The Metal Pig · page 21 2101This made the woman angry, and she scolded him and threatened him, which made him very unhappy, and he went and sat in his own room full of sad thoughts.102This chamber looked upon the street, in which hung skins to dry, and there were thick iron bars across his window.103That night he lay awake, thinking of the Metal Pig; indeed, it was always in his thoughts.104Suddenly he fancied he heard feet outside going pit-a-pat.105He sprung out of bed and went to the window.106Could it be the Metal Pig?107But there was nothing to be seen; whatever he had heard had passed already.108Next morning, their neighbor, the artist, passed by, carrying a paint-box and a large roll of canvas.109"Help the gentleman to carry his box of colors," said the woman to the boy; and he obeyed instantly, took the box, and followed the painter.110They walked on till they reached the picture gallery, and mounted the same staircase up which he had ridden that night on the Metal Pig.111He remembered all the statues and pictures, the beautiful marble Venus, and again he looked at the Madonna with the Saviour and St. John.112They stopped before the picture by Bronzino, in which Christ is represented as standing in the lower world, with the children smiling before Him, in the sweet expectation of entering heaven; and the poor boy smiled, too, for here was his heaven.113"You may go home now," said the painter, while the boy stood watching him, till he had set up his easel.114"May I see you paint?" asked the boy; "may I see you put the picture on this white canvas?"115"I am not going to paint yet," replied the artist; then he brought out a piece of chalk.116His hand moved quickly, and his eye measured the great picture; and though nothing appeared but a faint line, the figure of the Saviour was as clearly visible as in the colored picture.117"Why don't you go?" said the painter.118Then the boy wandered home silently, and seated himself on the table, and learned to sew gloves.119But all day long his thoughts were in the picture gallery; and so he pricked his fingers and was awkward.120But he did not tease Bellissima.121When evening came, and the house door stood open, he slipped out.122It was a bright, beautiful, starlight evening, but rather cold.123Away he went through the already-deserted streets, and soon came to the Metal Pig; he stooped down and kissed its shining nose, and then seated himself on its back.124"You happy creature," he said; "how I have longed for you! we must take a ride to-night."125But the Metal Pig lay motionless, while the fresh stream gushed forth from its mouth.126The little boy still sat astride on its back, when he felt something pulling at his clothes.127He looked down, and there was Bellissima, little smooth-shaven Bellissima, barking as if she would have said, "Here I am too; why are you sitting there?"128A fiery dragon could not have frightened the little boy so much as did the little dog in this place. "129Bellissima in the street, and not dressed!" as the old lady called it; "what would be the end of this?"130The dog never went out in winter, unless she was attired in a little lambskin coat which had been made for her; it was fastened round the little dog's neck and body with red ribbons, and was decorated with rosettes and little bells.131The dog looked almost like a little kid when she was allowed to go out in winter, and trot after her mistress.132And now here she was in the cold, and not dressed.133Oh, how would it end?134All his fancies were quickly put to flight; yet he kissed the Metal Pig once more, and then took Bellissima in his arms.135The poor little thing trembled so with cold, that the boy ran homeward as fast as he could.136"What are you running away with there?" asked two of the police whom he met, and at whom the dog barked. "137Where have you stolen that pretty dog?" they asked; and they took it away from him.138"Oh, I have not stolen it; do give it to me back again," cried the boy, despairingly.139"If you have not stolen it, you may say at home that they can send to the watch-house for the dog."140Then they told him where the watch-house was, and went away with Bellissima.141Here was a dreadful trouble.142The boy did not know whether he had better jump into the Arno, or go home and confess everything.143They would certainly kill him, he thought.144"Well, I would gladly be killed," he reasoned; "for then I shall die, and go to heaven:" and so he went home, almost hoping for death.145The door was locked, and he could not reach the knocker.146No one was in the street; so he took up a stone, and with it made a tremendous noise at the door.147"Who is there?" asked somebody from within.148"It is I," said he. "149Bellissima is gone.150Open the door, and then kill me."151Then indeed there was a great panic.152Madame was so very fond of Bellissima.153She immediately looked at the wall where the dog's dress usually hung; and there was the little lambskin.154"Bellissima in the watch-house!" she