n the world."

Then he comforted her, and showed her how to place her little foot
on the carved edge and gilt-leaf ornaments of the table. He brought
his little ladder to help her, and so they contrived to reach the
floor. But when they looked at the old cupboard, they saw it was all
in an uproar. The carved stags pushed out their heads, raised their
antlers, and twisted their necks. The major-general sprung up in the
air; and cried out to the old Chinaman, "They are running away! they
are running away!" The two were rather frightened at this, so they
jumped into the drawer of the window-seat. Here were three or four
packs of cards not quite complete, and a doll's theatre, which had
been built up very neatly. A comedy was being performed in it, and all
the queens of diamonds, clubs, and hearts, and spades, sat in the
first row fanning themselves with tulips, and behind them stood all
the knaves, showing that they had heads above and below as playing
cards generally have. The play was about two lovers, who were not
allowed to marry, and the shepherdess wept because it was so like
her own story. "I cannot bear it," said she, "I must get out of the
drawer;" but when they reached the floor, and cast their eyes on the
table, there was the old Chinaman awake and shaking his whole body,
till all at once down he came on the floor, "plump." "The old Chinaman
is coming," cried the little shepherdess in a fright, and down she
fell on one knee.

"I have thought of something," said the chimney-sweep; "let us get
into the great pot-pourri jar which stands in the corner; there we can
lie on rose-leaves and lavender, and throw salt in his eyes if he
comes near us."

"No, that will never do," said she, "because I know that the
Chinaman and the pot-pourri jar were lovers once, and there always
remains behind a feeling of good-will between those who have been so
intimate as that. No, there is nothing left for us but to go out
into the wide world."

"Have you really courage enough to go out into the wide world with
me?" said the chimney-sweep; "have you thought how large it is, and
that we can never come back here again?"

"Yes, I have," she replied.

When the chimney-sweep saw that she was quite firm, he said, "My
way is through the stove and up the chimney. Have you courage to creep
with me through the fire-box, and the iron pipe? When we get to the
chimney I shall know how to manage very well. We shall soon climb
too high for a