Swallow and sparrow became close friends. They started walking around in together. Other swallows said nothing at the beginning about this circumstance. However, the things changed when the swallow started bringing the sparrow to its nest. Nest of the swallow was under the eaves of an empty wooden house and there were many nests of swallow next to it. Going there from and thereto made swallows disturbed.Swallows held a meeting and they appointed a spokesman. This spokesman told about this circumstance with it in a suitable time and said it not to bring this sparrow to its nest.

Although the swallow showed some obstinacy, it finally was obliged to obey by this requirement.
One night the sparrow suddenly wakened while it was sleeping. Tree on which it built up its nest among its branches was swinging. It flied away and had a look-see round the environment. Thereupon, it recognised that it was an earthquake.

Its close friend, the swallow, came to its mind. It arrived at its nest and it weakened its close friend. It said the swallow to weaken other swallows and the wooden house may be fallen onto the ground. The swallow fulfilled what it said. Once the last swallow flied away there, the wooden house was fallen onto the ground. Later, swallows set up new nests under eaves of another house and they did make no rejection for the sparrow to go from and to the nest of the swallow for the reason that they were owed their life to it.

KIRLANGIÇ İLE SERÇE

Kırlangıç ile serçe dost olmuşlar. Birlikte gezip dolaşmaya başlamışlar. Diğer kırlangıçlar önceleri bu duruma ses çıkarmamışlar. Fakat kırlangıç serçeyi yuvasına getirmeye başlayınca işler değişmiş. Kırlangıcın yuvası ahşap, boş bir evin saçak altındaymış ve burada pek çok kırlangıç yuvası varmış. Serçenin gelip gitmesi, kırlangıçları rahatsız etmiş.

Kırlangıçlar toplanıp bir sözcü seçmişler. Sözcü uygun bir zamanda kırlangıca konuyu açmış ve serçeyi yuvasına getirmemesini söylemiş.

Kırlangıç biraz direttiyse de sonunda genel isteğe boyun eğmek zorunda kalmış. Bir gece serçe yuvasında uyurken aniden uyanmış. Dalları arasına yuva kurduğu ağaç sallanıyormuş. Uçup çevreyi şöyle bir kolaçan etmiş. O zaman bunun bir yer sarsıntısı olduğunu anlamış.

Aklına dostu kırlangıç gelmiş. Kırlangıcın yuvasına gitmiş, onu uyandırmış. Kırlangıca diğer kırlangıçları uyandırmasını, ahşap evin sarsıntıdan yıkılabileceğini söylemiş. Kırlangıç söyleneni yapmış. Son kırlangıç da kaçınca ahşap ev yıkılmış. Daha sonra kırlangıçlar başka bir evin saçak altına yeni yuvalar yapmışlar ve yaşamlarını borçlu oldukları dost serçenin kırlangıcın yuvasına gelip gitmesine karşı çıkmamışlar.

POOR AHMET

Ahmet’s mother and father were poor. They were living in a small house with only one room. Since his father’s lungs were ill, he compulsorily retired. Ahmet finished primary school in difficulty by selling pretzel out of school time. Later by the help of his neighbour he started to work in a restaurant to do the washing up. Ahmet had taken the first step to realize his dreams. He had met the wonderful meals which he formerly used to see behind the restaurant windows. Now he had full three courses a day. He had kept Uncle Veli, who was cooking in the restaurant, observing. He would learn cooking from him and he would be a cook himself, too but Ahmet would work not in somebody else’s restaurant but in his own one.

Ahmet opened a restaurant in the city centre after he had done his military service. Because his meals were very delicious, the restaurant was full of customers. He was earning well. Sometimes poor people used to come to the restaurant and eat free meal.

The waiters working in the restaurant and the customers couldn’t find any sense of Ahmet’s going and leaving two plates of meals to an empty table during lunch times. How would they know that they were Ahmet’s present to his mother and father, whom the poverty had finished years ago? They also wouldn’t be able to hear that while putting the plates on the table Ahmet was murmuring “you aren’t going stay hungry any more from now on mummy and daddy. Have your meals and get yourself very full.”

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Türkçe Çevirisi

FAKİR AHMETAnnesi, babası fakirdi Ahmet’in. Tek göz odalı bir gecekonduda oturuyorlardı. Babasının ciğerleri hasta olduğundan zorunlu emekliye ayrılmıştı. Ahmet okul olmadığı zamanlar simit satarak zorlukla ilkokulu bitirdi. Daha sonra komşusunun yardımıyla bir lokantaya bulaşıkçı olarak girdi. Ahmet hayalini gerçekleştirmek için ilk adımını atmıştı. Eskiden lokantaların camları arkasında gördüğü o güzelim yemeklere kavuşmuştu. Artık günde üç öğün karnı doyuyordu. Lokantada yemek pişiren Veli dayıyı göz hapsine almıştı. Ondan yemek yapmayı öğrenecek ve kendi de bir aşçı olacaktı ama Ahmet başkasının lokantasında değil kendi lokantasında görevini yerine getirecekti.

Ahmet askerden geldikten sonra şehrin mevki yerinde lokanta açtı. Yaptığı yemekler çok lezzetli olduğu için lokanta müşterilerle dolup taşıyordu. Kazancı yerindeydi. Ara sıra muhtaç insanlar lokantaya gelirdi ve bedava yemek yerlerdi.

Lokantada çalışan garsonlar ve müşteriler Ahmet’in öğle vakitleri boş bir masaya giderek masanın üstüne iki tabak yemek bırakmasına bir anlam veremezlerdi. Onlar ne bileceklerdi yıllar önce sefaletin bitirdiği anne ve babasına Ahmet’in armağanını. Hem onlar duyamazlardı ki, tabakları masanın üstüne bırakırken Ahmet’in “ Bundan sonra aç kalmayacaksınız anneciğim ve babacığım. Alın yemeklerinizi karnınızı bir güzel doyurun “ diye mırıldandığını.

“But who is she with ?” said Mr Carteret.
“A young man. She met him on the aeroplane,”Mrs Carteret said.”Now go to sleep.”
Outside the bedroom window the moon was shining brightly.
“Nobody told me there was a young man on the aeroplane,”said Mr CArteret crossly.
“You saw him,”Mrs Carteret said.”He was there when you met her at the airport.”
“I don’t remember,”said her husband.
“Yes, you do. You noticed his hat. You said so. It wasa light green…”
“Oh dear!” said Mr Carteret.”That man? But he’s too old for her. He must be nearly forty.”
“He’s twenty-eight, dear.Now go to sleep.”
“I can’t sleep,” said Mr Carteret.”Three o’clock in the morning and I can’t get to sleep.”
“Just lie still, dear, and you’ll soon fall asleep,” said his wife.
It was a warm night in july. A gentle wind whispered in the trees outside the bedroom window.It sounded like a car coming. Mr.Carteret sat up and listened. But it was only the wind.’ Where are you going now?’said Mrs. Carteret.’ I’m going downstairs for a drink of water. Ican’t sleep. Ican never sleep in moonlight - I don’t know why. And it’s very hot too.’
‘Put your slippers on,’said Mrs Carteret sleepily.
He found his slippers and put them on. He went down to the kitchen and turned on the tap.
The water was warmish. He let the water run until it was cool enough to drink. Then he opened the kitchen door and went out into the garden.The moon shone on his roses. Mr Carteret could see the shape and colour of every flower.There they were:red and yellow and white,verysoft and sweet-smelling.Each flowe was wet with dew.
He stood on the short green grass and looked up at the sky. The moon was very bright. It was like a strong, white electric light shining down on the garden.
The wind wishpered again in the trees. Again Mr Carteret thought it was a car coming.
Suddenly he felt helpless and miserable.
‘Sue,’he said aloud,’ Sue…where are you? What are you doing? Susie, Susie, you don’t usually stay out so late.’
Susie. He always called her Susie when he was specially pleased with her. Usually he called her Sue. When he was cross with her, he called her Susan.
He remembered her nineteenth birthday,three weeks before. She was getting ready to fly off to Switzerland for a holiday.
‘How lovely she is!’ everyone said.’How pretty and grown-up! And she’s going to Switzerland all by herself! How wonderful!’
But Mr Carteret did not think his daughter looked grown-up. To him she looked smaller and more girlish then ever.’Too young to go away by herself,’he thought crossly.
He heard the church clock. Half past three. At that moment he heard the sound of a car. This time he was sure. He could see its lights coming along the road.
“You’re late, young lady’ he said to himself. He did not feel miserable any more; just a little cross. He could hear the car coming quickly along the road. Suddenly he began to run towards the house. He did not want her to find him there. He wanted to get back to bed.His pyjama trousers were too long. They were wet with dew. He held them up, like skirts, as he ran. ‘This is stupid,’ he thought. ‘What stupid things parents do sometimes!’
At the kitchen door one of his slippers fell off. He stopped to pick it up, and listened again for the sound of the car. All was quiet. Once again he was alone in the quiet, moonlit garden. His slippers were wet with dew. His wet pyjama trousers felt uncomfortable on his legs.
” lt didn’t stop,’ he thought. He felt cross and miserable again. “We always walked home from dances’ he said aloud. ‘That was part of the fun.’ .
Suddenly he felt frightened. He remembered the corner on the road near his house. ‘It’s a dangerous corner, ‘he said to himself. ‘There are accidents there every week. What if Susie and this man…’ He did not want to think about it. It was too awful.
‘And who is this man anyway? How do I know he’s a suitable friend for Susie? Perhaps he’s a married man. Or a criminal.’
All at once he had a terrible feeling about this man. ‘I felt like this when I saw her getting into the aeroplane,’ he thought.
‘I had a feeling of…of danger… accidents.’ He was shaking now. He felt coId and sick. ‘She’s had a crash in that man’s car,’ he thought. ” I’m sure of it’.’
Now he was walking backwards and forwards across the dewy, moonlit grass.’ I’m sure she’s had an accident,’ he thought. ‘In a minute or two the police will telephone - oh dear! Oh dear!’
He began to walk up the road in his pyjamas and bedroom slippers. He looked at the sky; there were lines of gold above the tree-tops. The moon was disappearing. It was almost day. Oh, were is she?’ he cried, and he began to run.
A few moments later, he thought he saw a pair of yellow eyes looking at him from the road. He realized that they were the lights of a car. It was standing at the side of the road. He did not know what to do about it. Should he go up to the car, and knock on the window and say, ‘Susan, come home? But there was always the chance that some other man’s daughter was in the car.
‘And then what will she think of me - out here in my pyjamas?’
He stopped and watched the light of day filling the sky. ‘What will the neighbours think if they see me?’ he thought. ‘I must go home and get to bed. I don’ t know why I’m worrying like this. I never worried like this when she was little.’
He turned and started to walk home. Just then he heard a car engine. He looked raund and saw its lights coming along the road, Suddenly he felt more stupid than ever. There was no time to get away. He could only hide behind a tree. The long wet grass under the tree made his pyjamas wetter than ever.
The car passed him. He could not see who was inside. ‘Perhaps it’s Susie,’ he thought. ‘And now I shall have to go home and change my pyjamas.’ He started walking again. Then he stopped once more. ‘What if it isn’t Susie?’ he thought. ‘Whaf if something really has happened to Susie?’
He felt sick and cold and miserable. The blood seemed to whisper and sing inside his ears. His heart seemed to fill his whole body.
‘Oh, Susie,’ he whispered, ‘Come home safely. Please…’
He realized that the car had stopped outside his house. A moment later he saw Susie. She was wearing her long yellow evening dress. ‘How pretty she is!’ he thought. He heard her sweet, girlish voice calling: ‘Goodbye.Yes. Lovely. Thank you.’
‘I mustn’t let her see me now,’ he thought. ‘I must keep out of sight. I must go in through the back door. Then I can go upstairs and put on dry pyjamas…’
A moment later the car turned and came back along the road towards him. This time there was no chance to hide. For a few miserable moments he stood there with the lights of the car shining in his eyes.
‘Look natural,’ he said to himself. ‘And hope that nobody notices me.’
The car stopped and a voice called out:
‘Excuse me sir.Are you Mr Carteret?
‘Yes.’ he said.’ I’m Carteret.’ He tried to sound cool and unworried.
‘Oh. I’m Bill Jordan, sir. I’m sorry we were so Iate. I hope you haven’t been worried about Susie?’
‘Oh! No. Of course not.’
‘My mother kept us, you see.’
‘But I thought you went to a dance.’
‘Oh no, sir. We went to dinner with my mother. We played cards until three o’ clock. My mother loves cards. She forgot the time.’
‘Oh, that’s all right. I hope you had a good time.’
‘Oh, we had a wonderful time, thank you. But I thought that perhaps you were worried about Susie…’
‘No, no. Of course not!’
‘That’s all right then.’ The young man looked at Mr Carteret’s wet pyjamas and looked away again.’ It’s been a wonderfully warm night, hasn’t it? He said politely.
‘Terribly hot. I couldn’t sleep.’
‘SIeep! I must get home to bed!’ He smiled, showing beautifuI white teeth. ‘Good night, sir.’
‘Good night.’
The car began to moye away. The young man waved goodbye and Mr Carteret called after him:
‘You must come and have dinner with us one evening…’
‘How kind! Yes, please… Good night, sir.’
Mr Carteret walked down the road. ‘He called me sir’ he thought. ‘What a polite young man! I like him.’
He reached the garden. The new light of morning shone on his roses. There was one very beautiful red rose, newly opened and dark as blood.’ I’ll pick it,’ he said to himself, ‘and take it upstairs for my wife.’ But, in the end, he decided to leave it there.
And then suddenly, a bird began to sing.

After the military campaign of Egypt, the symbol of justice and bravery Yavuz Sultan Selim wants to stay for a time to set up justice and authority in the town where he has conquered. Preperations are done for that and Sultan’s great tent is set. One of the women who charged with cleaning Sultan’s tent, for the first time at a close range sees Yavuz who came back to tent in the evening and since then she starts to be inflamed with love for him. With in time, this love turns to be a passion in the Egyptian woman’s heart. She knows incurability of trouble that she was fallen, however, she doesn’t abstain from looking for solution. On a friday, after Great Yavuz goes out of the tent, she attaches a note which she got someone to write for her, to Sultan’s pillow side. In the note; “What shall do the troubled?” writes. When the Sultan goes for rest at night, writes a reply and puts it under his pillow in return to note which he found beside his pillow. In the morning, the poor woman hotly -also may be with a little hope- looks under the pillow for “I wonder whether the Sultan wrote a reply?” and sees some writings which was written at the back of the paper. In this note which she got confidant to read “Shall reveal the troubled” writes. At least the poor woman feels happy with thinking of telling her sorrow, becomes hopeful with sentence but Sultan’s bravery scares her. Is it easy to say such a thing to Great Yavuz. This time, woman leaves a paper writing “What if she is afraid?” under the Sultan’s pillow and she is on tenterhooks to the next day. The next day, she again looks under the pillow hotly; when she saw writing “Shouldn’t be afraid and tell!” which was written by Sultan, her hope raises more. At least, she will tell her trouble influencing her deeply, even the sorrow will not be accepted, she will get rid off her trouble a bit. In the evening, the poor woman waits for Sultan, getting up the whole very nervous. In a while Great Yavuz appears with all his glory and he notices that a woman wants to say something in a strange condition and pose. “Tell!” says to the woman. She starts to dither waiting upon and becomes suddenly weak in the knees. When the Sultan said “Tell!” second with his abundant voice, woman says only “Master” because of her excitement and she cannot say anything. Owing to excitement of Sultan’s bravery, she falls down and gives her spirit to the God. Although flurry and excitement wrapped everyone, whole eyes focus on the Great Yavuz. Yavuz who has been feeling abou this for days feels deeply sorrowful in the heart and, tears falling from his eyes, says; “The real lover is such a person that dares to die for his beloved.”

