The Snowdrop · page 31 2 3201"See," said the angel, pointing to the wonderful straw, "this is what the poor woman has brought.202What dost thou bring?203I know thou hast accomplished nothing, not even made a single brick.204Even if thou couldst return, and at least produce so much, very likely, when made, the brick would be useless, unless done with a good will, which is always something.205But thou canst not return to earth, and I can do nothing for thee."206Then the poor soul, the old mother who had lived in the house on the dyke, pleaded for him.207She said, "His brother made all the stone and bricks, and sent them to me to build my poor little dwelling, which was a great deal to do for a poor woman like me.208Could not all these bricks and pieces be as a wall of stone to prevail for him?209It is an act of mercy; he is wanting it now; and here is the very fountain of mercy."210"Then," said the angel, "thy brother, he who has been looked upon as the meanest of you all, he whose honest deeds to thee appeared so humble,--it is he who has sent you this heavenly gift.211Thou shalt not be turned away.212Thou shalt have permission to stand without the gate and reflect, and repent of thy life on earth; but thou shalt not be admitted here until thou hast performed one good deed of repentance, which will indeed for thee be something."213"I could have expressed that better," thought the critic; but he did not say it aloud, which for him was SOMETHING, after all.1 2 3← previousOf the Palace of the Snow Queen and What Happened There At Lastnext →Soup From a Sausage Skewer↑ back to Fairy Tales of Hans Christian AndersenThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/177/page/3/