1、the Shepherd's Story of the Bond of Friendshipby Hans Christian Andersen（1842） the little dwelling in which we lived was of clay，but the door-posts were columns of fluted marble，found near the spot on which it stood. The roofsloped nearly to the ground. It was at this timedark， brow
2、n， and ugly， but had originally beenformed of blooming olive and laurel branches，brought from beyond the mountains. The house wassituated in a narrow gorge， whose rocky walls roseto a perpendicular height， naked and black， while round their summits clouds often hung，looking like whit
3、e living figures. Not a singing bird was ever heard there， neither did men danceto the sound of the pipe. The spot was one sacred to olden times； even its name recalled amemory of the days when it was called “Delphi.” Then the summits of the dark， sacredmountains were covered with sn
4、ow， and the highest， mount Parnassus， glowed longest inthe red evening light. The brook which rolled from it near our house， was also sacred. Howwell I can remember every spot in that deep， sacred solitude！ A fire had been kindled in themidst of the hut， and while the hot ashes lay t
5、here red and glowing， the bread was baked inthem. At times the snow would be piled so high around our hut as almost to hide it， and thenmy mother appeared most cheerful. She would hold my head between her hands， and singthe songs she never sang at other times， for the Turks， our mast
6、ers， would not allow it.She sang，— “On the summit of mount Olympus， in a forest of dwarf firs， lay an old stag. His eyeswere heavy with tears， and glittering with colors like dewdrops； and there came by aroebuck， and said， 'What ailest thee， that thou weepest blue and red tears？' An
7、d the staganswered， 'The Turk has come to our city； he has wild dogs for the chase， a goodly pack.' 'Iwill drive them away across the islands！' cried the young roebuck； 'I will drive them awayacross the islands into the deep sea.' But before evening the roebuck was slain， and beforen