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Türkçe Çevirisi

Yavuz Sultan Selim’e aşk

Celâdet ve adaletin timsâli Yavuz Sultan Selim (rahmetullahi aleyh), Mısır Seferi’nden sonra fethettiği beldede adâlet ve otoriteyi tesis için, bir süre kalmak ister. Bunun için hazırlıklar yapılır ve padişahın otağ -ı hümâyunu kurulur. Sultanın çadırını temizlemekle vazifeli kadınlardan biri, akşamları çadıra dönen Yavuz’u o gün ilk defa yakından görür ve o andan sonra onun sevgisiyle yanmaya başlar. Zamanla bu sevgi, bir sevdâ olur Mısırlı kadının yüreğinde. O, düştüğü derdin çaresizliğini bilir; fakat bununla birlikte çâre aramaktan geri durmaz.
Bir cuma günü Koca Yavuz çadırdan çıktıktan sonra bir tanıdığına yazdırdığı kâğıdı, sultanın yastığının yanına iliştiriverir. Kâğıtta; “Derdi olan neylesin” yazmaktadır. Sultan, gece istirahatına çekildiğinde yastığının yanında bulduğu kâğıtta yazılı bu ümitsiz cümleye, bir karşılık yazıp yastığının altına bırakır. Kadıncağız sabah, “Acaba sultan cevap yazdı mı?” heyecanıyla -belki de biraz ümitle- yastığın altına bakar ve kâğıdının arkasına bir şeyler yazılmış olduğunu görür. Sırdaşına okuttuğu bu notta, “Derdi olan söylesin!” yazmaktadır. Kadıncağız en azından derdini anlatabileceği düşüncesiyle biraz da olsa sevinir, ümitlenir bu cümleyle. Fakat padişahın celâdeti onu korkutmaktadır. ‘Şîrlerin pençe-i kahrında lerzân olduğu’ Koca Yavuz’a böyle bir şey söylemek kolay mıdır?!.. Bu defa kadın, “Korkuyorsa neylesin?” yazılı bir kâğıt bırakır sultanın yastığının altına ve ertesi günü sabırsızlıkla bekler. Ertesi sabah yine yastığın altına heyecanla bakar; sultanın kaleminden çıkan, “Hiç korkmasın, söylesin!” yazısını görünce kadının ümidi biraz daha artmıştır. Hiç olmazsa kendini yakıp kavuran derdini söyleyecek, kabul görmese de, derdinden bir nebze olsun kurtulacaktır. Kadıncağız bütün cesaretini toplayıp akşam sultanın gelme vaktinde çadırın girişinde bekler. Birazdan Koca Yavuz, bütün haşmetiyle görünür; hâlinden, duruşundan kadının kendisine bir şeyler söylemek istediğini fark eder: “Söyle!” der kadına. Edeble el-pençe duran kadın titremeye başlar ve dizlerinin bağı çözülür. Padişah gür sesiyle ikinci defa “Söyle!” deyince, kadın, heyecanından sadece; “Efendim!” der ve gerisini getiremez; Koca Sultan’ın celâdetinden duyduğu heyecanla yere yığılır ve ruhunu oracıkta Rabb’e teslim eder. Herkesi bir telâş ve heyecan sarsa da, gözler Koca Yavuz’dadır. Meseleyi günlerdir hisseden Yavuz’un bu tablo karşısında yüreği yanar, gözleri dolar ve şöyle der: “Hakîkî âşık odur ki, sevdiği uğruna kalbi dursun!”

This text explains a real love story and the story was taken from the young lover’s diary.

     The first year of high school, a girl was sitting next to me in english classes and I was saying “she is my best friend” for her, but I used to look at her silk-like hair and would like have her. But I knew that she hadn’t same feelings about me, like I have about her. After the lesson she came up to me and wanted last lessons class notes for she was absent in the classroom that day. When I gave notes to her she thanked me and kissed me on my cheek.

     I wanted her to know that I didn’t want to see her only as a friend.I loved her too much but I couldn’t say it, I didn’t know its reason but I was very ashamed.

     The second year of high school, my phone rang, she was the one who called me and she was crying. She explained me how love had broken her heart, she invited me to her house, she told me that she didn’t want to be alone, I certainly went, to armchair, I sat to beside her, I started to look at her nice eyes and wished to have her, 2 hours later one of DREW barrymore’s movie was on tv and we watched it. After watching the movie she decided to sleep, she thanked me for all things and kissed me on my cheek.

     I wanted her to know that I didn’t to see her only as a friend, I was loving her too much but I couldn’t say it, I didn’t know it’s reason but I was very ashamed.

     The last year of high school, she came to me one day before the graduaiton party and “my boyfriend is ill and he won’t come to the party” she said, that time I hadn’t got a girlfriend and we had promised each other in the 7th class that if we didn’t have a darling we will go to the party together, being  “best friends”. Then we would to the parties together, that night was excellent, everything was good, after the party I took her to her house,in front of the door I looked at her and she looked at me too with her beautiful eyes. I would like to have her. But I knew that she hadn’t same feelings about me, like I have about her, “I had the most beautiful time in my life” she said me and kissed me on my cheek.

     I wanted her to know that I didn’t want to see her only as a friend, I was loved her too much but I couldn’t say it, I didn’t know its reason but I was very ashamed..

     Days, weeks, months passed  and graduation ceremony came round at last.. I looked at her perfect body during the ceremony. When she went to the stage to take her diploma she looked like an angel, I would like to have her.. But, I knew that she hadn’t same feelings about me, like I have about her.

     When everybody say good-bye to each other she came up to me and while crying she embraced me. Than she put her head to my shoulder and “you’re my best friend, thank you” and kissed me on my cheek.

     I wanted her to know that I didn’t want to see her only as a friend, I was loved her too much but I couldn’t say it, I didn’t know its reason but I was very ashamed.

     Years passed.. I’m in the church and I’m watching that girl’s wedding ceremony.. true, well then she was getting married. I watched her saying “yes, I accept”embracing, a the new life, being married another man. I would like to have her.. But, I knew that she hadn’t same feelings about me, like I have about her. Before having a the new life she came to me and “you have come my ceremony, thank you” said,kissed on my cheek.

     I wanted her to know that I didn’t want to see her only as a friend, I was loved her too much but I couldn’t say it, I didn’t know its reason but I was very ashamed.
    
     Years passed very quickly.. I’m now looking at the coffin of my best friend than. When her belongings were picked up, her memory that she had kept diary high school came out.Right now I took it and read..
    
     “I wished to have him looking at his eyes.. But, I knew that he hadn’t same feelings about me, like I have about him. I wanted him to know that I didn’t want to see him only as a friend, I loved him too much but I couldn’t say it, I didn’t know it’s reason but I was very ashamed.. Ah, if only hr told loved me..”

     Instead of losing in this way, lose confessing your love…

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Türkçe çevirisi

Bu yazi gerçek bir ask hikayesini anlatmaktadir ve yazilarin hepsi asik delikanlinin günlügünden alinmistir.

      LİSE 1.SINIF Ingilizce dersinde yanimda bir kiz oturuyordu onun için “benim en iyi arkadasim” diyordum. ama ben onun ipek gibi saçlarina bakip onun benim olmasini istiyordum. Ama o bana benim ona baktigim gözle bakmiyordu bunu biliyordum, dersten sonra kalkti ve geçen gün sinifta olmadigi için o günün notlarini istedi. Ona notlari verirken bana tesekkür etti ve yanagimdan öptü.

      Onu sadece arkadas olarak istemedigimi bilmesini istiyordum, onu çok seviyordum ama söyleyemiyordum nedenini bilmiyorum ama çok utaniyordum..

      LİSE 2.SINIF Telefonum çaldi, arayan oydu ve agliyordu. Bana askin nasil kalbini kirdigini anlatti, beni evine çagirdi, yalniz kalmak istemedigini söyledi, bende tabiki gittim, koltuga, onun yanina oturdum, güzel gözlerine bakmaya basladim ve onun benim olmasini diledim, 2 saat sonra Drew Barrymore’un bir filmi basladi ve onu izledik. Filmi izledikten sonra uyumaya karar verdi, bana her sey için tesekkür etti ve yanagimdan öptü.

      Onu sadece arkadas olarak istemedigimi bilmesini istiyordum, onu çok seviyordum ama söyleyemiyordum nedenini bilmiyorum ama çok utaniyordum.

      SON SINIF Mezuniyet balosundan bir gün önce yanima geldi ve “çiktigim çocuk hasta ve partiye gelemeyecek” dedi, benimde çiktigim biri yoktu ve 7. sinifta birbirimize söz vermistik eger çiktigimiz biri olmazsa partilere birlikte gidecektik, “en iyi arkadas” olarak. Ve partiye birlikte gittik, o aksam çok güzeldi, her sey yolunda gitti, partiden sonra onu evine  kapisinin önüne kadar biraktim, kapinin önünde ona baktim o da bana o güzel gözleriyle gülümseyerek bakti. Onun benim olmasini istiyordum.. Ama o bana benim ona baktigim gözle bakmiyordu bunu biliyordum, bana “hayatimin en güzel zamanini geçirdigini” söyledi ve yanagimdan öptü.
    
      Onu sadece arkadas olarak istemedigimi bilmesini istiyordum, onu çok seviyordum ama söyleyemiyordum nedenini bilmiyorum ama çok utaniyordum.

      Günler, haftalar, aylar geçti ve mezuniyet töreni geldi çattı.. Sürekli onu izledim onun mükemmel vücudunu seyrettim. Diplomasini almak için sahneye çikarken sanki bir melek gibiydi. Onun benim olmasini istiyordum..Ama o bana benim ona baktigim gözle bakmiyordu bunu biliyordum.

      Herkes vedalaşırken yanima geldi ve aglayarak bana sarildi. Sonra basini omzuma koydu ve “sen benim en iyi arkadasimsin, tesekkürler” deyip yanagimdan öptü.

      Onu sadece arkadas olarak istemedigimi bilmesini istiyordum, onu çok seviyordum ama söyleyemiyordum nedenini bilmiyorum ama çok utaniyordum..

      Aradan yillar geçti.. Bir kilisedeyim ve o kizin nikahini izliyorum..evet artik evleniyordu, onun “evet, kabul ediyorum” demesini, yeni hayatina girmesini izledim, baska bir adamla evli olarak. Onun benim olmasini istiyordum..Ama o bana benim ona baktigim gözle bakmiyordu bunu biliyordum. Yeni hayatina girmeden önce yanima geldi ve “nikahima geldin tesekkürler” deyip yanagimdan öptü.

      Onu sadece arkadas olarak istemedigimi bilmesini istiyordum, onu çok seviyordum ama söyleyemiyordum nedenini bilmiyorum ama çok utaniyordum..

      Yillar çok çabuk geçti.. Su an benim bir zamanlar en iyi arkadasim olan kizin tabutuna bakiyorum. esyalari toplanirken lise yillarinda yazdigi günlügü ortaya çikti.. Hemen günlügünü aldim ve günlükte okudugum satirlar söyleydi..

     “Onun gözlerine bakarak onun benim olmasini diledim..Ama o bana benim ona baktigim gözle bakmiyordu bunu biliyordum. Onu sadece ARKADAS OLARAK İSTEMEDİĞİMİ BİLMESİNİ İSTİYORDUM, onu çok seviyordum ama söyleyemiyordum nedenini bilmiyorum ama çok utaniyordum..Keske bana beni bir kez sevdigini söyleseydi..”

      Böyle kaybetmektense sevdiginizi söyleyerek kaybedin…

Hard by a great forest dwelt a poor wood-cutter with his wife and his two children. The boy was called Hansel and the girl Gretel. He had little to bite and to break, and once, when great dearth fell on the land, he could no longer procure even daily bread.

  Now when he thought over this by night in his bed, and tossed about in his anxiety. He groaned and said to his wife, “What is to become of us? How are we to feed our poor children, when we no longer have anything even for ourselves?”

  ”I’ll tell you what, husband,” answered the woman, “early tomorrow morning we will take the children out into the forest to where it is the thickest. There we will light a fire for them, and give each of them one more piece of bread, and then we will go to our work and leave them alone. They will not find the way home again, and we shall be rid of them.”

  ”No, wife,” said the man, “I will not do that. How can I bear to leave my children alone in the forest? The wild animals would soon come and tear them to pieces.”

  ”Oh! you fool,” said she, “then we must all four die of hunger, you may as well plane the planks for our coffins,” and she left him no peace until he consented.

  ”But I feel very sorry for the poor children, all the same,” said the man.

  The two children had also not been able to sleep for hunger, and had heard what their step-mother had said to their father. Gretel wept bitter tears, and said to Hansel, “Now all is over with us.”

  ”Be quiet, Gretel,” said Hansel, “do not distress yourself, I will soon find a way to help us.” And when the old folks had fallen asleep, he got up, put on his little coat, opened the door below, and crept outside.

  The moon shone brightly, and the white pebbles which lay in front of the house glittered like real silver pennies. Hansel stooped and stuffed the little pocket of his coat with as many as he could get in. Then he went back and said to Gretel, “Be comforted, dear little sister, and sleep in peace, God will not forsake us,” and he lay down again in his bed.

  When day dawned, but before the sun had risen, the woman came and awoke the two children, saying, “Get up, you sluggards. We are going into the forest to fetch wood.” She gave each a little piece of bread, and said, “There is something for your dinner, but do not eat it up before then, for you will get nothing else.”

  Gretel took the bread under her apron, as Hansel had the pebbles in his pocket. Then they all set out together on the way to the forest.

  When they had walked a short time, Hansel stood still and peeped back at the house, and did so again and again. His father said, “Hansel, what are you looking at there and staying behind for? Pay attention, and do not forget how to use your legs.”

  ”Ah, father,” said Hansel, “I am looking at my little white cat, which is sitting up on the roof, and wants to say good-bye to me.”

  The wife said, “Fool, that is not your little cat, that is the morning sun which is shining on the chimneys.”

  Hansel, however, had not been looking back at the cat, but had been constantly throwing one of the white pebble-stones out of his pocket on the road.

  When they had reached the middle of the forest, the father said, “Now, children, pile up some wood, and I will light a fire that you may not be cold.”

  Hansel and Gretel gathered brushwood together, as high as a little hill. The brushwood was lighted, and when the flames were burning very high, the woman said, “Now, children, lay yourselves down by the fire and rest, we will go into the forest and cut some wood. When we have done, we will come back and fetch you away.”

  Hansel and Gretel sat by the fire, and when noon came, each ate a little piece of bread, and as they heard the strokes of the wood-axe they believed that their father was near. It was not the axe, however, but a branch which he had fastened to a withered tree which the wind was blowing backwards and forwards. And as they had been sitting such a long time, their eyes closed with fatigue, and they fell fast asleep.

  When at last they awoke, it was already dark night. Gretel began to cry and said, “How are we to get out of the forest now?”

  But Hansel comforted her and said, “Just wait a little, until the moon has risen, and then we will soon find the way.” And when the full moon had risen, Hansel took his little sister by the hand, and followed the pebbles which shone like newly-coined silver pieces, and showed them the way.

  They walked the whole night long, and by break of day came once more to their father’s house. They knocked at the door, and when the woman opened it and saw that it was Hansel and Gretel, she said, “You naughty children, why have you slept so long in the forest? We thought you were never coming back at all.”

  The father, however, rejoiced, for it had cut him to the heart to leave them behind alone.

  Not long afterwards, there was once more great dearth throughout the land, and the children heard their mother saying at night to their father:

  ”Everything is eaten again, we have one half loaf left, and that is the end. The children must go, we will take them farther into the wood, so that they will not find their way out again. There is no other means of saving ourselves.”

  The man’s heart was heavy, and he thought, “It would be better for you to share the last mouthful with your children.” The woman, however, would listen to nothing that he had to say, but scolded and reproached him. He who says a must say b, likewise, and as he had yielded the first time, he had to do so a second time also.

