theShepherdessandtheSweep byHansChristianAndersen（1845） HAVEyoueverseenanoldwoodencupboardquiteblackwithage，andornamentedwithcarvedfoliageandcuriousfiguresWell，justsuchacupboardstoodinaparlor，andhadbeenlefttothefamilyasalegacybytheGREat-grandmother.Itwascoveredfromtoptobottomwithcarvedrosesandtulips；
themostcuriousscrollsweredrawnuponit，andoutofthempeepedlittlestagsheads，withantlers.Inthemiddleofthecupboarddoorwasthecarvedfigureofamanmostridiculoustolookat.Hegrinnedatyou，fornoonecouldcallitlaughing.Hehadgoatslegs，littlehornsonhishead，andalongbeard；
thechildrenintheroomalwayscalledhim， “Majorgeneral-field-sergeant-commanderBilly-goats-legs.”Itwascertainlyaverydifficultnametopronounce，andthereareveryfewwhoeverreceivesuchatitle，butthenitseemedwonderfulhowhecametobecarvedatall；
yettherehewas，alwayslookingatthetableunderthelooking-glass，wherestoodaveryprettylittleshepherdessmadeofchina.Hershoesweregilt，andherdresshadaredroseoranornament.Sheworeahat，andcarriedacrook，thatwerebothgilded，andlookedverybrightandpretty.Closebyhersidestoodalittlechimney-sweep，asblackascoal，andalsomadeofchina.Hewas，however，quiteascleanandneatasanyotherchinafigure；
heonlyrepresentedablackchimney-sweep，andthechinaworkersmightjustaswellhavemadehimaprince，hadtheyfeltinclinedtodoso.Hestoodholdinghisladderquitehandily，andhisfacewasasfairandrosyasagirls；
indeed，thatwasratheramistake，itshouldhavehadsomeblackmarksonit.Heandtheshepherdesshadbeenplacedclosetogether，sidebyside；
and，beingsoplaced，theybecameengagedtoeachother，fortheywereverywellsuited，beingbothmadeofthesamesortofchina，andbeingequallyfragile.Closetothemstoodanotherfigure，threetimesaslargeastheywere，andalsomadeofchina.HewasanoldChinaman，whocouldnodhishead，andusedtopretendthathewasthegrandfatheroftheshepherdess，althoughhecouldnotproveit.Hehoweverassumedauthorityoverher，andthereforewhen“Major-general-field-sergeant-commanderBilly-goats-legs”askedforthelittleshepherdesstobehiswife，henoddedhisheadtoshowthatheconsented. “Youwillhaveahusband，”saidtheoldChinamantoher， “whoIreallybelieveismadeofmahogany.HewillmakeyoualadyofMajor-general-field-sergeant-commanderBilly-goats-legs.Hehasthewholecupboardfullofsilverplate，whichhekeepslockedupinsecretdrawers.” “Iwontgointothedarkcupboard，”saidthelittleshepherdess. “Ihaveheardthathehaselevenchinawivestherealready.” “thenyoushallbethetwelfth，”saidtheoldChinaman. “To-nightassoonasyouheararattlingintheoldcupboard，youshallbemarried，astrueasIamaChinaman；
”andthenhenoddedhisheadandfellasleep. thenthelittleshepherdesscried，andlookedathersweetheart，thechinachimney-sweep. “Imustentreatyou，”saidshe， “togooutwithmeintothewideworld，forwecannotstayhere.” “Iwilldowhateveryouwish，”saidthelittlechimney-sweep；
“letusgoimmediatelyIthinkIshallbeabletomaintainyouwithmyprofession.” “Ifwewerebutsafelydownfromthetable”saidshe；
“Ishallnotbehappytillwearereallyoutintheworld.” thenhecomfortedher，andshowedherhowtoplaceherlittlefootonthecarvededgeandgilt-leafornamentsofthetable.Hebroughthislittleladdertohelpher，andsotheycontrivedtoreachthefloor.Butwhentheylookedattheoldcupboard，theysawitwasallinanuproar.Thecarvedstagspushedouttheirheads，raisedtheirantlers，andtwistedtheirnecks.Themajor-generalsprungupintheair；
andcriedouttotheoldChinaman， “Theyarerunningawaytheyarerunningaway”Thetwowereratherfrightenedatthis，sotheyjumpedintothedrawerofthewindow-seat.Herewerethreeorfourpacksofcardsnotquitecomplete，andadollstheatre，whichhadbeenbuiltupveryneatly.Acomedywasbeingperedinit，andallthequeensofdiamonds，clubs，andhearts，，andspades，satinthefirstrowfanningthemselveswithtulips，andbehindthemstoodalltheknaves，showingthattheyhadheadsaboveandbelowasplayingcardsgenerallyhave.Theplaywasabouttwolovers，whowerenotallowedtomarry，andtheshepherdessweptbecauseitwassolikeherownstory. “Icannotbearit，”saidshe， “Imustgetoutofthedrawer；
”butwhentheyreachedthefloor，andcasttheireyesonthetable，therewastheoldChinamanawakeandshakinghiswholebody，tillallatoncedownhecameonthefloor， “plump.” “TheoldChinamaniscoming，”criedthelittleshepherdessinafright，anddownshefellononeknee. “Ihavethoughtofsomething，”saidthechimney-sweep；
“letusgetintotheGREatpot-pourrijarwhichstandsinthecorn