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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676
ANNE LISBETH
she could not recollect what it was she had dreamed, but she remembered that it had been something dreadful.
The coffee was taken, and they had a chat together; and then Anne Lisbeth went away towards the little town where she was to meet the carrier, and to drive back with him to her own home. But when she came to speak to him, he said he should not be ready to start before the evening of the next day. She began to think about the expense and the length of the way, and when she considered that the route by the sea-shore was shorter by two miles than the other, and that the weather was clear and the moon shone, she determined to make her way on foot, that she might be at home by next day.
The sun had set, and the evening bells were still ringing ; but no, it was not the bells, but the cry of the frogs in the marshes. Now they were silent, and all around was still; not a bird was heard, for they were all gone to rest; and even the owl seemed to be at home : deep silence reigned on the margin of the forest and by the sea-shore. As Anne Lisbeth walked on she could hear her own footsteps on the sand ; there was no sound of waves in the sea ; every­thing out in the deep waters had sunk to silence. All was quiet there, the living and the dead.
Anne Lisbeth walked on ' thinking of nothing at all,' as the saying is, or rather, her thoughts wandered; but her thoughts had not wandered away from her, for they are never absent from us, they only slumber, both those which have been alive but have gone to rest again, and those which have not yet stirred. But the thoughts come forth at their time, and begin to stir sometimes in the heart and some­times in the head, or seem to come upon us from above.
It is written that a good deed bears its fruit of blessing, and it is also written that sin is death. Much has been written and much has been said which one does not know or think of; and thus it was with Anne Lisbeth. But it may happen that a light arises within one ; it is quite possible.
All virtues and all vices lie in our hearts. They are in mine and in thine ; they lie there like little invisible grains of seed ; and then from without comes a ray of sunshine or the touch of an evil hand, or maybe you turn the corner