Have you ever seen an old wooden cupboard quite black with age, and ornamented¹ with carved foliage³ and curious figures? Well, just such a cupboard stood in a parlor⁴, and had been left to the family as a legacy⁵ by the great-grandmother. It was covered from top to bottom with carved roses and tulips; the most curious scrolls⁶ were drawn⁷ upon it, and out of them peeped little stags' heads, with antlers. In the middle of the cupboard door was the carved figure of a man most ridiculous to look at. He grinned at you, for no one could call it laughing. He had goat's legs, little horns on his head, and a long beard; the children in the room always called him, "Major general-field-sergeant-commander Billy-goat's-legs." It was certainly a very difficult name to pronounce, and there are very few who ever receive such a title, but then it seemed wonderful how he came to be carved at all; yet there he was, always looking at the table under the looking-glass, where stood a very pretty little shepherdess made of china. Her shoes were gilt⁸, and her dress had a red rose or an ornament². She wore a hat, and carried a crook⁹, that were both gilded¹⁰, and looked very bright and pretty. Close by her side stood a little chimney-sweep, as black as coal, and also made of china. He was, however, quite as clean and neat as any other china figure; he only represented a black chimney-sweep, and the china workers might just as well have made him a prince, had they felt inclined to do so. He stood holding his ladder quite handily, and his face was as fair and

分享到：