The darning-needle 织补针

THEDARNING-NEEDLE织补针

THEREwasonceadarning-needlewhothoughtherselfsofinethatshefanciedshemustbefitforembroidery."Holdmetight,"shewouldsaytothefingers,whentheytookherup,"don’tletmefall;ifyoudoIshallneverbefoundagain,Iamsoveryfine."
"Thatisyouropinion,isit?"saidthefingers,astheyseizedherroundthebody.
"See,Iamcomingwithatrain,"saidthedarning-needle,drawingalongthreadafterher;buttherewasnoknotinthethread.
Thefingersthenplacedthepointoftheneedleagainstthecook’sslipper.Therewasacrackintheupperleather,whichhadtobesewntogether.
"Whatcoarsework!"saidthedarning-needle,"Ishallnevergetthrough.Ishallbreak!-Iambreaking!"andsureenoughshebroke."DidInotsayso?"saidthedarning-needle,"IknowIamtoofineforsuchworkasthat."
"Thisneedleisquiteuselessforsewingnow,"saidthefingers;buttheystillhelditfast,andthecookdroppedsomesealing-waxontheneedle,andfastenedherhandkerchiefwithitinfront.
"SonowIamabreast-pin,"saidthedarning-needle;"IknewverywellIshouldcometohonorsomeday:meritissuretorise;"andshelaughed,quietlytoherself,forofcoursenooneeversawadarning-needlelaugh.Andthereshesatasproudlyasifshewereinastatecoach,andlookedallaroundher."MayIbeallowedtoaskifyouaremadeofgold?"sheinquiredofherneighbor,apin;"youhaveaveryprettyappearance,andacurioushead,althoughyouarerathersmall.
Youmusttakepainstogrow,foritisnoteveryonewhohassealing-waxdroppeduponhim;"andasshespoke,thedarning-needledrewherselfupsoproudlythatshefelloutofthehandkerchiefrightintothesink,whichthecookwascleaning."NowIamgoingonajourney,"saidtheneedle,asshefloatedawaywiththedirtywater,"IdohopeIshallnotbelost."Butshereallywaslostinagutter."Iamtoofineforthisworld,"saidthedarning-needle,asshelayinthegutter;"butIknowwhoIam,andthatisalwayssomecomfort."Sothedarning-needlekeptupherproudbehavior,anddidnotlosehergoodhumor.Thentherefloatedoverherallsortsofthings,-chipsandstraws,andpiecesofoldnewspaper."Seehowtheysail,"saidthedarning-needle;"theydonotknowwhatisunderthem.Iamhere,andhereIshallstick.See,theregoesachip,thinkingofnothingintheworldbuthimself-onlyachip.There’sastrawgoingbynow;howheturnsandtwistsabout!Don’tbethinkingtoomuchofyourself,oryoumaychancetorunagainstastone.Thereswimsapieceofnewspaper;whatiswrittenuponithasbeenforgottenlongago,andyetitgivesitselfairs.Isitherepatientlyandquietly.IknowwhoIam,soIshallnotmove."
Onedaysomethinglyingclosetothedarning-needleglitteredsosplendidlythatshethoughtitwasadiamond;yetitwasonlyapieceofbrokenbottle.Thedarning-needlespoketoit,becauseitsparkled,andrepresentedherselfasabreast-pin."Isupposeyouarereallyadiamond?"shesaid."Whyyes,somethingofthekind,"hereplied;andsoeachbelievedtheothertobeveryvaluable,andthentheybegantotalkabouttheworld,andtheconceitedpeopleinit."Ihavebeeninalady’swork-box,"saidthedarning-needle,"andthisladywasthecook.Shehadoneachhandfivefingers,andanythingsoconceitedasthesefivefingersIhaveneverseen;andyettheywereonlyemployedtotakemeoutoftheboxandtoputmebackagain."
"Weretheynothigh-born?"
"High-born!"saidthedarning-needle,"noindeed,butsohaughty.Theywerefivebrothers,allbornfingers;theykeptveryproudlytogether,thoughtheywereofdifferentlengths.
Theonewhostoodfirstintherankwasnamedthethumb,hewasshortandthick,andhadonlyonejointinhisback,andcouldthereforemakebutonebow;buthesaidthatifhewerecutofffromaman’shand,thatmanwouldbeunfitforasoldier.Sweet-tooth,hisneighbor,dippedhimselfintosweetorsour,pointedtothesunandmoon,andformedtheletterswhenthefingerswrote.Longman,themiddlefinger,lookedovertheheadsofalltheothers.Gold-band,thenextfinger,woreagoldencircleroundhiswaist.AndlittlePlaymandidnothingatall,andseemedproudofit.Theywereboasters,andboasterstheywillremain;andthereforeIleftthem."
"Andnowwesithereandglitter,"saidthepieceofbrokenbottle.Atthesamemomentmorewaterstreamedintothegutter,sothatitoverflowed,andthepieceofbottlewascarriedaway.
"Soheispromoted,"saidthedarning-needle,"whileIremainhere;Iamtoofine,butthatismypride,andwhatdoIcare?"Andsoshesatthereinherpride,andhadmanysuchthoughtsasthese,-"IcouldalmostfancythatIcamefromasunbeam,Iamsofine.Itseemsasifthesunbeamswerealwayslookingformeunderthewater.Ah!Iamsofinethatevenmymothercannotfindme.HadIstillmyoldeye,whichwasbrokenoff,IbelieveIshouldweep;butno,Iwouldnotdothat,itisnotgenteeltocry."
Onedayacoupleofstreetboyswerepaddlinginthegutter,fortheysometimesfoundoldnails,farthings,andothertreasures.Itwasdirtywork,buttheytookgreatpleasureinit."Hallo!"criedone,asheprickedhimselfwiththedarning-needle,"here’safellowforyou."
"Iamnotafellow,Iamayounglady,"saidthedarning-needle;butnooneheardher.
Thesealing-waxhadcomeoff,andshewasquiteblack;butblackmakesapersonlookslender,soshethoughtherselfevenfinerthanbefore.
"Herecomesanegg-shellsailingalong,"saidoneoftheboys;sotheystuckthedarning-needleintotheegg-shell.
"Whitewalls,andIamblackmyself,"saidthedarning-needle,"thatlookswell;nowIcanbeseen,butIhopeIshallnotbesea-sick,orIshallbreakagain."Shewasnotsea-sick,andshedidnotbreak."Itisagoodthingagainstsea-sicknesstohaveasteelstomach,andnottoforgetone’sownimportance.Nowmysea-sicknesshaspast:delicatepeoplecanbearagreatdeal."
Crackwenttheegg-shell,asawaggonpassedoverit."Goodheavens,howitcrushes!"saidthedarning-needle."Ishallbesicknow.Iambreaking!"butshedidnotbreak,thoughthewaggonwentoverherasshelayatfulllength;andthereletherlie.

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