  The children, however, were still awake and had heard the conversation. When the old folks were asleep, Hansel again got up, and wanted to go out and pick up pebbles as he had done before, but the woman had locked the door, and Hansel could not get out. Nevertheless he comforted his little sister, and said, “Do not cry, Gretel, go to sleep quietly, the good God will help us.”

  Early in the morning came the woman, and took the children out of their beds. Their piece of bread was given to them, but it was still smaller than the time before. On the way into the forest Hansel crumbled his in his pocket, and often stood still and threw a morsel on the ground.

  ”Hansel, why do you stop and look round?” Said the father. “Go on.”

  ”I am looking back at my little pigeon which is sitting on the roof, and wants to say good-bye to me, answered Hansel.

  ”Fool.” Said the woman, “That is not your little pigeon, that is the morning sun that is shining on the chimney.”

  Hansel, however, little by little, threw all the crumbs on the path. The woman led the children still deeper into the forest, where they had never in their lives been before.

  Then a great fire was again made, and the mother said, “Just sit there, you children, and when you are tired you may sleep a little. We are going into the forest to cut wood, and in the evening when we are done, we will come and fetch you away.”

  When it was noon, Gretel shared her piece of bread with Hansel, who had scattered his by the way. Then they fell asleep and evening passed, but no one came to the poor children.

  They did not awake until it was dark night, and Hansel comforted his little sister and said, “Just wait, Gretel, until the moon rises, and then we shall see the crumbs of bread which I have strewn about, they will show us our way home again.”

  When the moon came they set out, but they found no crumbs, for the many thousands of birds which fly about in the woods and fields had picked them all up. Hansel said to Gretel, “We shall soon find the way.”

  But they did not find it. They walked the whole night and all the next day too from morning till evening, but they did not get out of the forest, and were very hungry, for they had nothing to eat but two or three berries, which grew on the ground. And as they were so weary that their legs would carry them no longer, they lay down beneath a tree and fell asleep.

  It was now three mornings since they had left their father’s house. They began to walk again, but they always came deeper into the forest, and if help did not come soon, they must die of hunger and weariness. When it was mid-day, they saw a beautiful snow-white bird sitting on a bough, which sang so delightfully that they stood still and listened to it. And when its song was over, it spread its wings and flew away before them, and they followed it until they reached a little house, on the roof of which it alighted. And when they approached the little house they saw that it was built of bread and covered with cakes, but that the windows were of clear sugar.

  ”We will set to work on that,” said Hansel, “and have a good meal. I will eat a bit of the roof, and you Gretel, can eat some of the window, it will taste sweet.”

  Hansel reached up above, and broke off a little of the roof to try how it tasted, and Gretel leant against the window and nibbled at the panes. Then a soft voice cried from the parlor -

  ”Nibble, nibble, gnaw

  who is nibbling at my little house?”

  The children answered -

  ”The wind, the wind,

  the heaven-born wind,”

  and went on eating without disturbing themselves. Hansel, who liked the taste of the roof, tore down a great piece of it, and Gretel pushed out the whole of one round window-pane, sat down, and enjoyed herself with it.

  Suddenly the door opened, and a woman as old as the hills, who supported herself on crutches, came creeping out. Hansel and Gretel were so terribly frightened that they let fall what they had in their hands.

  The old woman, however, nodded her head, and said, “Oh, you dear children, who has brought you here? Do come in, and stay with me. No harm shall happen to you.”

  She took them both by the hand, and led them into her little house. Then good food was set before them, milk and pancakes, with sugar, apples, and nuts. Afterwards two pretty little beds were covered with clean white linen, and Hansel and Gretel lay down in them, and thought they were in heaven.

  The old woman had only pretended to be so kind. She was in reality a wicked witch, who lay in wait for children, and had only built the little house of bread in order to entice them there. When a child fell into her power, she killed it, cooked and ate it, and that was a feast day with her. Witches have red eyes, and cannot see far, but they have a keen scent like the beasts, and are aware when human beings draw near. When Hansel and Gretel came into her neighborhood, she laughed with malice, and said mockingly, “I have them, they shall not escape me again.”

  Early in the morning before the children were awake, she was already up, and when she saw both of them sleeping and looking so pretty, with their plump and rosy cheeks, she muttered to herself, that will be a dainty mouthful.

  Then she seized Hansel with her shrivelled hand, carried him into a little stable, and locked him in behind a grated door. Scream as he might, it would not help him. Then she went to Gretel, shook her till she awoke, and cried, “Get up, lazy thing, fetch some water, and cook something good for your brother, he is in the stable outside, and is to be made fat. When he is fat, I will eat him.”

  Gretel began to weep bitterly, but it was all in vain, for she was forced to do what the wicked witch commanded. And now the best food was cooked for poor Hansel, but Gretel got nothing but crab-shells. Every morning the woman crept to the little stable, and cried, “Hansel, stretch out your finger that I may feel if you will soon be fat.”

  Hansel, however, stretched out a little bone to her, and the old woman, who had dim eyes, could not see it, and thought it was Hansel’s finger, and was astonished that there was no way of fattening him.

  When four weeks had gone by, and Hansel still remained thin, she was seized with impatience and would not wait any longer.

  ”Now, then, Gretel,” she cried to the girl, “stir yourself, and bring some water. Let Hansel be fat or lean, to-morrow I will kill him, and cook him.”

  Ah, how the poor little sister did lament when she had to fetch the water, and how her tears did flow down her cheeks. “Dear God, do help us,” she cried. “If the wild beasts in the forest had but devoured us, we should at any rate have died together.”

  ”Just keep your noise to yourself,” said the old woman, “it won’t help you at all.”

  Early in the morning, Gretel had to go out and hang up the cauldron with the water, and light the fire.

  ”We will bake first,” said the old woman, “I have already heated the oven, and kneaded the dough.” She pushed poor Gretel out to the oven, from which flames of fire were already darting. “Creep in,” said the witch, “and see if it properly heated, so that we can put the bread in.” And once Gretel was inside, she intended to shut the oven and let her bake in it, and then she would eat her, too.

  But Gretel saw what she had in mind, and said, “I do not know how I am to do it. How do I get in?”

  ”Silly goose,” said the old woman, “the door is big enough. Just look, I can get in myself.” And she crept up and thrust her head into the oven.

  Then Gretel gave her a push that drove her far into it, and shut the iron door, and fastened the bolt. Oh. Then she began to howl quite horribly, but Gretel ran away, and the godless witch was miserably burnt to death. Gretel, however, ran like lightning to Hansel, opened his little stable, and cried, “Hansel, we are saved. The old witch is dead.”

  Then Hansel sprang like a bird from its cage when the door is opened. How they did rejoice and embrace each other, and dance about and kiss each other. And as they had no longer any need to fear her, they went into the witch’s house, and in every corner there stood chests full of pearls and jewels.

  ”These are far better than pebbles.” Said Hansel, and thrust into his pockets whatever could be got in.

  And Gretel said, “I, too, will take something home with me,” and filled her pinafore full.

  ”But now we must be off,” said Hansel, “that we may get out of the witch’s forest.”

  When they had walked for two hours, they came to a great stretch of water.

  ”We cannot cross,” said Hansel, “I see no foot-plank, and no bridge.

  ”And there is also no ferry,” answered Gretel, “but a white duck is swimming there. If I ask her, she will help us over.” Then she cried -

  ”Little duck, little duck, dost thou see,

  Hansel and Gretel are waiting for thee.

  There’s never a plank, or bridge in sight,

  take us across on thy back so white.”

  The duck came to them, and Hansel seated himself on its back, and told his sister to sit by him.

  ”No,” replied Gretel, “that will be too heavy for the little duck. She shall take us across, one after the other.”

  The good little duck did so, and when they were once safely across and had walked for a short time, the forest seemed to be more and more familiar to them, and at length they saw from afar their father’s house. Then they began to run, rushed into the parlor, and threw themselves round their father’s neck. The man had not known one happy hour since he had left the children in the forest. The woman, however, was dead. Gretel emptied her pinafore until pearls and precious stones ran about the room, and Hansel threw one handful after another out of his pocket to add to them. Then all anxiety was at an end, and they lived together in perfect happiness.

  My tale is done, there runs a mouse, whosoever catches it, may make himself a big fur cap out of it.

Once there was a man and his wife.
They had no house.
They lived in the fields.
And they slept at the foot of a tree.
The man caught fish.
He was a fisherman.
The man was  happy.
He said ” why do men live in houses”.
“This tree is my house”.
“We have no house”.
“We have no bed”.
The fields are my bed.
But his wife was not happy.
She said  ”why did I marry a poor fisherman”.
We have no house.
We have no bed.
One day .
The fisherman went to the sea to catch the fish.
He put his net to  the water.
Then he sat on  a stone.
The sun was hot.
And he fell asleep.
When he awoke
He took his net.
There was one fish in the net.
It was large and golden.
“a beatiful fish”.
He was very happy
He said”my wife will be glad”.
“When she sees this beatiful fish”.
Then the fish spoke.
He said “good man “.
Do not kill me.
Put me back to the sea.
The fisherman said “Can you speak?”.
I didn’t see a fish that  could speak.
The fish said ” Good Man”.
“Put me back to  the sea”.
“I do not eat a fish that can speak”.
Then he threw the fish  into the sea.
The fisherman went back to his wife that night.
He had no fish.
So they had no food.
He said to his wife.
” I caught one fish”.
But the fish spoke.
So I threw him back into the water.
I can   not kill  a fish .
Because it  can  speak.
The Fisherman’s wife said.
It is a wizard.
It was not a fish.
But some wizard can become a fish.
The fisherman said.
“I do not know”.
“if it was a wizard”.
“The fish did not tell” said the fisherman.
The fisherman’s wife said.
“Did you ask him for anything”.
“I did not ask him for anything”  said the man.
“Why do we live in the fields”.
“You must  want  a hut”.
next day.
the fisherman went back to the sea.
He stood on the stone .
and he called.
“Man of the sea”.
“Come to me”.
Then the fish put his head out of the water.
and it asked.
“What do you want?”.
The fisherman said”I do not want anything”.
But  my wife wants to live in a hut.
“Go back to your wife ” said the fish.
You will find her in a hut.
The fisherman went back to his tree.
He saw a hut.
It was a new hut.
It was very pretty hut.
It had two pretty windows and.
It had one blue door.
There was a pretty garden at the back.
There was pretty flowers.
There were hens.
He went into the    hut.
There was one room.
The sunlight was coming in through the window.
And the room was full of light.
His wife was sitting at the table.
“You must be happy now” said the fisherman.
“It is a pretty hut” said his wife.
For some days
The fisherman’s wife  was happy.
The fisherman came home one night.
His wife said to him.
“I am not happy in this little hut”.
The hens run in my room.
We must live in a good house.
Go now to the fish.
Want  a house.
The fisherman went to the sea.
He stood on the stone.
and he called.
“Man of the Sea”.
“Come to me”.
The fish put his head out of the water.
and it asked.
“What do you want”.
The fisherman  said “I do not want anything”.
“but my wife wants a house”.
“Go back to your wife” said the fish.
“You will find her in a house”.
The fisherman went back to his hut.
He saw a house.
It was a very pretty house.
The house was made of stone.
There were roses at the side of the door.
There was a pretty garden.
The house had two doors.
There were six windows at the front.
There were six windows at the back.
The fisherman found his wife inside the house.
He said “  you have a beatiful house”.
“and you must be happy” .
She said “The outside of the house is pretty”.
But the rooms are not very large.
For some days
The fisherman’s wife  was happy.
Then she said .
“We live in a pretty house”.
But you are fisherman.
and I am a fisherman’s wife.
No one comes to see us.
No one speaks to me in the street.
“What do you want?” asked the fisherman.
“I want you to be a king”.
then I shall be a queen.
We shall live in a big house.
We shall get what we want.
The rooms will be full of servants.
They will do what we ask.
The fisherman said “I do not want to be a king”.
I want to be a fisherman .
and I want to live in the fields.
“But I  want to be a queen” said his wife.
The fisherman went to the sea.
He stood on a stone and said.
“Man of the Sea”.
“Come to me”.
Then the fish put his head out of the water and said.
“what do you want now”.
The fisherman said “I do not want anything”.
“But my wife wants you to make her a queen”.
The fish said  ”I  will make her a queen”.
“Go back”.
“You will find her a queen”.
The fisherman went back
He found a big house.
there were servants at the door.
Two servants  took him ito a large room.
his wife was sitting  there.
She had the clothes of a queen.
“you must be happy now” said the fisherman.
“You are a queen”.
“You  have this big house”.
“You have a lot of servants”.
For some days  she was happy.
there was sunlight.
She went into the garden.
And the servants are in red coats.
Then the rain came.
It rained  for many days.
and there was no sunlight.
She could not go into the garden.
Then the fisherman’s wife said.
“I am a  queen”.
“I do not want this rain”.
“I want the sun”.
She said to the fisherman.
“Go and ask the fish  to make me Queen of the Sun”.
The fisherman went to the sea.
He stood on the stone and said.
“Man of the Sea,come to me”.
Then the fish put his head out of the water and said.
“What do you want now?”.
“SPEAK”.
The fisherman said “My wife wants you to make her Queen of the Sun”.
The fish said “Your wife will not be happy”.
“You will go back to the fields”.
“and You will sleep at the foot of a tree”.
The fisherman went back .
The big house and the garden were not there.
His wife was sitting at the foot of a tree.
There was no rain.
There was sunlight.
There were flowers in the fields.
She said “It is good to be away from all servants”.
“Look at the sun shining in the sky”.
“I am happy now”.

