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affected that I wept tears such as a little mouse can weep； but they
were tears of joy。 The night was far too short for me； there are no
long nights there in summer； as we often have in this part of the
world。 When the morning dawned； and the gentle breeze rippled the
glassy mirror of the forest lake； all the delicate veils and flags
fluttered away into thin air； the waving garlands of the spider's web；
the hanging bridges and galleries； or whatever else they may be
called； vanished away as if they had never been。 Six elves brought
me back my sausage skewer； and at the same time asked me to make any
request； which they would grant if in their power； so I begged them；
if they could； to tell me how to make soup from a sausage skewer。
〃'How do we make it？' said the chief of the elves with a smile。
'Why you have just seen it； you scarcely knew your sausage skewer
again； I am sure。'
〃They think themselves very wise； thought I to myself。 Then I told
them all about it； and why I had travelled so far； and also what
promise had been made at home to the one who should discover the
method of preparing this soup。 'What use will it be；' I asked； 'to the
mouse…king or to our whole mighty kingdom that I have seen all these
beautiful things？ I cannot shake the sausage peg and say； Look； here
is the skewer； and now the soup will come。 That would only produce a
dish to be served when people were keeping a fast。'
〃Then the elf dipped his finger into the cup of a violet； and said
to me； 'Look here； I will anoint your pilgrim's staff； so that when
you return to your own home and enter the king's castle； you have only
to touch the king with your staff； and violets will spring forth and
cover the whole of it； even in the coldest winter time； so I think I
have given you really something to carry home； and a little more
than something。'〃
But before the little mouse explained what this something more
was； she stretched her staff out to the king； and as it touched him
the most beautiful bunch of violets sprang forth and filled the
place with perfume。 The smell was so powerful that the mouse…king
ordered the mice who stood nearest the chimney to thrust their tails
into the fire； that there might be a smell of burning； for the perfume
of the violets was overpowering； and not the sort of scent that
every one liked。
〃But what was the something more of which you spoke just now？〃
asked the mouse…king。
〃Why；〃 answered the little mouse； 〃I think it is what they call
'effect；'〃 and thereupon she turned the staff round； and behold not
a single flower was to be seen upon it！ She now only held the naked
skewer； and lifted it up as a conductor lifts his baton at a
concert。 〃Violets； the elf told me；〃 continued the mouse； 〃are for the
sight； the smell； and the touch； so we have only now to produce the
effect of hearing and tasting；〃 and then； as the little mouse beat
time with her staff； there came sounds of music； not such music as was
heard in the forest； at the elfin feast； but such as is often heard in
the kitchen… the sounds of boiling and roasting。 It came quite
suddenly； like wind rushing through the chimneys； and seemed as if
every pot and kettle were boiling over。 The fire…shovel clattered down
on the brass fender； and then； quite as suddenly； all was still；…
nothing could be heard but the light； vapory song of the tea…kettle；
which was quite wonderful to hear； for no one could rightly
distinguish whether the kettle was just beginning to boil or going
to stop。 And the little pot steamed； and the great pot simmered； but
without any regard for each； indeed there seemed no sense in the
pots at all。 And as the little mouse waved her baton still more
wildly； the pots foamed and threw up bubbles； and boiled over； while
again the wind roared and whistled through the chimney； and at last
there was such a terrible hubbub； that the little mouse let her
stick fall。
〃That is a strange sort of soup；〃 said the mouse…king； 〃shall we
not now hear about the preparation？〃
〃That is all；〃 answered the little mouse； with a bow。
〃That all！〃 said the mouse…king； 〃then we shall be glad to hear
what information the next may have to give us。〃
WHAT THE SECOND MOUSE HAD TO TELL
〃I was born in the library； at a castle；〃 said the second mouse。
〃Very few members of our family ever had the good fortune to get
into the dining…room； much less the store…room。 On my journey； and
here to…day； are the only times I have ever seen a kitchen。 We were
often obliged to suffer hunger in the library； but then we gained a
great deal of knowledge。 The rumor reached us of the royal prize
offered to those who should be able to make soup from a sausage
skewer。 Then my old grandmother sought out a manuscript which；
however； she could not read； but had heard it read； and in it was
written； 'Those who are poets can make soup of sausage skewers。' She
then asked me if I was a poet。 I felt myself quite innocent of any
such pretensions。 Then she said I must go out and make myself a
poet。 I asked again what I should be required to do； for it seemed
to me quite as difficult as to find out how to make soup of a
sausage skewer。 My grandmother had heard a great deal of reading in
her day； and she told me three principal qualifications were
necessary… understanding； imagination； and feeling。 'If you can manage
to acquire these three； you will be a poet； and the sausage…skewer
soup will be quite easy to you。'
〃So I went forth into the world； and turned my steps towards the
west； that I might become a poet。 Understanding is the most
important matter in everything。 I knew that； for the two other
qualifications are not thought much of； so I went first to seek for
understanding。 Where was I to find it？ 'Go to the ant and learn
wisdom；' said the great Jewish king。 I knew that from living in a
library。 So I went straight on till I came to the first great
ant…hill； and then I set myself to watch； that I might become wise。
The ants are a very respectable people； they are wisdom itself。 All
they do is like the working of a sum in arithmetic； which comes right。
'To work and to lay eggs；' say they； and to provide for posterity；
is to live out your time properly；' and that they truly do。 They are
divided into the clean and the dirty ants； their rank is pointed out
by a number； and the ant…queen is number ONE； and her opinion is the
only correct one on everything； she seems to have the whole wisdom
of the world in her； which was just the important matter I wished to
acquire。 She said a great deal which was no doubt very clever； yet
to me it sounded like nonsense。 She said the ant…hill was the loftiest
thing in the world； and yet close to the mound stood a tall tree；
which no one could deny was loftier； much loftier； but no mention
was made of the tree。 One evening an ant lost herself on this tree；
she had crept up the stem； not nearly to the top； but higher than
any ant had ever ventured； and when at last she returned home she said
that she had found something in her travels much higher than the
ant…hill。 The rest of the ants considered this an insult to the
whole community； so she was condemned to wear a muzzle and to live
in perpetual solitude。 A short time afterwards another ant got on
the tree； and made the same journey and the same discovery； but she
spoke of it cautiously and indefinitely； and as she was one of the
superior ants and very much respected； they believed her； and when she
died they erected an eggshell as a monument to her memory； for they
cultivated a great respect for science。 I saw；〃 said the little mouse；
〃that the ants were always running to and fro with her burdens on
their backs。 Once I saw one of them drop her load； she gave herself
a great deal of trouble in trying to raise it again； but she could not
succeed。 Then two others came up and tried with all their strength
to help her； till they nearly dropped their own burdens in doing so；
then they were obliged to stop for a moment in their help； for every
one must think of himself first。 And the ant…queen remarked that their
conduct that day showed that they possessed kind hearts and good
understanding。 'These two qualities；' she continued； 'place us ants in
the highest degree above all other reasonable beings。 Understanding
must therefore be seen among us in the most prominent manner； and my
wisdom is greater than all。' And so saying she raised herself on her
two hind legs； that no one else might be mistaken for her。 I could not
therefore make an error； so I ate her up。 We are to go to the ants
to learn wisdom； and I had got the queen。
〃I now turned and went nearer to the lofty tree already mentioned；
which was an oak。 It had a tall trunk with a wide…spreading top； and
was very old。 I knew that a living being dwelt here； a dryad as she is
called； who is born with the tree and dies with it。 I had heard this
in the library； and here was just such a tree； and in it an
oak…maiden。 She uttered a terrible scream when she caught sight of