The Poor Woman and the Little Canary BirdBy :
Hans Christian AndersenThere was a miserably poor woman. She was very sad, for she hadnothing to eat, and her husband was dead and had to be buried,but she was so poor that she could not afford to buy a coffin.And no one would help her, not a single person, and so she weptand prayed to the good Lord to help her, for He is so good to usall.The window was open, and a tiny little bird flew into the room.It was a canary bird that had escaped from its cage and flownover all the rooftops, and now, having come in through the poorwoman's window, it sat by the head of the dead man and sang sobeautifully. It was as if it wanted to say to the woman, "Youmust no be so sad. Can't you hear how happy I am!"And the poor woman took some bread crumbs in her hand and calledto the little bird. It hopped over to her and ate the crumbs. Itwas so sweet.Then there was a knock on the door. A woman entered, and when shesaw the little canary bird that had flown in through the window,she said, "This is surely the bird that was written about in thenewspaper today. It has flown away from some people down thestreet."And so the miserably poor woman went to the people with thelittle bird, and they were very happy to see it again. They askedher where she had found it, and she told them it had flown inthrough her window, had sat by her dead husband, and had sung sobeautifully that she had stopped crying, although she was so poorshe could not buy a coffin for her husband, and had nothing atall to eat.And the people felt very sorry for her. They were so good, and sohappy to have the bird back. They bought a coffin for her deadhusband, and said to the poor woman that she must come to theirhome every day and eat and drink with them. She was very happy,and thanked the good Lord for having sent the little canary birdto her when she had been so sad