——————————————————–

Türkçe Çevirisi

FAKİR BALIKÇI
Vaktiyle bir adam ve karısı vardı.
İçinde oturacak evleri yoktu.
Tarlalarda yaşıyorlardı.
ve bir ağacın dibinde uyuyorlardı.
Adam balık tutardı.
O(E) bir balıkçıydı.
Adam mutluydu.
Balıkçı diyordu.
İnsanlar niçin evlerde yaşarlar.
Bu ağaç benim evimdir.
Niçin yatakta uyurlar.
Tarlalar benim yatağımdır.
Fakat karısı mutlu değildi.
Niçin fakir bir balıkçıyla evlendim.
“Evimiz yok,yatağımız yok” diyordu.
Bir gün balıkçı balık tutmak için denize gitti.
Ağını suya koydu.
Sonra bir taşın üstüne oturdu.
Güneş sıcaktı.
ve uykuya daldı.
Uyandığı vakit o(e) ağını aldı.
ağda bir balık vardı.
o büyük ve altındandı.
güzel bir balık.
Çok mutluydu.
Bu güzel balığı görünce.
karım memnun olacak.
O zaman balık konuştu.
“İyi Adam,”.
“beni öldürme”.
“Beni tekrar denizin içine koy” dedi.
Balıkçı ” Sen konuşabilir misin?”.
“Konuşabilen bir balık görmedim” dedi.
Balık, “İyi adam,beni tekrar denizin içine koy” dedi.
Balıkçı “Konuşabilen bir balığı yemem,” dedi.
“Git”.
“Konuşabilen bir balığı öldüremem” .
Sonra balığı tekrar denizin içine attı.
Balıkçı o gece karısına döndü.
Balığı yoktu.
Bu yüzden yiyecek yemekleri yoktu.
Karısına , “Bir balık tuttum,fakat balık konuştu”.
“Bu yüzden onu tekrar suyun içine attım”.
“Konuşabilen bir balığı öldüremedim” dedi.
Balıkçının karısı “Konuşabilen bir balık sihirbazdır”.
“O balık değildi”.
“O bir sihirbazdı” dedi.
Balıkçı “Onun bir sihirbaz olup olmadığını bilmiyorum” dedi.
“Balık bir sihirbaz olduğunu söylemedi”.
Adamın karısı “O bir sihirbazdı” dedi.
“Ondan birşey istedin mi?”.
Adam “Ondan bir şey istemedim” dedi.
Adamın karısı “Niçin tarlalarda yaşıyoruz? “dedi.
“Ondan(E) bir kulübe istemelisin”.
Ertesi gün , balıkçı tekrar denize gitti.
Taşın üstünde durdu ve bağırdı.
“Denizin adamı , bana gel “.
O zaman balık başını sudan dışarı çıkardı.
ve ona sordu “Ne istiyorsun”.
Balıkçı ” Ben hiçbir şey istemiyorum” dedi .
“fakat karım bir kulübede oturmak istiyor” dedi.
Balık “Karına dön” dedi.
“Onu(k) bir kulübede bulacaksın”.
Balıkçı ağacına döndü.
Ağaca yakın bir kulübe gördü.
O yeni bir kulübeydi.
Çok güzel bir kulübeydi.
İki güzel pencersi ve güzel bir kapısı vardı.
Arkada güzel çiçeklerle dolu güzel bir bahçe vardı.
Kulübeye yakın tavuklarla dolu küçük bir tarla vardı.
Kulübenin içine girdi.
Bir oda vardı.
Pencereden güneş ışığı giriyordu.
ve oda ışık doluydu.
Karısı masada oturuyordu.
Balıkçı “Şimdi mutlu olmalısın” dedi.
Karısı, Güzel bir kulübe ,” dedi.
Birkaç gün için balıkçının karısı mutluydu.
Sonra bir gece balıkçı eve geldi.
Karısı ona .
“Bu küçük kulübede mutlu değilim”.
“Tavuklar odamda koşuyorlar”.
“Güzel bir evde yaşamalıyız”.
“Derhal balığa git ve bir ev iste” dedi.
Balıkçı denize gitti.
Taşın üstünde durdu ve bağırdı.
“Denizin adamı,bana gel”.
Balık başını sudan çıkardı ve sordu.
“Ne istiyorsun”.
Balıkçı, “Ben bir şey istemiyorum”.
“Fakat karım bir ev istiyor”.
Balık “Karına dön” dedi.
“Onu bir evin içinde bulacaksın”.
Balıkçı kulübesine döndü.
Kulübenin olduğu yerde bir ev gördü.
Taştan yapılmış çok güzel bir evdi.
Kapının yanında güller vardı.
Evin yanında güzel bir bahçe vardı.
Bahçe kırmızı ve mavi çiçeklerle doluydu.
Evin iki kapısı vardı.
önde bir ve yanda bir.
Önde altı pencere vardı,.
arkada altı.
Balıkçı karısını evin içinde buldu.
“Şimdi güzel bir evin var”.
“Mutlu olmalısın” dedi.
O(K) ,”Evin dışı güzel”.
“Fakat içerdeki odalar çok büyük değil” dedi.
Birkaç gün için balıkçının karısı mutluydu.
Sonra “Güzel bir evde yaşıyoruz”.
“Fakat sen bir balıkçısın”.
“ve ben bir balıkçının karısıyım”.
“Kimse bizi görmeye gelmiyor”.
“Sokakta kimse benimle konuşmuyor” dedi.
Balıkçı “Ne istiyorsun” diye sordu.
“Senin kral olmanı istiyorum”.
“O zaman ben kraliçe olacağım”.
“Büyük bir evde yaşayacağız” .
İstediğimizi elde edeceğiz.
Ne dersek yapacaklar.
Odalar uşaklarla dolu olacak.
Ne istersek yapacaklar.
Balıkçı , “Bir kıral olmak istemiyorum”.
“Bir balıkçı olmak ve tarlalarda yaşamak istiyorum”.
Karısı,”Fakat ben bir kraliçe olmak istiyorum” dedi.
Balıkçı denize gitti.
Taşın üzerine oturdu ve.
“Denizin adamı,bana gel”.
O zaman balık başını sudan dışarı çıkardı ve.
“Şimdi ne istiyorsun”.
Balıkçı , “Ben bir şey istemiyorum”.
“Fakat karım onu bir kraliçe yapmanı istiyor” dedi.
Balık,”Onu bir kraliçe yapacağım”.
“Geri dön”.
“Onu bir kraliçe olarak bulacaksın” dedi.
Balıkçı geri gitti.
Büyük bir ev buldu.
Kapıda uşaklar vardı.
İki uşak balıkçıyı evin içine götürdü.
ve başka iki uşak onu büyük bir odaya götürdü.
Karısı orada oturuyordu.
Bir kraliçenin elbiselerine sahipti.
Balıkçı ,”Şimdi mutlu olmalısın” dedi.
“Bir kraliçesin”.
“Bu büyük eve ve bütün bu uşaklara sahipsin.
Birkaç gün için mutluydu.
Güneş vardı.
Bahçeye gitti.
ve kırmızı ceketli uşaklar onunla gittiler.
Sonra yağmur yağdı.
Günlerce yağdı.
Güneş yoktu.
Bahçeye gidemedi.
O zaman balıkçının karısı,”Ben bir kraliçeyim”.
“bu yağmuru istemiyorum”.
“Güneşi istiyorum” dedi.
Balıkçıya,”Git,balıktan beni güneşin kraliçesi yapmasını iste”.
“O vakit istediğim zaman güneşe sahip olabilirim”Balıkçı denize gitti.
Taşın üstünde durdu ve.
“Denizin adamı ,bana gel” dedi.
O zaman balık başını sudan dışarı çıkardı ve.
“Şimdi ne istiyorsun”.
“Konuş!” dedi.
Balıkçı ,”Karım,onu Güneşin Kraliçesi yapmanı istiyor” dedi.
Balık ,”Karın mutlu olmayacak”.
“Tekrar tarlalara gideceksiniz”.
“ve bir ağacın dibinde uyuyacaksınız” dedi.
Balıkçı geriye döndü.
Büyük ev ve bahçeler orada değildi.
Karısı bir ağacın dibinde oturuyordu.
Yağmur yoktu.
Tarlalarda çiçekler ve güneş ışığı vardı.
O(K) “Bütün bu uşaklardan uzak olmak iyi”.
“Gökte parlayan güneşe bak”.
“Şimdi mutluyum” dedi.

OLD EMMA  LIVED   IN  A  SMALL TOWN.
  IN    A  SMALL HOUSE  .
SHE  WAS AN   OLD WOMAN  .
SHE COULD NOT GO OUT ANY MORE .
SOMETIMES SHE  WAS ILL  .
OR VERY TIRED.
SHE  HAVE  TO STAY  IN  THE BED  .
SHE DID NOT SEE MANY PEOPLE  .
A WOMAN CALLED MRS, *MOONEY CAME  .
SHE BROUGHT HER SOME FOOD .
SHE  CLEANED THE HOUSE  .
BUT  *EMMA  WAS ALONE  .
HER GREATEST FRIEND  WAS A  SMALL BLUE BIRD  .
IT HAS A WHITE MARK.
ON ITS HEAD.
IT LIVED  IN A BIRDCAGE IN THE ROOM .
IT MADE A NOISE .
WHEN IT WANTED TO COME OUT .
THE NOISE SOUNDED LIKE TALKING .
EMMA  SPOKE  WITH  THE SMALL BIRD  EACH DAY  .
BIRD  ANSWERED  HER WITH  THE VARIOUS NOISES .
EMMA   LOVED THE BIRD VERY MUCH   .
SHE CALLED IT  *BILLY .
THERE PEOPLE  WERE BUILDING THE NEW HOUSES  .
LIVING  PERSON  IN  THESE HOUSES  WERE YOUNG  .
THE MOST OF THEM   HAD CHILDREN.
ONE DAY  MRS. MOONEY CLEANED THE  BIRDCAGE.
SHE LEFT THE DOOR  OPEN .
NO ONE WAS  IN THE ROOM .
*BILLY CAME OUT OF THE BIRDCAGE.
IT WENT OVER TO THE WINDOW .
WHEN EMMA  CAME   INTO  THE ROOM  .
  BLUE-BIRD  HAS GONE .
POOR EMMA  WAS VERY SAD   .
SHE CALLED  MRS.  MOONEY .
WHY DID YOU LEAVE THE DOOR OF THE BIRDCAGE OPEN  .
*BILLY HAS GONE .
HE   WILL NEVER  COME  BACK.
AN ANIMAL CAN  EAT HIM .
MY  POOR LITTLE  BIRD .
WHAT  SHALL  I  DO  .
SHE  STARTED  TO CRY .
MRS *MOONEY  SAID “I AM VERY SORRY  ”.
I FORGOT CLOSING THE DOOR  .
DO NOT CRY .
IT  WILL COME  BACK  AGAIN  .
IT  HAS GONE TO SEE  THE OTHER PLACES  .
LEAVE  THE WINDOW  OPEN.
THEN IT  CAN FIND ITS WAY  .
POOR EMMA  WAS VERY UNHAPPY  .
SHE  THOUGHT *BILLY  .
SHE  COULD NOT THINK  ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE  .
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TOWN .
A  FAMILY  WAS MOVING   TO  A  NEW HOUSE  .
THEIR  NAME WERE  DAVID AND VERA .
VERA  WAS PUTTING  THE BOOKS IN FRONT ROOM  .
DAVID  WAS CARRYING  THE BAGS   TO  THE HOUSE  .
IT WAS A BEAUTIFULL DAY  .
THE LITTLE  HOUSE  LOOKED VERY  CLEAN AND NEW  .
VERA  WAS  VERY HAPPY  .
THE HOUSE  WAS FIRST HOUSE  .
NEARLY ALL  WAS  NEW  .
JUST THEN.
  SHE HEARD  A SMALL NOISE BY THE WINDOW.
  SHE  WENT TO  LOOK AT .
A  SMALL BLUE BIRD SAT THERE  .
VERA  SAID “VERY BEATIFULL BIRD, “.
“*DAVÝD “.
DO YOU COME  .
DO YOU LOOK AT   TO  THIS  SMALL BIRD  .
*DAVID  CAME  TO  THE ROOM  .
AND HE  ALSO  LOOKED AT IT  .
HE  SAID “GOOD “.
” BLUE BIRDS  MAKE   THE PEOPLE  HAPPY “.
WE  WILL BECOME  HAPPY  HERE  .
HIS WIFE  LAUGHED .
SHE  SAID “HOW_MUCH NICE “.
WHERE  DID  IT  COME FROM  .
WILL IT  STAY  WITH US  .
DAVID  SAID ” WE  MUST NOT KEEP   IT  ”.
SOMEBODY  MUST  OWN IT.
THEY’LL BE UNHAPPY TO LOSE IT  .
“HOW  WILL  IT  RETURN ” SAID VERA .
IT  WILL NOT FIND  THE WAY  .
*DAVID  SAID ” BIRD  KNOWS   A_LOT_OF THINGS  ”.
LEAVE THE  WINDOW   OPEN  .
IT CAN GO WHEN  IT  WANTS  .
” IT MUST WANT  SOMETHING  TO EAT ” SAID VERA.
I WILL BRING  SOME  BREAD .
THEY  GAVE  THE BIRD A FEW  PIECES OF BREAD   .
IT ATE THEM ALL .
THEN IT  DRANK SOME  WATER .
AND   IT FELL ASLEEP ON  THE CHAIR  .
VERA  AND DAVID WORKED ALL DAY.
  IN  OTHER  ROOMS  .
AT NIGHT,.
THEY  REMEMBERED THE SMALL BIRD   .
THEY  WENT DOWN  AND  LOOKED IN THE FRONT ROOM.
BIRD   WAS STILL  THERE  .
” WE  HAVE TO PUT  IT  OUT  ” SAID *DAVID.
WE CAN NOT LEAVE  THE WINDOW  OPEN ALL  NIGHT  .
WE CAN OPEN THE BEDROOM WINDOW OPEN  .
SHE  TOOK THE BLUE-BIRD   IN HER  HANDS  .
AND  SHE CARRIED IT  TO  BEDROOM  .
DAVID  PUT ONE SMALL BOX  .
THERE  WAS A  PIECE OF CLOTH  IN  THE BOX  .
THEY PUT THE BIRD  TO THE BOX.
THEY  PUT SOME  WATER  NEAR THE BOX  .
AND THEY  PUT A  PIECE OF BREAD  .
THEN THEY   OPENED THE WINDOW  .
VERA  SAID “GOOD  NIGHT  , SMALL BIRD  ”.
THANK YOU  FOR COMING TO SEE US .
  WE  SHALL BE  HAPPY  HERE  .
I KNOW  .
THE NEXT MORNING.
THEY  LOOKED AT  IN   THE OTHER BEDROOM  .
BLUE BIRD  HAS GONE .
IN  THE HOUSE  IN  OTHER SIDE  OF  THE TOWN .
OLD EMMA  OPENED HER EYES  .
SHE  THOUGHT ABOUT HER  BLUE BIRD  .
SHE  GOT UP .
SHE BEGAN TO  DRESS .
JUST THEN .
SHE  HEARD A SMALL NOISE    BY THE WINDOW  .
BLUE BIRD  HAS SAT THERE  .
OLD  EMMA WAS VERY  HAPPY .
SHE  SAID “*BILLY “.
YOU  RETURNED .
DEAR  , SMALL BILLY .
YOU’VE COME BACK .
I’M GLAD TO SEE YOU  .
WHY  DID YOU GO AWAY  .
SHE  TOUCHED   THE BIRD  .
SHE  TRIED TO TALK .
JUST THEN.
MRS *MOONEY  CAME IN .
SHE  CRIED  ”WHAT  DID  I   SAY “.
” IT  HAS COME BACK   “.
“YES” SAID  EMMA .
IT MUST NOT GO  AGAIN  .
SHE  TOOK THE BIRD   IN  HER  HANDS  .
AND   SHE  CARRIED IT  TO  THE BIRDCAGE  .
BUT BIRD  DID NOT WANT  TO ENTER  TO  THE CAGE  .
IT FOUGHT  TO  GO AWAY .
” BIRD  DOES NOT WANT  TO ENTER  TO  THE CAGE  ”.
SAID *MOONEY .
” IT  DOESN’T LIKE  BEING SHUT UP  ”.
DO NOT PUT IT THERE.
BUT IT WILL GO AWAY .
LET IT GO,IF IT WANTS TO.
LET IT STAY BY THE WINDOW.
EMMA  ALLOWED THE BIRD GO  .
AND THE BIRD WENT AND  SAT  BY   THE WINDOW .
  IT  DID NOT GO  OUTSIDE  .
AND   IT JUST SAT  THERE.
EMMA DID NOT TRY TO PUT IT   .
IT  LIKED TO BE  IN  THE ROOM  .
THE WINDOW WAS ALWAYS OPEN .
SOMETIMES THE BIRD WENT OUTSIDE.
AND IT SAT IN A TREE.
BUT IT  ALWAYS  CAME BACK  .
ONE DAY,.
TWO  YEARS LATER .
*EMMA  WAS NOT GOOD  .
SHE HAD TO STAY  IN  THE BED  .
BLUE BIRD  SAT ON THE TABLE BY THE BED  .
BIRD  ALWAYS  SAT THERE  .
THAT NIGHT .
EMMA  OPENED HER EYES   .
AND   SHE TRIED TO  TURN ON  THE LIGHT  .
HER HAND  TOUCHED   THE SMALL BIRD  .
THEN IT  FELL DOWN  ON  THE BED   .
SHE  DID NOT MOVE  AGAIN  .
MRS *MOONEY  CAME IN THE MORNING  .
AND   SHE SPOKE   TO  *EMMA  .
BUT *EMMA  DID NOT ANSWER  HER  .
MRS *MOONEY  TOUCHED HER  .
THEN SHE  WENT QUICKLY  .
AND   SHE TELEPHONED  TO  THE DOCTOR  .
DOCTOR  CAME.
AND  HE LOOKED AT  *EMMA .
HE  SAID ” SHE  DIED IN_THE_NIGHT  ”.
” SHE  KNEW  NOTHING  ”.
“SHE  WAS VERY OLD  ”.
” SHE   LOOKS VERY QUIET “.
“AND SHE LOOKS HAPPY  NOW  ”.
MRS *MOONEY  LOOKED ALL OVER   THE ROOM  .
“WHERE IS THE BIRD  ”.
IT  WAS ALWAYS  HERE  .
IT  HAS GONE  .
DOCTOR  SAID “WINDOW IS  OPEN”.
” IT  HAS GONE  AWAY “.
OLD EMMA  LOVED  THAT BIRD .
SHE  SAID TO  ME ONCE  .
“IF  I DIE  ”.
“PLEASE  TAKE CARE OF *BILLY  ”  .
I  HAVE SAID “ALL_RIGHT “.
I’LL TAKE IT WITH ME.
BUT   I DO NOT WANT  IT  .
I DO NOT WANT  ONE BIRD  IN MY   HOUSE  .
DOCTOR  SAID “BIRD CAN TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES “.
IT  WENT TO FIND   ANOTHER HOME  .
MRS *MOONEY  LEFT THE WINDOW  OPEN  .
BUT   BLUE BIRD  NEVER  RETURN  .
IN THE SCOTT’S  HOUSE .
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TOWN.
THEIR LITTLE GIRL  WAS IN THE BED  .
SHE  WAS ONLY A  YEARS OLD  .
SHE  WAS VERY ILL  .
HER  MOTHER SAT BY THE BED  .
SHE  LOOED VERY TROUBLED  .
THE CHILD’S FACE   WAS WHITE  .
  SHE DID NOT MOVE AT ALL  .
JUST THEN,.
VERA_SCOTT HEARD A NOISE BY THE WINDOW .
THE  BLUE BIRD   SAT THERE  .
” BLUE BIRD HAS  COME BACK  ”.
” SOMETHING GOOD  MUST HAPPEN  NOW  ”.
BLUE BIRD  CAME OVER.
AND IT SAT SILENTLY  ON THE BED.
NEAR THE LITTLE GIRL  .
VERA  LOOKED AT HER   AND  WAITED  .
AFTER A TIME .
THE CHILD  OPENED HER EYES   .
SHE  LOOKED AT   THE BLUE BIRD  .
AND SHE PUT HER  HAND TO TOUCH IT .
HER MOTHER  GAVE  SOMETHING TO DRINK  .
AND SHE  FELL ASLEEP .
DOCTOR  CAME SOON  .
HE  LOOKED AT CAREFULLY THE CHILD  .
AND   HE  TOUCHED HER  .
THEN HE   TURNED  TO HER  MOTHER  .
DOCTOR  SAID “SHE, MORE, GOOD, “.
“SHE  IS BETTER “.
MUCH BETTER.
YOU CAN STOP BEING AFRAID  .
SHE  WILL LIVE  AND  GROW AGAIN  .
THEN .
HE  SAW THE BLUE BIRD  .
“WHERE  DID YOU GET THAT   BIRD  ” HE SAID.
” I DO NOT KNOW  ” SAID VERA.
IT  CAME  IN AT   THE WINDOW  NOW  .
IT CAME ONCE BEFORE .
BUT IT WENT AWAY AGAIN.
IT HAS A WHITE MARK ON ITS HEAD .
DO YOU KNOW  ANYTHING  ABOUT IT  .
DOCTOR  SAID ” I THINK  SO  ”.
HE  TOLD HER  ABOUT *EMMA  .
“THEN”.
“CAN WE KEEP BACK  THIS  ”.
DOCTOR  SAID ” WHY NOT  ”.
“NO ONE ELSE WANT  IT  ”.
VERA  SAID ” I  WANT IT “.
AS SOON AS IT CAME ,MY LITTLE GIRL WAS BETTER .
BLUE BIRD  WILL STAY  WITH US  .
AND   IT DID   .

