The Complete Fairy Tales & Other Stories
By Hans Christian Andersen - online book

Oxford Complete Illustrated Edition all his stories written between 1835 and 1872.

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	THE METAL PIG                         177 its shining snout, and drank the "fresh water in deep draughts. Close by lay a few leaves oŁ>,salad and one or two chestnuts ; these were his supper. No one was in the street but himself—it belonged to him alone, and so he boldly sat down on the Pig's back, bent forward, so that his curly head rested on the head of the animal, and before he was aware fell asleep. It was midnight. The Metal Pig stirred, and he heard it say quite distinctly, ' You little boy, hold tight, for now I am going to run,' and away it ran with him. This was a wonderful ride. First they got to the Piazza del Granduca,
	and the metal horse which carries the Duke's statue neighed loudly, the painted coats of arms on the old council-house looked like transparent pictures, and Michael Angelo's ' David' swung his sling : there was a strange life stirring among them. The metal groups representing Perseus, and the rape of the Sabines, stood there only too much alive : a cry of mortal fear escaped them, and resounded over the splendid lonely square. By the Palazzo degli Uffizi, in the arcade, where the nobility assemble for the Carnival amusements, the Metal Pig stopped. ' Hold tight,' said the creature, ' for now we are going upstairs.' The little boy spoke not a word, for he was half frightened, half delighted.