A Christmas Greeting A Series of Stories   By: Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875)

PUBLISHED BY JAMES MILLER, 522 BROADWAY, N. Y.

MAGNET STORIES, For Summer Days and Winter Nights. SECOND SERIES.

IMPULSE AND PRINCIPLE, AND OTHER STORIES. BY MISS ABBOTT.

THE PRIVATE PURSE, And other Stories. BY MRS. S. C. HALL.

TURNS OF FORTUNE And other Stories. BY MRS. S. C. HALL.

Published By James Miller, 522 Broadway.

PHILIP GREY, OR THREE MONTHS AT SEA. BY PETER PARLEY.

Hans Andersen's Wonderful Tales. ILLUSTRATED.

HANS ANDERSEN'S STORY BOOK. ILLUSTRATED.

Hans Andersen's Fairy Tales. ILLUSTRATED.

GULLIVER'S TRAVELS. New Edition. Illustrated.

ESOP'S FABLES. New Edition. Illustrated.

Aunt Carrie's Rhymes for Children.

LIFE OF GEO. WASHINGTON. With Illustrations by Darley.

[Illustration: "The Dream of Little Tuk."] THE DREAM OF LITTLE TUK.

Hans Andersen's Library.

A CHRISTMAS GREETING: A Series of Stories, BY HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN ILLUSTRATED.

[Illustration: "Children Dancing."]

Published by James Miller, 522 Broadway.

A CHRISTMAS GREETING

A Series of Stories,

BY HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

[Illustration: "Man Carrying Firewood."]

New York:

(Successor to C.S. Francis & Co.)

Published by James Miller,

522 Broadway.

TO

CHARLES DICKENS, Esq.

I am again in my quiet Danish home, but my thoughts are daily in dear England, where, a few months ago, my many friends transformed for me reality into a charming story.

Whilst occupied with a greater work, there sprung forth as the flowers spring forth in the forest seven short stories. I feel a desire, a longing, to transplant in England the first produce of my poetic garden, as a Christmas greeting: and I send it to you, my dear, noble, Charles Dickens, who by your works had been previously dear to me, and since our meeting have taken root for ever in my heart.

Your hand was the last that pressed mine on England's coast: it was you who from her shores wafted me the last farewell. It is therefore natural that I should send to you, from Denmark, my first greeting again, as sincerely as an affectionate heart can convey it.

Hans Christian Andersen.

Copenhagen. 6th December, 1847.

The first seven in this volume.

CONTENTS,

I. The Old House

II. The Drop of Water

III. The Happy Family

IV. The Story of a Mother

V. The False Collar

VI. The Shadow

VII. The Old Street Lamp

VIII. The Dream of Little Tuk

IX. The Naughty Boy

X. The Two Neighboring Families

XI. The Darning Needle

XII. The Little Match Girl

XIII. The Red Shoes

XIV. To The Young Readers

THE OLD HOUSE.

In the street, up there, was an old, a very old house, it was almost three hundred years old, for that might be known by reading the great beam on which the date of the year was carved: together with tulips and hop binds there were whole verses spelled as in former times, and over every window was a distorted face cut out in the beam. The one story stood forward a great way over the other; and directly under the eaves was a leaden spout with a dragon's head; the rain water should have run out of the mouth, but it ran out of the belly, for there was a hole in the spout.