—————————————————– 

Türkçe Çevirisi

***O(K) Kız veya Kadın için O(E) Erkek için ***
MAVİ KUŞ.
YAŞLI *EMMA BİR KÜÇÜK EVDE YAŞIYORDU.
EV KÜÇÜK BİR KASABADAYDI.
O(K) BİR YAŞLI KADINDI.
ÇOK FAZLA DIŞARI ÇIKAMIYORDU.
BAZAN O(K) HASTALANDI.
O ZAMAN O(K) YATAKTA İSTİRAHAT ETTİ.
*EMMA ÇOK KİŞİYİ GÖRMEDİ.
MRS. MOONEY İSİMLİ BİR KADIN EVE GELDİ.
O(K) EVİ TEMİZLEDİ.
O(K) *EMMA’YA BİRAZ YİYECEK GETİRDİ.
FAKAT *EMMA ÇOĞU ZAMAN YALNIZDI.
ONUN(K) ARKADAŞI BİR KÜÇÜK MAVİ KUŞTU.
KAFASINDA BİR BEYAZ BENEK VARDI.
O KUŞ KAFESİNDE YAŞADI.
DIŞARI ÇIKMAK İSTEDİĞİNDE BİR SES YAPARDI.
SES KONUŞMAYI ANDIRIRDI.
*EMMA HERGÜN KÜÇÜK KUŞLA KONUŞTU.
KUŞ ÇEŞİTLİ SESLERLE CEVAP VERDİ.
*EMMA KUŞU ÇOK SEVMİŞTİ.
O(K) KUŞU *BILLY DİYE ÇAĞIRDI.
AHALİ YENİ EVLER YAPIYORDU.
BU EVLERDE YAŞAYAN KİŞİLER GENÇTİ.
ONLARIN ÇOĞUNUN ÇOCUKLARI VARDI.
BİRGÜN MRS. MOONEY KUŞ KAFESİNİ AÇTI.
KAPIYI AÇIK BIRAKTI.
ODADA HİÇ KİMSE YOKTU.
BILLY KUŞ KAFESİNDEN ÇIKTI.
VE PENCEREDEN DIŞARI ÇIKTI.
*EMMA ODAYA GELDİĞİNDE MAVİ KUŞ GİTMİŞTİ.
ZAVALLI *EMMA ÇOK ÜZÜLDÜ.
O(K) MRS. MOONEY’İ ÇAĞIRDI.
NİÇİN KUŞ KAFESİNİN KAPISINI AÇIK BIRAKTIN.
BILLY GİTMİŞ.
O ASLA GERİ GELMEYECEK.
BAZI HAYVANLAR ONU YİYECEK.
BENİM ZAVALLI KÜÇÜK KUŞUM.
BEN NE YAPACAĞIM.
O(K) AĞLAMAYA BAŞLADI.
“ÇOK ÜZGÜNÜM” DEDİ MRS. MOONEY.
KAPIYI KAPATMAYI UNUTMUŞUM.
AĞLAMAYIN.
O TEKRAR GERİ GELECEK.
O BAŞKA YERLERİ GÖRMEYE GİTTİ.
PENCEREYİ AÇIK BIRAKIN.
O ZAMAN O YOLUNU BULABİLİR.
ZAVALLI *EMMA ÇOK MUTSUZDU.
O(E) BİR HAYVANIN *BILLY’İ YEDİĞİNİ DÜŞÜNDÜ.
O(K) BAŞKA BİRŞEY DÜŞÜNEMEDİ.
KASABANIN DİĞER TARAFINDA.
BİR AİLE BİR YENİ EVE TAŞINIYORDU.
ONLARIN İSİMLERİ *DAVID VE *VERA İDİ.
*VERA KİTAPLARI YERLEŞTİRİYORDU.
*DAVID ÇANTALARI EVE TAŞIYORDU.
GÜZEL BİR GÜNDÜ.
KÜÇÜK EV TEMİZ VE YENİ GÖRÜNDÜ.
*VERA MUTLUYDU.
EV ONUN(K) İLK EVİYDİ.
HEMEN HEMEN HEPSİ YENİYDİ.
O ESNADA O(K) PENCERE YANINDA BİR SES DUYDU.
O(K) BAKMAYA GİTTİ.
ORADA BİR KÜÇÜK MAVİ KUŞ OTURMUŞTU.
“ÇOK GÜZEL BİR KUŞ” DEDİ *VERA.
“DAVİD”.
GELİRMİSİN.
VE BU KÜÇÜK KUŞA BAKARMISIN.
DAVID ODAYA GELDİ.
VE O(E) DA BAKTI.
O “İYİ” DEDİ.
“O ÇOK İYİ”.
“MAVİ KUŞLAR İNSANLARI MUTLU EDER”.
BİZ BURADA MESUT OLACAĞIZ.
ONUN(E) KARISI GÜLDÜ.
O(K) “NE KADAR HOŞ” DEDİ.
FAKAT O NEREDEN GELDİ.
O BİZİMLE KALACAKMI.
“BİZ ONU ALIKOYAMAYIZ” DEDİ *DAVID.
BİRİSİ ONUN SAHİBİDİR.
ONLAR ONU KAYBETTİKLERİ İÇİN MUTSUZDUR.
FAKAT O NASIL GERİ DÖNEBİLİR.
O YOLU BULAMAYACAK.
“KUŞLAR ÇOK ŞEY BİLİR” DEDİ DAVID.
PENCERE AÇIK KALSIN.
OZAMAN O İSTEDİĞİ ZAMAN GİDEBİLİR.
YEMEK İÇİN BİRŞEY İSTEMELİ.
BİRAZ EKMEK GETİRECEĞİM.
ONLAR KUŞA BİRKAÇ PARÇA EKMEK VERDİ.
VE O HEPSİNİ YEDİ.
SONRA O BİRAZ SU İÇTİ.
VE SANDALYEDE UYKUYA DALDI.
*VERA VE *DAVID BÜTÜN GÜN DİĞER ODALARDA ÇALIŞTI.
GECELEYİN ONLAR KÜÇÜK KUŞU HATIRLADI.
ONLAR ÖNDEKİ ODAYA GİTTİLER VE BAKTILAR.
KUŞ HÂLÂ ORADAYDI.
“BİZ ONU DIŞARI KOYMAMIZ LAZIM” DEDİ *DAVID.
PENCEREYİ BÜTÜN GECE AÇIK BIRAKAMAYIZ.
ONU YATAK ODALARINDAN BİRİNE KOYALIM.
PENCEREYİ AÇIK BIRAKABİLİRİZ.
O(K) KÜÇÜK KUŞU ELLERİNE ALDI.
VE YATAK ODASINA GÖTÜRDÜ.
*DAVID BİR KÜÇÜK KUTU KOYDU.
KUTUNUN İÇİNDE BİR PARÇA BEZ VARDI.
KUŞU ONUN İÇİNE KOYDULAR.
ONLAR KUTUNUN YANINA BİRAZ SU KOYDULAR.
VE ONLAR BİR PARÇA EKMEK KOYDULAR.
SONRA PENCEREYİ AÇTILAR.
“İYİ GECELER, KÜÇÜK KUŞ” DEDİ *VERA.
BİZİ GÖRMEYE GELDİĞİN İÇİN TEŞEKKÜR EDERİZ .
BİZ BURADA MESUT OLACAĞIZ.
BİLİYORUM.
ERTESİ SABAH ,ONLAR DİĞER ODAYA BAKTILAR.
MAVİ KUŞ GİTMİŞTİ.
KASABANIN DİĞER TARAFINDAKİ EVDE.
YAŞLI *EMMA GÖZLERİNİ AÇTI.
O(K) MAVİ KUŞU DÜŞÜNDÜ.
ONUN YOKLUĞUNA NEKADAR ÜZÜLMÜŞTÜ.
O(K) KALKTI .
GİYİNMEYE BAŞLADI.
TAM O ESNADA.
O(K) PENCEREDEN BİR KÜÇÜK SES DUYDU.
MAVİ KUŞ ORADA OTURMUŞTU.
YAŞLI *EMMA ÇOK MUTLU OLDU.
” BILLY ” DEDİ.
SEN GERİ DÖNDÜN.
SEVGİLİ KÜÇÜK *BILLY.
SENİ GÖRDÜĞÜME MEMNUN OLDUM.
NİÇİN UZAKLAŞTIN.
O(K) KUŞA DOKUNDU.
O KONUŞMAYA ÇALIŞTI.
O ESNADA MRS. MOONEY GELDİ.
“BEN NE SÖYLEMİŞTİM” DİYE BAĞIRDI.
“O SALİMEN GERİ GELDİ”.
“EVET” DEDİ *EMMA.
TEKRAR GİTMEMELİ.
O(K) KUŞU ELLERİNE ALDI.
VE ONU KAFESE TAŞIDI.
FAKAT KUŞ KAFESE GİRMEK İSTEMEDİ.
UZAKLAŞMAYA ÇABALADI.
“KUŞ KAFESE GİRMEK İSTEMİYOR” DEDİ MRS. MOONEY.
“O KAPALI KALMAKTAN HOŞLANMIYOR”.
“ORAYA KOYMA” DEDİ.
“FAKAT TEKRAR GİDER ” DEDİ *EMMA.
“İSTERSE GİDER” DEDİ MRS MOONEY.
PENCERENİN YANINDA KALSIN.
*EMMA KUŞUN GİTMESİNE MÜSADE ETTİ.
VE KUŞ PENCERENİN YANINA OTURDU.
O DIŞARI GİTMEDİ.
VE SADECE ORADA OTURDU.
ODADA DOLAŞMAKTAN HOŞLANMIŞTI.
*EMMA ONU TEKRAR KAFESE KOYMAK İÇİN UĞRAŞMADI.
PENCERE DAİMA AÇIK KALDI.
BAZAN KUŞ DOLAŞMAYA GİTTİ .
VE BİR AĞAÇTA OTURDU.
FAKAT O DAİMA GERİ GELDİ.
İKİ YIL SONRA .
BİR GÜN *EMMA İYİ DEĞİLDİ.
YATAKTA KALMAK ZORUNDAYDI.
MAVİ KUŞ YATAĞIN YANINA OTURDU.
KUŞ DAİMA ORADA OTURDU.
O GECE *EMMA GÖZLERİNİ AÇTI.
VE IŞIĞI YAKMAYA ÇALIŞTI.
ONUN(K) ELİ KÜÇÜK KUŞA DOKUNDU.
O ZAMAN O YATAĞA GERİ DÜŞTÜ.
O(K) TEKRAR KIMILDAMADI.
MRS. MOONEY SABAHLEYİN GELDİ.
VE *EMMA’YA SESLENDİ.
FAKAT *EMMA ONA(K) CEVAP VERMEDİ.
MRS. MOONEY ONA(K) DOKUNDU.
OZAMAN O(K) ÇABUCAK GİTTİ.
VE DOKTORA TELEFON ETTİ.
DOKTOR GELDİ VE *EMMA’YA BAKTI.
O(E) “O(K) GECELEYİN ÖLMÜŞ” DEDİ.
“O(K) HİÇBİRŞEY BİLMİYORDU”.
“O(K) ÇOK YAŞLIYDI” .
“ŞİMDİ O(K) SAKİN VE MESUT GÖZÜKÜYOR”.
MRS. MOONEY ODAYA BAKTI.
“KUŞ NEREDE ” DİYE SÖYLEDİ.
O DAİMA BURADAYDI.
O GİTMİŞ.
“PENCERE AÇIK ” DEDİ DOKTOR.
“O UZAKLAŞMIŞ”.
“DOĞRU OLMAYACAK”.
YAŞLI *EMMA KUŞU ÇOK SEVMİŞTİ.
O(K) BANA DEMİŞTİ.
“EĞER ÖLÜRSEM “.
“LÜTFEN *BILLY’YE BAK”.
BEN “PEKALA” DEMİŞTİM.
ONU MEMNUN ETMEK İÇİN SÖYLEMİŞTİM.
FAKAT ONU İSTEMİYORUM.
EVİMDE BİR KUŞ İSTEMİYORUM.
FAKAT ONA KÖTÜ BİRŞEY OLMASINI İSTEMİYORUM.
“KUŞLAR KENDİLERİNE BAKABİLİRLER” DEDİ DOKTOR.
O BAŞKA BİR EV BULMAK İÇİN GİTMİŞ.
MRS. MOONEY PENCEREYİ AÇIK BIRAKTI.
FAKAT MAVİ KUŞ ASLA GERİ DÖNMEDİ.
*SCOTT’LARIN EVİNDE .
ONLARIN KIZLARI HASTAYDI.
O(K) BİR YAŞINDAYDI.
O(K) ÇOK HASTAYDI.
ONUN ANNESİ YANINA OTURMUŞTU.
O(K) ENDİŞELİ GÖRÜNÜYORDU.
ÇOCUĞUN YÜZÜ BEYAZDI.
VE O(K) HİÇ KIMILDAMIYORDU.
O ESNADA *VERA_SCOTT PENCEREDEN BİR SES DUYDU.
ORADA MAVİ KUŞ OTURMUŞTU.
MAVİ KUŞ GERİ GELDİ.
ŞİMDİ İYİ ŞEYLER VUKU BULMALI.
MAVİ KUŞ GELDİ.
SESSİZCE KIZIN YANINA OTURDU.
*VERA ONA BAKTI VE BEKLEDİ.
BİR MÜDDET SONRA ÇOCUK GÖZLERİNİ AÇTI.
O(K) MAVİ KUŞA BAKTI.
VE ELİYLE KUŞA DOKUNDU.
ONUN(K) ANNESİ İÇECEK BİRŞEY VERDİ.
VE O(K) UYKUYA DALDI.
AZ SONRA DOKTOR GELDİ.
DİKKATLE ÇOCUĞA BAKTI.
VE ONA(K) DOKUNDU.
SONRA ANNESİNE DÖNDÜ.
“O(K) DAHA İYİ” DEDİ DOKTOR.
“O(K) ÇOK DAHA İYİ”.
ARTIK ENDİŞELENME.
O(K) YAŞAYACAK VE İYİLEŞECEK.
SONRA
O(E) MAVİ KUŞU GÖRDÜ.
“BU KUŞU NEREDEN GETİRDİNİZ” DİYE SÖYLEDİ.
“BİLMİYORUM” DEDİ *VERA.
O ŞİMDİ PENCEREYE GELDİ.
DAHA ÖNCE BİR SEFER GELMİŞTİ.
FAKAT TEKRAR GERİ GİTTİ.
O AYNI KUŞ.
ONUN HAKKINDA BİRŞEY BİLİYORMUSUN.
“ÖYLE ZANNEDERİM” DEDİ DOKTOR.
O(E) ONA(K) *EMMA HAKKINDA ANLATTI.
“O ZAMAN BUNU ALIKOYABİLİRMİYİZ”.
“NİÇİN OLMASIN” DEDİ DOKTOR.
“HİÇ KİMSE ONU İSTEMİYOR”.
“BEN İSTİYORUM” DEDİ *VERA.
O GELİR GELMEZ KIZ ÇOCUĞUMUZ DAHA İYİ OLDU.
MAVİ KUŞ BİZİMLE KALACAK.
VE ONU YAPTI.

