a
large town, so away she flew to Copenhagen.

There one beheld a large house, painted with many bright colors, quite
close to the canal, in which lay many barges laden with earthen pots
and apples. The windows were broader below than above, and when the
sparrow pressed through, every room appeared like a tulip, with the
most varied colors and shades, but in the middle of the tulip white
men were standing: they were of marble, some, too, were of plaister;
but when viewed with a sparrow's eyes, they are the same. Up above on
the roof stood a metal chariot, with metal horses harnessed to it; and
the goddess of victory, also of metal, held the reins. It was
_Thorwaldsen's Museum._

"How it shines! How it shines!'' said the old maiden sparrow. That,
doubtless, is 'the beautiful.' Chirrup! But here it is larger than a
peacock!" She remembered still what her mother, when she was a child,
had looked upon as the grandest among all beautiful things. The
sparrow fled down into the court: all was so magnificent. Palms and
foliage were painted on the walls. In the middle of the court stood a
large, blooming rose-tree; it spread out its fresh branches, with its
many roses, over a grave. Thither flew the old maiden sparrow, for she
saw there many of her sort. "Chirrup!" and three scrapes with the left
leg. Thus had she often saluted, from one year's end to the other, and
nobody had answered the greeting--for those who are once separated do
not meet again every day--till at last the salutation had grown into a
habit. But to-day, however, two old sparrows and one young one
answered with a "Chirrup!" and with a thrice-repeated scrape of the
left leg.

"Ah, good day, good day!" It was two old birds from the nest, and a
little one besides, of the family. "That we should meet here! It is a
very grand sort of place, but there is nothing to eat here: that is
'the beautiful!' Chirrup!"

And many persons advanced from the side apartments, where the
magnificent marble figures stood, and approached the grave that hid
the great master who had formed the marble figures. All stood with,
glorified countenances around Thorwaldsen's grave, and some picked up
the shed rose-leaves and carefully guarded them. They had come from
far--one from mighty England, others from Germany and France: the most
lovely lady gathered one of the roses and hid it in her bosom. Then
the sparrows thought that the roses governed here, and that the whole
house had been