文档介绍：1872
FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
THE ANGEL
by Hans Christian Andersen
"WHENEVER a good child dies, an angel of es down from
heaven, takes the dead child in his arms, spreads out his great
white wings, and flies with him over all the places which the child
had loved during his life. Then he gathers a large handful of flowers,
which he carries up to the Almighty, that they may bloom more brightly
in heaven than they do on earth. And the Almighty presses the
flowers to His heart, but He kisses the flower that pleases Him
best, and it receives a voice, and is able to join the song of the
chorus of bliss."
These words were spoken by an angel of God, as he carried a dead
child up to heaven, and the child listened as if in a dream. Then they
passed over well-known spots, where the little one had often played,
and through beautiful gardens full of lovely flowers.
"Which of these shall we take with us to heaven to be transplanted
there?" asked the angel.
Close by grew a slender, beautiful, rose-bush, but some wicked
hand had broken the stem, and the half-opened rosebuds hung faded
and withered on the trailing branches.
"Poor rose-bush!" said the child, "let us take it with us to
heaven, that it may bloom above in God's garden."
The angel took up the rose-bush; then he kissed the child, and the
little one half opened his eyes. The angel gathered also s