MANY BAD THINGS HAPPEN IN THIS LIFE.
EVERY DAY WE READ IN THE NEWSPAPERS.
SOMETIMES THEY HAPPEN TO US .
THEN WE THINK.
THERE ARE SOME BAD PEOPLE.
THEY ARE DOING BAD THINGS.
THEN WE GET VERY ANGRY.  
IF WE ARE ANGRY.
WE ARE UNHAPPY.
IF WE ARE UNHAPPY.
WE  MAKE   OTHER PEOPLE UNHAPPY.
NOW   YOU WILL READ A  REAL STORY.
IT HAPPENED TO ME.
I WAS GOING TO STAY WITH A FRIEND .
I WENT LIVERPOOL STATION.
I WANTED TO BUY SOMETHING IN A SHOP.
BIG STATIONS HAVE SHOPS.
I WENT INTO ONE OF THE SHOPS.
AND I BOUGHT  TWO BOOKS AND A NEWSPAPER.
THEN I WENT BACK TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STATION.
I SAT IN THE TRAIN.
I STARTED TO READ THE NEWSPAPER.
JUST THEN, I LOOKED AT MY HAND.
MY GOLD RING  WAS NOT THERE.
IT MADE SAD ME  VERY MUCH  TO LOSE THE RING .
THIS RING WAS GIVEN TO ME BY A DEAR FRIEND.
I LOOKED ON THE FLOOR OF THE TRAIN.
THEN I LOOKED IN MY COAT AND  MY HANDBAG.
“WHAT SHALL I DO” I THOUGHT.
DID I HAVE IT  IN THE SHOP.
I  HAVE LOST IT.
HOW CAN I GET IT.
I CAN’T GO BACK TO THE SHOP.
IF I DO.
THE TRAIN WILL GO WITHOUT ME.
MY FRIEND WILL  MEET THE  TRAIN.
I WENT TO THE WINDOW  OF THE TRAIN.
AND I LOOKED OUT.
A MAN WAS PUTTING SOME BAGS.
I GOT OUT OF THE TRAIN.
AND I LOOKED ON THE GROUND.
BUT THE RING WAS NOT THERE.
THE MAN SAW ME .
AND HE CAME UP TO ME.
“HAVE YOU LOST SOMETHING”  HE SAID.
“YES” I SAID.
I’VE LOST MY RING.
IT’S  NOT HERE.
I’VE LOOKED AT EVERYWHERE.
I WAS IN THE SHOP ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STATION.
IT MUST BE THERE.
BUT I CAN’T GO BACK TO LOOK FOR IT.
THE TRAIN WILL GO NOW .
“I’LL GO TO THE SHOP FOR  YOU”  THE MAN SAID .
IF THE RING IS THERE.
I’LL BRING IT TO YOU.
“IT’S VERY KIND OF YOU” I SAID.
BUT YOU  HAVE NOT  TIME.
“THE TRAIN GOES VERY SOON NOW”.
I THOUGHT  QUICKLY.
IF YOU FIND THE RING.
WILL YOU TELEPHONE TO ME.
“YES” HE ANSWERED.
I’LL TELEPHONE YOU.
HE WROTE THE ADDRESS ON A PIECE OF PAPER.
“WHAT IS YOUR NAME” I ASKED.
“MY NAME IS HAWKINS” HE SAID.
CAN I FIND YOU AGAIN ON  THIS STATION.
WHEN I COME BACK TO LONDON.
“YES” THE MAN SAID.
“I WORK ON THE TRAINS”.
“JUST ASK FOR HAWKINS”.
“IF YOU FIND THE RING”.
PLEASE TAKE CARE OF IT.
PLEASE LET ME KNOW .
IF YOU FIND IT.
PEOPLE WERE GETTING INTO THE TRAIN QUICKLY.
AND THEY WERE SHUTTING THE DOORS.
I GOT INTO THE TRAIN ,TOO.
THEN  I PUT MY HEAD OUT OF THE WINDOW.
YOU WILL REMEMBER TO TELEPHONE.
“I’LL REMEMBER ” HAWKINS ANSWERED.
THE TRAIN BEGAN TO MOVE.
“THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR.HAWKINS”.
I CALLED OUT TO HIM.
THE TRAIN WENT OUT OF THE STATION.
AND I SAT DOWN.
AND I THOUGHT ABOUT MY RING.
IT MADE ME VERY SAD .
“I SHALL NEVER SEE IT AGAIN” I THOUGHT.
IF THAT MAN HAWKINS FINDS IT.
HE CAN TAKE IT TO A SHOP.
AND HE  SELL IT FOR A LOT OF MONEY.
I SHALL NEVER HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT MY RING.
I WAS VERY SAD.
I DID NOT  WANT TO GO AWAY.
I WANTED TO GO BACK TO THE STATION.
AND I WANTED TO LOOK FOR MY RING.
BUT THE TRAIN WENT FASTER AND FASTER.
ABOUT AN HOUR LATER.
THE TRAIN STOPPED.
AND I GOT OUT.
MY FRIEND WAS THERE WITH HER CAR.
WE WENT TO HER HOUSE.
I TOLD HER MY SAD STORY.
AND SHE WAS VERY SORRY.
WE GOT TO THE HOUSE.
AND MY FRIEND WENT TO PUT THE CAR .
I TOOK OFF MY COAT.
AND I PUT MY BAG IN MY ROOM.
JUST THEN,I HEARD THE TELEPHONE.
I ANSWERED IT.
AND A MAN SPOKE.
“THIS IS HAWKINS SPEAKING” HE SAID.
“OH! MR. HAWKINS ” I SAID.
“HAVE YOU FOUND MY RING”.
“YES” HE SAID.
“IT’S ALL RIGHT”.
I’VE FOUND IT.
YOU LEFT IT IN THAT SHOP.
SOMEONE FOUND IT .
AND HE GAVE  TO THE WOMAN IN THE SHOP.
I ASKED HER ABOUT THE RING.
AND SHE SHOWED  TO ME.
IT MUST BE YOUR RING.
“I’M PLEASED” I SAID.
“THANK YOU VERY MUCH”.
“I’LL GET IT FROM YOU LATER”.
WHY WILL YOU WAIT SO LONG.
I CAN SEND  IT TO YOU.
WHERE SHALL I SEND.
BUT THAT’S A LOT OF TROUBLE FOR YOU.
“NO TROUBLE AT ALL”  HAWKINS SAID.
I’M PLEASED .
I GAVE HIM MY NAME .
“I’LL SEND IT TOMORROW” HE SAID.
THEN HE WENT AWAY.
TWO DAYS LATER.
A LETTER CAME FOR ME.
MY RING WAS IN THE LETTER.
I SENT HAWKINS SOME MONEY .
AND A LETTER OF THANKS.
BUT I COULD NOT THANK THE PEOPLE .
WHO FOUND THE RING.
I SHALL NEVER KNOW THEIR NAMES.
THEY WERE NOT RICH PEOPLE.
THEY WERE GOOD PEOPLE.

—————————————————-

Türkçe Çevirisi..

KAYIP YÜZÜK.
BU HAYATTA BİRÇOK KÖTÜ ŞEYLER VUKU BULUR.
HERGÜN BİZ GAZETELERDE BİRÇOK ŞEYLER OKURUZ.
BAZAN ONLAR BİZİM BAŞIMIZA GELİR.
ONLAR BİZE VUKU BULUR.
O ZAMAN BİZ DÜŞÜNÜRÜZ.
ETRAFTA HİÇ İYİ İNSANLAR KALMADI.
SADECE KÖTÜ İNSANLAR VAR.
ONLAR KÖTÜ ŞEYLER YAPIYORLAR.
SONRA BİZ SİNİRLENİRİZ.
ŞİMDİ BEN SİZE İYİ BİR HİKAYE ANLATACAĞIM.
O GERÇEK BİR HİKAYEDİR.
O BENİM BAŞIMA GELDİ.
KIRDA BİR ARKADAŞIMLA KALIYORDUM.
BEN LONDRA’YA TRENLE GİTTİM.
BİR DÜKKANDAN BİRŞEYLER SATIN ALMAK İSTEDİM.
BİRÇOK İSTASYONDA DÜKKANLAR VARDIR.
DÜKKANLARDAN BİRİNE GİRDİM.
BEN İKİ KİTAP VE BİR GAZETE SATIN ALDIM.
ONDAN SONRA İSTASYONUN ÖBÜR TARAFINA GİTTİM.
VE TRENE BİNDİM.
TRENDE OTURDUM.
GAZETEYİ OKUMAYA BAŞLADIM.
TAM O SIRADA .
ELİME BAKTIM.
BENİM ALTIN YÜZÜK ORADA DEĞİLDİ.
YÜZÜĞÜ KAYBETMEK BENİ ÇOK ÜZDÜ.
KIYMETLİ BİR ARKADAŞIM ONU VERMİŞTİ.
TRENİN DÖŞEMESİNE BAKTIM.
EL ÇANTAMA VE CEKETİME BAKTIM.
YÜZÜK ORADA DEĞİLDİ .
YÜZÜK ORADA YOKTU.
BEN “NE YAPACAĞIM” DİYE DÜŞÜNDÜM.
YÜZÜĞÜ DÜKKANDA BIRAKMIŞ OLMALIYIM.
EVET,YÜZÜĞÜ ORADA BIRAKTIM.
ONU NASIL GERİ ALABİLİRİM.
DÜKKANA GERİ GİDEMEM.
EĞER GERİ GİDERSEM, TRENLE GİDEMEM.
ARKADAŞIM TRENİ BEKLİYOR.
EĞER ORADA OLMAZSAM ,ARKADAŞIM ENDİŞELENİR.
BEN NE YAPACAĞIM.
TRENİN PENCERESİNE GİTTİM VE DIŞARI BAKTIM.
BİR ADAM MEKTUP TORBALARINI KOYUYORDU.
TRENDEN İNDİM VE YERE BAKTIM.
FAKAT YÜZÜK ORADA DEĞİLDİ.
ADAM BENİ BAKARKEN GÖRDÜ VE YANIMA GELDİ.
“BİRŞEY Mİ KAYBETTİNİZ” ,O DEDİ.
SİZE YARDIM EDEBİLİRMİYİM.
BEN “EVET” DEDİM.
BEN YÜZÜĞÜMÜ KAYBETTİM.
O BURADA DEĞİL.
HERYERE BAKTIM.
İSTASYONDAKİ DÜKKANDAYDIM.
YÜZÜK ORADA OLMALI.
FAKAT ONU ARAMAK İÇİN GERİ GİDEMEM.
TREN ŞİMDİ GİDECEK.
TRENE BİNMELİYİM.
ADAM “SİZİN İÇİN DÜKKANA GİDECEĞİM” DEDİ.
FAKAT SİZİN ZAMANINIZ YOK.
TREN HEMEN ŞİMDİ KALKIYOR.
BEN ÇABUCAK DÜŞÜNDÜM.
EĞER YÜZÜĞÜ BULURSANIZ ,BANA TELEFON EDEBİLİRMİSİNİZ.
O(E) “EVET” DEDİ.
SİZE TELEFON EDECEĞİM.
BEN ONA NEREYE TELEFON EDECEĞİNİ SÖYLEDİM.
VE O ONU BİR KAĞIT PARÇASINA YAZDI.
BEN “İSMİNİZ NEDİR” DİYE SORDUM.
O ” BENİM ADIM HAWKINS’DİR” DEDİ.
LONDRA’YA GERİ GELDİĞİMDE SİZİ BU İSTASYONDA BULABİLİRMİYİM.
“EVET” DEDİ ADAM.
BEN TRENLERDE ÇALIŞIRIM.
ALBERT HAWKINS DİYE SORUNUZ.
EĞER YÜZÜĞÜ BULURSANIZ ,LÜTFEN ONU MUHAFAZA EDİNİZ.
ONU BULDUĞUNUZDA BANA BİLGİ VERİN.
AHALİ TRENE ÇABUCAK BİNİYORDU.
VE KAPILARI KAPATIYORDU.
BEN DE TRENE BİNDİM.
O BEN BAŞIMI PENCEREDEN DIŞARI UZATTIM.
BEN “TELEFONUMU HATIRLIYORMUSUNUZ” DEDİM.
O(E) “HATIRLIYORUM” DİYE CEVAP VERDİ.
TREN HAREKET ETTİ.
“ÇOK TEŞEKKÜR EDERİM,MR.HAWKINS” DEDİM.
TREN İSTASYONDAN ÇIKTI.
VE BEN OTURDUM.
VE YÜZÜĞÜMÜ DÜŞÜNDÜM.
ONU BURADA BIRAKMAK BENİ ÇOK ÜZMÜŞTÜ.
“ONU BİR DAHA GÖREMEYECEĞİM” DİYE DÜŞÜNDÜM.
EĞER HAWKİNS ONU BULURSA .
ONU BİR DÜKKANA GÖTÜREBİLİR.
VE ONU BİRÇOK PARAYA SATABİLİR.
VEYA BAŞKALARI ONU BULABİLİR.
ONU SAKLAR VEYA SATAR.
BİR DAHA YÜZÜKTEN HABER ALAMAYACAĞIM.
ÇOK ÜZGÜNDÜM.
DIŞARI UZAKLAŞMAK İSTEMİYORDUM.
İSTASYONA GERİ DÖNMEK İSTEDİM.
FAKAT TREN HIZLA GİDİYORDU.
YAKLAŞIK BİR SAAT SONRA TREN DURDU.
VE TRENDEN İNDİM.
ARKADAŞIM BENİ İSTASYONDA BEKLİYORDU.
ONUN EVİNE GİTTİK.
BEN ONA(K) HİKAYEMİ ANLATTIM.
VE O ÇOK ÜZÜLDÜ.
BİZ EVE VARDIK.
ARKADAŞIM ARABASINI KOYMAK İÇİN GİTTİ.
O ANDA BİR TELEFON DUYDUM.
BEN CEVAP VERDİM.
VE BİR ADAM KONUŞTU.
LİVERPOOL İSTASYONUNDAN ALBERT HAWKINS.
“MR. HAWKİNS” DEDİM.
YÜZÜĞÜMÜ BULDUNUZMU.
O “EVET ” DEDİ.
ONU BULDUM.
SİZ ONU DÜKKANDA BIRAKMIŞINIZ.
BİRİSİ ONU BULMUŞ.
VE DÜKKANDAKİ KADINA VERMİŞ.
ONA(K) YÜZÜĞÜ BAHSETTİM.
VE O(K) BANA YÜZÜĞÜ GÖSTERDİ.
O SİZİN YÜZÜK OLMALI.
” ÇOK MEMNUN OLDUM” DEDİM.
ÇOK, ÇOK TEŞEKKÜR EDERİM.
ONU SİZDEN DAHA SONRA ALACAĞIM.
O(E) “NİÇİN BEKLİYECEKSİNİZ” DEDİ.
SİZE GÖNDEREBİLİRİM.
“FAKAT SİZE ZAHMET OLUR” DEDİM.
“HİÇ ZAHMET OLMAZ” DEDİ HAWKINS.
“ÇOK MEMNUN OLURUM”.
BEN ONA(E) ADIMI VERDİM.
O “YARIN GÖNDERECEĞİM” DEDİ.
İKİ GÜN SONRA BANA BİR MEKTUP GELDİ.
İÇİNDE BENİM YÜZÜĞÜM VARDI.
KAĞITTA ŞUNLAR YAZILIYDI.
“SİZE YARDIMCI OLDUĞUM İÇİN MEMNUNUM”.
BEN HAWKİNS’E BİRAZ PARA
VE BİR TEŞEKKÜR MEKTUPU GÖNDERDİM.
FAKAT YÜZÜĞÜ İLK BULAN KİŞİYE TEŞEKKÜR EDEMEDİM.
ONLARIN ADLARINI ÖĞRENEMEYECEĞİM.
ONLAR ZENGİN KİŞİLER DEĞİLDİ.
ONLAR İYİ KİŞİLERDİ.

