hour　we　part　we　shall　never　see　each　other　again。〃
  Years　passed；　then　one　day　she　met　the　old　friend　and　sweetheart
  in　the　street；　he　looked　ill　and　miserable；　and　she　could　not　help
  asking　him；　〃How　are　you？〃
  〃Rich　and　prospering　in　every　respect；〃　he　said；　〃the　woman　is
  brave　and　good；　but　you　are　in　my　heart。　I　have　fought　the　battle；
  it　will　soon　be　ended；　we　shall　not　see　each　other　again　now　until
  we　meet　before　God！〃
  A　week　has　passed；　this　morning　his　death　was　in　the　newspaper；
  that　is　the　reason　of　the　girl's　mourning！　Her　old　sweetheart　is
  dead　and　has　left　a　wife　and　three　step…children；　as　the　paper　says；
  it　sounds　as　if　there　is　a　crack；　but　the　metal　is　pure。
  The　black　bow　signifies　mourning；　the　girl's　face　points　to　the
  same　in　a　still　higher　degree；　it　is　preserved　in　the　heart　and　will
  never　be　forgotten。　Delaying　is　not　forgetting！
  These　are　three　stories　you　see；　three　leaves　on　the　same　stalk。
  Do　you　wish　for　some　more　trefoil　leaves？　In　the　little　heartbook
  are　many　more　of　them。　Delaying　is　not　forgetting！
  THE　END
  。