Anne Lisbeth Page #4

Anne Lisbeth is a classic fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen about a beautiful young woman who becomes a wet nurse for a Count's child to climb the social ladder. Her own child, born at the same time, is abandoned and dies accidentally. Anne Lisbeth forgets about him until her death, when his ghost comes back to torment her. The tale is a poignant commentary on social status, responsibility, and consequence.

• Children

								

this other half which was now held fast in the deep water.

Anne Lisbeth returned to her home, but she was no longer the woman
she had been.  Her thoughts were like a confused, tangled skein; only
one thread, only one thought was clear to her, namely that she must
carry the spectre of the sea-shore to the churchyard, and dig a
grave for him there; that by so doing she might win back her soul.
Many a night she was missed from her home, and was always found on the
sea-shore waiting for the spectre.

In this way a whole year passed; and then one night she vanished
again, and was not to be found.  The whole of the next day was spent in
a useless search after her.

Towards evening, when the clerk entered the church to toll the
vesper bell, he saw by the altar Anne Lisbeth, who had spent the whole
day there.  Her powers of body were almost exhausted, but her eyes
flashed brightly, and on her cheeks was a rosy flush.  The last rays of
the setting sun shone upon her, and gleamed over the altar upon the
shining clasps of the Bible, which lay open at the words of the
prophet Joel, "Rend your hearts and not your garments, and turn unto
the Lord."

"That was just a chance," people said; but do things happen by
chance?  In the face of Anne Lisbeth, lighted up by the evening sun,
could be seen peace and rest.  She said she was happy now, for she
had conquered.  The spectre of the shore, her own child, had come to
her the night before, and had said to her, "Thou hast dug me only half
a grave: but thou hast now, for a year and a day, buried me altogether
in thy heart, and it is there a mother can best hide her child!" And
then he gave her back her lost soul, and brought her into the
church.  "Now I am in the house of God," she said, "and in that house
we are happy."

When the sun set, Anne Lisbeth's soul had risen to that region
where there is no more pain; and Anne Lisbeth's troubles were at an
end.
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