One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all. And sixty cents of it was in pennies. Pennies saved one and two at a time by bulldozing the grocer and the vegetable man and the butcher until one’s cheeks burned with the silent imputation of parsimony that such close dealing implied. Three times Della counted it. One dollar and eighty- seven cents. And the next day would be Christmas.There was clearly nothing to do but flop down on the shabby little couch and howl. So Della did it. Which instigates the moral reflection that life is made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles, with sniffles predominating.

While the mistress of the home is gradually subsiding from the first stage to the second, take a look at the home. A furnished flat at $8 per week. It did not exactly beggar description, but it certainly had that word on the lookout for the mendicancy squad.

In the vestibule below was a letter-box into which no letter would go, and an electric button from which no mortal finger could coax a ring. Also appertaining thereunto was a card bearing the name “Mr. James Dillingham Young.”

The “Dillingham” had been flung to the breeze during a former period of prosperity when its possessor was being paid $30 per week. Now, when the income was shrunk to $20, though, they were thinking seriously of contracting to a modest and unassuming D. But whenever Mr. James Dillingham Young came home and reached his flat above he was called “Jim” and greatly hugged by Mrs. James Dillingham Young, already introduced to you as Della. Which is all very good.

Della finished her cry and attended to her cheeks with the powder rag. She stood by the window and looked out dully at a gray cat walking a gray fence in a gray backyard. Tomorrow would be Christmas Day, and she had only $1.87 with which to buy Jim a present. She had been saving every penny she could for months, with this result. Twenty dollars a week doesn’t go far. Expenses had been greater than she had calculated. They always are. Only $1.87 to buy a present for Jim. Her Jim. Many a happy hour she had spent planning for something nice for him. Something fine and rare and sterling–something just a little bit near to being worthy of the honor of being owned by Jim.

There was a pier-glass between the windows of the room. Perhaps you have seen a pierglass in an $8 flat. A very thin and very agile person may, by observing his reflection in a rapid sequence of longitudinal strips, obtain a fairly accurate conception of his looks. Della, being slender, had mastered the art.

Suddenly she whirled from the window and stood before the glass. her eyes were shining brilliantly, but her face had lost its color within twenty seconds. Rapidly she pulled down her hair and let it fall to its full length.

Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which they both took a mighty pride. One was Jim’s gold watch that had been his father’s and his grandfather’s. The other was Della’s hair. Had the queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window some day to dry just to depreciate Her Majesty’s jewels and gifts. Had King Solomon been the janitor, with all his treasures piled up in the basement, Jim would have pulled out his watch every time he passed, just to see him pluck at his beard from envy.

So now Della’s beautiful hair fell about her rippling and shining like a cascade of brown waters. It reached below her knee and made itself almost a garment for her. And then she did it up again nervously and quickly. Once she faltered for a minute and stood still while a tear or two splashed on the worn red carpet.

On went her old brown jacket; on went her old brown hat. With a whirl of skirts and with the brilliant sparkle still in her eyes, she fluttered out the door and down the stairs to the street.

Where she stopped the sign read: “Mne. Sofronie. Hair Goods of All Kinds.” One flight up Della ran, and collected herself, panting. Madame, large, too white, chilly, hardly looked the “Sofronie.”

“Will you buy my hair?” asked Della.

“I buy hair,” said Madame. “Take yer hat off and let’s have a sight at the looks of it.”

Down rippled the brown cascade.

“Twenty dollars,” said Madame, lifting the mass with a practised hand.

“Give it to me quick,” said Della.

Oh, and the next two hours tripped by on rosy wings. Forget the hashed metaphor. She was ransacking the stores for Jim’s present.

She found it at last. It surely had been made for Jim and no one else. There was no other like it in any of the stores, and she had turned all of them inside out. It was a platinum fob chain simple and chaste in design, properly proclaiming its value by substance alone and not by meretricious ornamentation–as all good things should do. It was even worthy of The Watch. As soon as she saw it she knew that it must be Jim’s. It was like him. Quietness and value–the description applied to both. Twenty-one dollars they took from her for it, and she hurried home with the 87 cents. With that chain on his watch Jim might be properly anxious about the time in any company. Grand as the watch was, he sometimes looked at it on the sly on account of the old leather strap that he used in place of a chain.

When Della reached home her intoxication gave way a little to prudence and reason. She got out her curling irons and lighted the gas and went to work repairing the ravages made by generosity added to love. Which is always a tremendous task, dear friends–a mammoth task.

Within forty minutes her head was covered with tiny, close-lying curls that made her look wonderfully like a truant schoolboy. She looked at her reflection in the mirror long, carefully, and critically.

“If Jim doesn’t kill me,” she said to herself, “before he takes a second look at me, he’ll say I look like a Coney Island chorus girl. But what could I do–oh! what could I do with a dollar and eighty- seven cents?”

At 7 o’clock the coffee was made and the frying-pan was on the back of the stove hot and ready to cook the chops.

Jim was never late. Della doubled the fob chain in her hand and sat on the corner of the table near the door that he always entered. Then she heard his step on the stair away down on the first flight, and she turned white for just a moment. She had a habit for saying little silent prayer about the simplest everyday things, and now she whispered: “Please God, make him think I am still pretty.”

The door opened and Jim stepped in and closed it. He looked thin and very serious. Poor fellow, he was only twenty-two–and to be burdened with a family! He needed a new overcoat and he was without gloves.

Jim stopped inside the door, as immovable as a setter at the scent of quail. His eyes were fixed upon Della, and there was an expression in them that she could not read, and it terrified her. It was not anger, nor surprise, nor disapproval, nor horror, nor any of the sentiments that she had been prepared for. He simply stared at her fixedly with that peculiar expression on his face.

Della wriggled off the table and went for him.

“Jim, darling,” she cried, “don’t look at me that way. I had my hair cut off and sold because I couldn’t have lived through Christmas without giving you a present. It’ll grow out again–you won’t mind, will you? I just had to do it. My hair grows awfully fast. Say `Merry Christmas!’ Jim, and let’s be happy. You don’t know what a nice– what a beautiful, nice gift I’ve got for you.”

“You’ve cut off your hair?” asked Jim, laboriously, as if he had not arrived at that patent fact yet even after the hardest mental labor.

“Cut it off and sold it,” said Della. “Don’t you like me just as well, anyhow? I’m me without my hair, ain’t I?”

Jim looked about the room curiously.

“You say your hair is gone?” he said, with an air almost of idiocy.

“You needn’t look for it,” said Della. “It’s sold, I tell you–sold and gone, too. It’s Christmas Eve, boy. Be good to me, for it went for you. Maybe the hairs of my head were numbered,” she went on with sudden serious sweetness, “but nobody could ever count my love for you. Shall I put the chops on, Jim?”

Out of his trance Jim seemed quickly to wake. He enfolded his Della. For ten seconds let us regard with discreet scrutiny some inconsequential object in the other direction. Eight dollars a week or a million a year–what is the difference? A mathematician or a wit would give you the wrong answer. The magi brought valuable gifts, but that was not among them. This dark assertion will be illuminated later on.

Jim drew a package from his overcoat pocket and threw it upon the table.

“Don’t make any mistake, Dell,” he said, “about me. I don’t think there’s anything in the way of a haircut or a shave or a shampoo that could make me like my girl any less. But if you’ll unwrap that package you may see why you had me going a while at first.”

White fingers and nimble tore at the string and paper. And then an ecstatic scream of joy; and then, alas! a quick feminine change to hysterical tears and wails, necessitating the immediate employment of all the comforting powers of the lord of the flat.

For there lay The Combs–the set of combs, side and back, that Della had worshipped long in a Broadway window. Beautiful combs, pure tortoise shell, with jewelled rims–just the shade to wear in the beautiful vanished hair. They were expensive combs, she knew, and her heart had simply craved and yearned over them without the least hope of possession. And now, they were hers, but the tresses that should have adorned the coveted adornments were gone.

But she hugged them to her bosom, and at length she was able to look up with dim eyes and a smile and say: “My hair grows so fast, Jim!”

And them Della leaped up like a little singed cat and cried, “Oh, oh!”

Jim had not yet seen his beautiful present. She held it out to him eagerly upon her open palm. The dull precious metal seemed to flash with a reflection of her bright and ardent spirit.

“Isn’t it a dandy, Jim? I hunted all over town to find it. You’ll have to look at the time a hundred times a day now. Give me your watch. I want to see how it looks on it.”

Instead of obeying, Jim tumbled down on the couch and put his hands under the back of his head and smiled.

“Dell,” said he, “let’s put our Christmas presents away and keep ‘em a while. They’re too nice to use just at present. I sold the watch to get the money to buy your combs. And now suppose you put the chops on.”

The magi, as you know, were wise men–wonderfully wise men–who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents. Being wise, their gifts were no doubt wise ones, possibly bearing the privilege of exchange in case of duplication. And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house. But in a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest. O all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere they are wisest. They are the magi.

THE King’s son was going to be married, so there were general rejoicings. He had waited a whole year for his bride, and at last she had arrived. She was a Russian Princess, and had driven all the way from Finland in a sledge drawn by six reindeer. The sledge was shaped like a great golden swan, and between the swan’s wings lay the little Princess herself. Her long ermine-cloak reached right down to her feet, on her head was a tiny cap of silver tissue, and she was as pale as the Snow Palace in which she had always lived. So pale was she that as she drove through the streets all the people wondered. “She is like a white rose!” they cried, and they threw down flowers on her from the balconies.

At the gate of the Castle the Prince was waiting to receive her. He had dreamy violet eyes, and his hair was like fine gold. When he saw her he sank upon one knee, and kissed her hand.

“Your picture was beautiful,” he murmured, “but you are more beautiful than your picture”; and the little Princess blushed.

“She was like a white rose before,” said a young Page to his neighbour, “but she is like a red rose now”; and the whole Court was delighted.

For the next three days everybody went about saying, “White rose, Red rose, Red rose, White rose”; and the King gave orders that the Page’s salary was to be doubled. As he received no salary at all this was not of much use to him, but it was considered a great honour, and was duly published in the Court Gazette.

When the three days were over the marriage was celebrated. It was a magnificent ceremony, and the bride and bridegroom walked hand in hand under a canopy of purple velvet embroidered with little pearls. Then there was a State Banquet, which lasted for five hours. The Prince and Princess sat at the top of the Great Hall and drank out of a cup of clear crystal. Only true lovers could drink out of this cup, for if false lips touched it, it grew grey and dull and cloudy.

“It’s quite clear that they love each other,” said the little Page, “as clear as crystal!” and the King doubled his salary a second time. “What an honour!” cried all the courtiers.

After the banquet there was to be a Ball. The bride and bridegroom were to dance the Rose-dance together, and the King had promised to play the flute. He played very badly, but no one had ever dared to tell him so, because he was the King. Indeed, he knew only two airs, and was never quite certain which one he was playing; but it made no matter, for, whatever he did, everybody cried out, “Charming! charming!”

The last item on the programme was a grand display of fireworks, to be let off exactly at midnight. The little Princess had never seen a firework in her life, so the King had given orders that the Royal Pyrotechnist should be in attendance on the day of her marriage.

“What are fireworks like?” she had asked the Prince, one morning, as she was walking on the terrace.

“They are like the Aurora Borealis,” said the King, who always answered questions that were addressed to other people, “only much more natural. I prefer them to stars myself, as you always know when they are going to appear, and they are as delightful as my own flute-playing. You must certainly see them.”

So at the end of the King’s garden a great stand had been set up, and as soon as the Royal Pyrotechnist had put everything in its proper place, the fireworks began to talk to each other.

“The world is certainly very beautiful,” cried a little Squib. “Just look at those yellow tulips. Why! if they were real crackers they could not be lovelier. I am very glad I have travelled. Travel improves the mind wonderfully, and does away with all one’s prejudices.”

“The King’s garden is not the world, you foolish squib,” said a big Roman Candle; “the world is an enormous place, and it would take you three days to see it thoroughly.”

“Any place you love is the world to you,” exclaimed a pensive Catherine Wheel, who had been attached to an old deal box in early life, and prided herself on her broken heart; “but love is not fashionable any more, the poets have killed it. They wrote so much about it that nobody believed them, and I am not surprised. True love suffers, and is silent. I remember myself once ­­ But it is no matter now. Romance is a thing of the past.”

“Nonsense!” said the Roman Candle, “Romance never dies. It is like the moon, and lives for ever. The bride and bridegroom, for instance, love each other very dearly. I heard all about them this morning from a brown-paper cartridge, who happened to be staying in the same drawer as myself, and knew the latest Court news.”