cried. "155You bad boy! how did you entice her out?156Poor little delicate thing, with those rough policemen! and she'll be frozen with cold."157Giuseppe went off at once, while his wife lamented, and the boy wept.158Several of the neighbors came in, and amongst them the painter.159He took the boy between his knees, and questioned him; and, in broken sentences, he soon heard the whole story, and also about the Metal Pig, and the wonderful ride to the picture-gallery, which was certainly rather incomprehensible.160The painter, however, consoled the little fellow, and tried to soften the lady's anger; but she would not be pacified till her husband returned with Bellissima, who had been with the police.161Then there was great rejoicing, and the painter caressed the boy, and gave him a number of pictures.162Oh, what beautiful pictures these were!--figures with funny heads; and, above all, the Metal Pig was there too.163Oh, nothing could be more delightful.164By means of a few strokes, it was made to appear on the paper; and even the house that stood behind it had been sketched in.165Oh, if he could only draw and paint!166He who could do this could conjure all the world before him.167The first leisure moment during the next day, the boy got a pencil, and on the back of one of the other drawings he attempted to copy the drawing of the Metal Pig, and he succeeded.168Certainly it was rather crooked, rather up and down, one leg thick, and another thin; still it was like the copy, and he was overjoyed at what he had done.169The pencil would not go quite as it ought,--he had found that out; but the next day he tried again.170A second pig was drawn by the side of the first, and this looked a hundred times better; and the third attempt was so good, that everybody might know what it was meant to represent.171And now the glovemaking went on but slowly.172The orders given by the shops in the town were not finished quickly; for the Metal Pig had taught the boy that all objects may be drawn upon paper; and Florence is a picture-book in itself for any one who chooses to turn over its pages.173On the Piazza dell Trinita stands a slender pillar, and upon it is the goddess of Justice, blindfolded, with her scales in her hand.174She was soon represented on paper, and it was the glovemaker's boy who placed her there.175His collection of pictures increased; but as yet they were only copies of lifeless objects, when one day Bellissima came gambolling before him: "Stand still," cried he, "and I will draw you beautifully, to put amongst my collection."176But Bellissima would not stand still, so she must be bound fast in one position.177He tied her head and tail; but she barked and jumped, and so pulled and tightened the string, that she was nearly strangled; and just then her mistress walked in.178"You wicked boy! the poor little creature!" was all she could utter.179She pushed the boy from her, thrust him away with her foot, called him a most ungrateful, good-for-nothing, wicked boy, and forbade him to enter the house again.180Then she wept, and kissed her little half-strangled Bellissima.181At this moment the painter entered the room.182* * * * *183In the year 1834 there was an exhibition in the Academy of Arts at Florence.184Two pictures, placed side by side, attracted a large number of spectators.185The smaller of the two represented a little boy sitting at a table, drawing; before him was a little white poodle, curiously shaven; but as the animal would not stand still, it had been fastened with a string to its head and tail, to keep it in one position.186The truthfulness and life in this picture interested every one.187The painter was said to be a young Florentine, who had been found in the streets, when a child, by an old glovemaker, who had brought him up.188The boy had taught himself to draw: it was also said that a young artist, now famous, had discovered talent in the child just as he was about to be sent away for having tied up madame's favorite little dog, and using it as a model.189The glovemaker's boy had also become a great painter, as the picture proved; but the larger picture by its side was a still greater proof of his talent.190It represented a handsome boy, clothed in rags, lying asleep, and leaning against the Metal Pig in the street of the Porta Rosa.191All the spectators knew the spot well.192The child's arms were round the neck of the Pig, and he was in a deep sleep.193The lamp before the picture of the Madonna threw a strong, effective light on the pale, delicate face of the child.194It was a beautiful picture.195A large gilt frame surrounded it, and on one corner of the frame a laurel wreath had been hung; but a black band, twined unseen among the green leaves, and a streamer of crape, hung down from it; for within the last few days the young artist had--died.1 2← previousThe Marsh King's Daughter, part 6next →The Money-box↑ back to Fairy Tales of Hans Christian AndersenThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/89/page/2/