1、the Child in the Graveby Hans Christian Andersen（1859） IT was a very sad day， and every heart in thehouse felt the deepest grief； for the youngestchild， a boy of four years old， the joy and hope ofhis parents， was dead. Two daughters， the elderof whom was going t
2、o be confirmed， stillremained： they were both good， charming girls；but the lost child always seems the dearest； andwhen it is youngest， and a son， it makes the trialstill more heavy. The sisters mourned as young hearts can mourn， and were especially grievedat the
3、sight of their parents' sorrow. The father's heart was bowed down， but the mothersunk completely under the deep grief. Day and night she had attended to the sick child，nursing and carrying it in her bosom， as a part of herself. She could not realize the fact thatt
4、he child was dead， and must be laid in a coffin to rest in the ground. She thought God couldnot take her darling little one from her； and when it did happen notwithstanding her hopes andher belief， and there could be no more doubt on the subject， she said in her f
5、everishagony，“God does not know it. He has hard-hearted ministering spirits on earth， who doaccording to their own will， and heed not a mother's prayers.” Thus in her GREat grief shefell away from her faith in God， and dark thoughts arose in her mind respecting de
6、ath and afuture state. She tried to believe that man was but dust， and that with his life all existenceended. But these doubts were no support to her， nothing on which she could rest， and shesunk into the fathomless depths of despair. In her darkest hours she ceas
7、ed to weep， andthought not of the young daughters who were still left to her. The tears of her husband fell onher forehead， but she took no notice of him； her thoughts were with her dead child； herwhole existence seemed wrapped up in the remembrances of the little
8、 one and of everyinnocent word it had uttered. the day of the little child's funeral came. For nights previously the mother had not slept，but in the mo