But the Catherine Wheel shook her head. “Romance is dead, Romance is dead, Romance is dead,” she murmured. She was one of those people who think that, if you say the same thing over and over a great many times, it becomes true in the end.

Suddenly, a sharp, dry cough was heard, and they all looked round.

It came from a tall, supercilious-looking Rocket, who was tied to the end of a long stick. He always coughed before he made any observation, so as to attract attention.

“Ahem! ahem!” he said, and everybody listened except the poor Catherine Wheel, who was still shaking her head, and murmuring, “Romance is dead.”

“Order! order!” cried out a Cracker. He was something of a politician, and had always taken a prominent part in the local elections, so he knew the proper Parliamentary expressions to use.

“Quite dead,” whispered the Catherine Wheel, and she went off to sleep.

As soon as there was perfect silence, the Rocket coughed a third time and began. He spoke with a very slow, distinct voice, as if he was dictating his memoirs, and always looked over the shoulder of the person to whom he was talking. In fact, he had a most distinguished manner.

“How fortunate it is for the King’s son,” he remarked, “that he is to be married on the very day on which I am to be let off. Really, if it had been arranged beforehand, it could not have turned out better for him; but, Princes are always lucky.”

“Dear me!” said the little Squib, “I thought it was quite the other way, and that we were to be let off in the Prince’s honour.”

“It may be so with you,” he answered; “indeed, I have no doubt that it is, but with me it is different. I am a very remarkable Rocket, and come of remarkable parents. My mother was the most celebrated Catherine Wheel of her day, and was renowned for her graceful dancing. When she made her great public appearance she spun round nineteen times before she went out, and each time that she did so she threw into the air seven pink stars. She was three feet and a half in diameter, and made of the very best gunpowder. My father was a Rocket like myself, and of French extraction. He flew so high that the people were afraid that he would never come down again. He did, though, for he was of a kindly disposition, and he made a most brilliant descent in a shower of golden rain. The newspapers wrote about his performance in very flattering terms. Indeed, the Court Gazette called him a triumph of Pylotechnic art.”

“Pyrotechnic, Pyrotechnic, you mean,” said a Bengal Light; “I know it is Pyrotechnic, for I saw it written on my own canister.”

“Well, I said Pylotechnic,” answered the Rocket, in a severe tone of voice, and the Bengal Light felt so crushed that he began at once to bully the little squibs, in order to show that he was still a person of some importance.

“I was saying,” continued the Rocket, “I was saying ­­ What was I saying?”

“You were talking about yourself,” replied the Roman Candle.

“Of course; I knew I was discussing some interesting subject when I was so rudely interrupted. I hate rudeness and bad manners of every kind, for I am extremely sensitive. No one in the whole world is so sensitive as I am, I am quite sure of that.”

“What is a sensitive person?” said the Cracker to the Roman Candle.

“A person who, because he has corns himself, always treads on other people’s toes,” answered the Roman Candle in a low whisper; and the Cracker nearly exploded with laughter.

“Pray, what are you laughing at?” inquired the Rocket; “I am not laughing.”

“I am laughing because I am happy,” replied the Cracker.

“That is a very selfish reason,” said the Rocket angrily. “What right have you to be happy? You should be thinking about others. In fact, you should be thinking about me. I am always thinking about myself, and I expect everybody else to do the same. That is what is called sympathy. It is a beautiful virtue, and I possess it in a high degree. Suppose, for instance, anything happened to me tonight, what a misfortune that would be for every one! The Prince and Princess would never be happy again, their whole married life would be spoiled; and as for the King, I know he would not get over it. Really, when I begin to reflect on the importance of my position, I am almost moved to tears.”

“If you want to give pleasure to others,” cried the Roman Candle, “you had better keep yourself dry.”

“Certainly,” exclaimed the Bengal Light, who was now in better spirits; “that is only common sense.”

“Common sense, indeed!” said the Rocket indignantly; “you forget that I am very uncommon, and very remarkable. Why, anybody can have common sense, provided that they have no imagination. But I have imagination, for I never think of things as they really are; I always think of them as being quite different. As for keeping myself dry, there is evidently no one here who can at all appreciate an emotional nature. Fortunately for myself, I don’t care. The only thing that sustains one through life is the consciousness of the immense inferiority of everybody else, and this is a feeling that I have always cultivated. But none of you have any hearts. Here you are laughing and making merry just as if the Prince and Princess had not just been married.”

“Well, really,” exclaimed a small Fire-balloon, “why not? It is a most joyful occasion, and when I soar up into the air I intend to tell the stars all about it. You will see them twinkle when I talk to them about the pretty bride.”

“Ah! what a trivial view of life!” said the Rocket; “but it is only what I expected. There is nothing in you; you are hollow and empty. Why, perhaps the Prince and Princess may go to live in a country where there is a deep river, and perhaps they may have one only son, a little fair-haired boy with violet eyes like the Prince himself; and perhaps some day he may go out to walk with his nurse; and perhaps the nurse may go to sleep under a great elder-tree; and perhaps the little boy may fall into the deep river and be drowned. What a terrible misfortune! Poor people, to lose their only son! It is really too dreadful! I shall never get over it.”

“But they have not lost their only son,” said the Roman Candle; “no misfortune has happened to them at all.”

“I never said that they had,” replied the Rocket; “I said that they might. If they had lost their only son there would be no use in saying anything more about the matter. I hate people who cry over spilt milk. But when I think that they might lose their only son, I certainly am very much affected.”

“You certainly are!” cried the Bengal Light. “In fact, you are the most affected person I ever met.”

“You are the rudest person I ever met,” said the Rocket, “and you cannot understand my friendship for the Prince.”

“Why, you don’t even know him,” growled the Roman Candle.

“I never said I knew him,” answered the Rocket. “I dare say that if I knew him I should not be his friend at all. It is a very dangerous thing to know one’s friends.”

“You had really better keep yourself dry,” said the Fire-balloon. “That is the important thing.”

“Very important for you, I have no doubt,” answered the Rocket, “but I shall weep if I choose”; and he actually burst into real tears, which flowed down his stick like rain-drops, and nearly drowned two little beetles, who were just thinking of setting up house together, and were looking for a nice dry spot to live in.

“He must have a truly romantic nature,” said the Catherine Wheel, “for he weeps when there is nothing at all to weep about”; and she heaved a deep sigh, and thought about the deal box.

But the Roman Candle and the Bengal Light were quite indignant, and kept saying, “Humbug! humbug!” at the top of their voices. They were extremely practical, and whenever they objected to anything they called it humbug.

Then the moon rose like a wonderful silver shield; and the stars began to shine, and a sound of music came from the palace.

The Prince and Princess were leading the dance. They danced so beautifully that the tall white lilies peeped in at the window and watched them, and the great red poppies nodded their heads and beat time.

Then ten o’clock struck, and then eleven, and then twelve, and at the last stroke of midnight every one came out on the terrace, and the King sent for the Royal Pyrotechnist.

“Let the fireworks begin,” said the King; and the Royal Pyrotechnist made a low bow, and marched down to the end of the garden. He had six attendants with him, each of whom carried a lighted torch at the end of a long pole.

It was certainly a magnificent display.

Whizz! Whizz! went the Catherine Wheel, as she spun round and round. Boom! Boom! went the Roman Candle. Then the Squibs danced all over the place, and the Bengal Lights made everything look scarlet. “Good-bye,” cried the Fire-balloon, as he soared away, dropping tiny blue sparks. Bang! Bang! answered the Crackers, who were enjoying themselves immensely. Every one was a great success except the Remarkable Rocket. He was so damp with crying that he could not go off at all. The best thing in him was the gunpowder, and that was so wet with tears that it was of no use. All his poor relations, to whom he would never speak, except with a sneer, shot up into the sky like wonderful golden flowers with blossoms of fire. Huzza! Huzza! cried the Court; and the little Princess laughed with pleasure.

“I suppose they are reserving me for some grand occasion,” said the Rocket; “no doubt that is what it means,” and he looked more supercilious than ever.

The next day the workmen came to put everything tidy. “This is evidently a deputation,” said the Rocket; “I will receive them with becoming dignity” so he put his nose in the air, and began to frown severely as if he were thinking about some very important subject. But they took no notice of him at all till they were just going away. Then one of them caught sight of him. “Hallo!” he cried, “what a bad rocket!” and he threw him over the wall into the ditch.

“BAD Rocket? BAD Rocket?” he said, as he whirled through the air; “impossible! GRAND Rocket, that is what the man said. BAD and GRAND sound very much the same, indeed they often are the same”; and he fell into the mud.

“It is not comfortable here,” he remarked, “but no doubt it is some fashionable watering-place, and they have sent me away to recruit my health. My nerves are certainly very much shattered, and I require rest.”

Then a little Frog, with bright jewelled eyes, and a green mottled coat, swam up to him.

“A new arrival, I see!” said the Frog. “Well, after all there is nothing like mud. Give me rainy weather and a ditch, and I am quite happy. Do you think it will be a wet afternoon? I am sure I hope so, but the sky is quite blue and cloudless. What a pity!”

“Ahem! ahem!” said the Rocket, and he began to cough.

“What a delightful voice you have!” cried the Frog. “Really it is quite like a croak, and croaking is of course the most musical sound in the world. You will hear our glee-club this evening. We sit in the old duck pond close by the farmer’s house, and as soon as the moon rises we begin. It is so entrancing that everybody lies awake to listen to us. In fact, it was only yesterday that I heard the farmer’s wife say to her mother that she could not get a wink of sleep at night on account of us. It is most gratifying to find oneself so popular.”

“Ahem! ahem!” said the Rocket angrily. He was very much annoyed that he could not get a word in.

“A delightful voice, certainly,” continued the Frog; “I hope you will come over to the duck-pond. I am off to look for my daughters. I have six beautiful daughters, and I am so afraid the Pike may meet them. He is a perfect monster, and would have no hesitation in breakfasting off them. Well, good-bye: I have enjoyed our conversation very much, I assure you.”

“Conversation, indeed!” said the Rocket. “You have talked the whole time yourself. That is not conversation.”

“Somebody must listen,” answered the Frog, “and I like to do all the talking myself. It saves time, and prevents arguments.”

“But I like arguments,” said the Rocket.

“I hope not,” said the Frog complacently. “Arguments are extremely vulgar, for everybody in good society holds exactly the same opinions. Good-bye a second time; I see my daughters in the distance and the little Frog swam away.

“You are a very irritating person,” said the Rocket, “and very ill-bred. I hate people who talk about themselves, as you do, when one wants to talk about oneself, as I do. It is what I call selfishness, and selfishness is a most detestable thing, especially to any one of my temperament, for I am well known for my sympathetic nature. In fact, you should take example by me; you could not possibly have a better model. Now that you have the chance you had better avail yourself of it, for I am going back to Court almost immediately. I am a great favourite at Court; in fact, the Prince and Princess were married yesterday in my honour. Of course you know nothing of these matters, for you are a provincial.”

“There is no good talking to him,” said a Dragon-fly, who was sitting on the top of a large brown bulrush; “no good at all, for he has gone away.”

“Well, that is his loss, not mine,” answered the Rocket. “I am not going to stop talking to him merely because he pays no attention. I like hearing myself talk. It is one of my greatest pleasures. I often have long conversations all by myself, and I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I am saying.”

“Then you should certainly lecture on Philosophy,” said the Dragon-fly; and he spread a pair of lovely gauze wings and soared away into the sky.

“How very silly of him not to stay here!” said the Rocket. “I am sure that he has not often got such a chance of improving his mind. However, I don’t care a bit. Genius like mine is sure to be appreciated some day”; and he sank down a little deeper into the mud.

After some time a large White Duck swam up to him. She had yellow legs, and webbed feet, and was considered a great beauty on account of her waddle.

“Quack, quack, quack,” she said. “What a curious shape you are! May I ask were you born like that, or is it the result of an accident?”

“It is quite evident that you have always lived in the country,” answered the Rocket, “otherwise you would know who I am. However, I excuse your ignorance. It would be unfair to expect other people to be as remarkable as oneself. You will no doubt be surprised to hear that I can fly up into the sky, and come down in a shower of golden rain.”

“I don’t think much of that,” said the Duck, “as I cannot see what use it is to any one. Now, if you could plough the fields like the ox, or draw a cart like the horse, or look after the sheep like the collie-dog, that would be something.”

“My good creature,” cried the Rocket in a very haughty tone of voice, “I see that you belong to the lower orders. A person of my position is never useful. We have certain accomplishments, and that is more than sufficient. I have no sympathy myself with industry of any kind, least of all with such industries as you seem to recommend. Indeed, I have always been of opinion that hard work is simply the refuge of people who have nothing whatever to do.”

“Well, well,” said the Duck, who was of a very peaceable disposition, and never quarrelled with any one, “everybody has different tastes. I hope, at any rate, that you are going to take up your residence here.”

“Oh! dear no,” cried the Rocket. “I am merely a visitor, a distinguished visitor. The fact is that I find this place rather tedious. There is neither society here, nor solitude. In fact, it is essentially suburban. I shall probably go back to Court, for I know that I am destined to make a sensation in the world.”

“I had thoughts of entering public life once myself,” remarked the Duck; “there are so many things that need reforming. Indeed, I took the chair at a meeting some time ago, and we passed resolutions condemning everything that we did not like. However, they did not seem to have much effect. Now I go in for domesticity, and look after my family.”

“I am made for public life,” said the Rocket, “and so are all my relations, even the humblest of them. Whenever we appear we excite great attention. I have not actually appeared myself, but when I do so it will be a magnificent sight. As for domesticity, it ages one rapidly, and distracts one’s mind from higher things.”

“Ah! the higher things of life, how fine they are!” said the Duck; “and that reminds me how hungry I feel”: and she swam away down the stream, saying, “Quack, quack, quack.”

“Come back! come back!” screamed the Rocket, “I have a great deal to say to you”; but the Duck paid no attention to him. “I am glad that she has gone,” he said to himself, “she has a decidedly middle-class mind”; and he sank a little deeper still into the mud, and began to think about the loneliness of genius, when suddenly two little boys in white smocks came running down the bank, with a kettle and some faggots.

“This must be the deputation,” said the Rocket, and he tried to look very dignified.

“Hallo!” cried one of the boys, “look at this old stick! I wonder how it came here”; and he picked the rocket out of the ditch.

“OLD Stick!” said the Rocket, “impossible! GOLD Stick, that is what he said. Gold Stick is very complimentary. In fact, he mistakes me for one of the Court dignitaries!”

“Let us put it into the fire!” said the other boy, “it will help to boil the kettle.”

So they piled the faggots together, and put the Rocket on top, and lit the fire.

“This is magnificent,” cried the Rocket, “they are going to let me off in broad day-light, so that every one can see me.”

“We will go to sleep now,” they said, “and when we wake up the kettle will be boiled”; and they lay down on the grass, and shut their eyes.

The Rocket was very damp, so he took a long time to burn. At last, however, the fire caught him.

“Now I am going off!” he cried, and he made himself very stiff and straight. “I know I shall go much higher than the stars, much higher than the moon, much higher than the sun. In fact, I shall go so high that ­­ “

Fizz! Fizz! Fizz! and he went straight up into the air.

“Delightful!” he cried, “I shall go on like this for ever. What a success I am!”

But nobody saw him.

Then he began to feel a curious tingling sensation all over him.

“Now I am going to explode,” he cried. “I shall set the whole world on fire, and make such a noise that nobody will talk about anything else for a whole year.” And he certainly did explode. Bang! Bang! Bang! went the gunpowder. There was no doubt about it.

But nobody heard him, not even the two little boys, for they were sound asleep.

Then all that was left of him was the stick, and this fell down on the back of a Goose who was taking a walk by the side of the ditch.

“Good heavens!” cried the Goose. “It is going to rain sticks”; and she rushed into the water.

“I knew I should create a great sensation,” gasped the Rocket, and he went out.