--- title: The Clerk's Transformation — Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen · full text with trees · page 2 description: The Clerk's Transformation, «Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen» by H. C. Andersen: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: The watchman, whom we of course have not forgotten, thought, after a while, of the goloshes which he had found and taken to th --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/page/2/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/) / The Clerk's Transformation # The Clerk's Transformation · page 2 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/) **2** - [101](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/101/) — The boys carried him into a very elegant room, where a stout, pleasant-looking lady received them, but she was not at all gratified to find that they had brought a lark--a common field-bird as she called it. - [102](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/102/) — However, she allowed them for one day to place the bird in an empty cage that hung near the window. " - [103](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/103/) — It will please Polly perhaps," she said, laughing at a large gray parrot, who was swinging himself proudly on a ring in a handsome brass cage. " - [104](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/104/) — It is Polly's birthday," she added in a simpering tone, "and the little field-bird has come to offer his congratulations." - [105](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/105/) — Polly did not answer a single word, he continued to swing proudly to and fro; but a beautiful canary, who had been brought from his own warm, fragrant fatherland, the summer previous, began to sing as loud as he could. - [106](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/106/) — "You screamer!" said the lady, throwing a white handkerchief over the cage. - [107](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/107/) — "Tweet, tweet," sighed he, "what a dreadful snowstorm!" and then he became silent. - [108](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/108/) — The clerk, or as the lady called him the field-bird, was placed in a little cage close to the canary, and not far from the parrot. - [109](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/109/) — The only human speech which Polly could utter, and which she sometimes chattered forth most comically, was "Now let us be men." - [110](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/110/) — All besides was a scream, quite as unintelligible as the warbling of the canary-bird, excepting to the clerk, who being now a bird, could understand his comrades very well. - [111](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/111/) — "I flew beneath green palm-trees, and amidst the blooming almond-trees," sang the canary. " - [112](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/112/) — I flew with my brothers and sisters over beautiful flowers, and across the clear, bright sea, which reflected the waving foliage in its glittering depths; and I have seen many gay parrots, who could relate long and delightful stories. - [113](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/113/) — "They were wild birds," answered the parrot, "and totally uneducated. - [114](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/114/) — Now let us be men. - [115](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/115/) — Why do you not laugh? - [116](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/116/) — If the lady and her visitors can laugh at this, surely you can. - [117](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/117/) — It is a great failing not to be able to appreciate what is amusing. - [118](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/118/) — Now let us be men." - [119](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/119/) — "Do you remember," said the canary, "the pretty maidens who used to dance in the tents that were spread out beneath the sweet blossoms? - [120](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/120/) — Do you remember the delicious fruit and the cooling juice from the wild herbs?" - [121](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/121/) — "Oh, yes," said the parrot; "but here I am much better off. - [122](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/122/) — I am well fed, and treated politely. - [123](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/123/) — I know that I have a clever head; and what more do I want? - [124](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/124/) — Let us be men now. - [125](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/125/) — You have a soul for poetry. - [126](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/126/) — I have deep knowledge and wit. - [127](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/127/) — You have genius, but no discretion. - [128](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/128/) — You raise your naturally high notes so much, that you get covered over. - [129](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/129/) — They never serve me so. - [130](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/130/) — Oh, no; I cost them something more than you. - [131](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/131/) — I keep them in order with my beak, and fling my wit about me. - [132](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/132/) — Now let us be men. - [133](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/133/) — "O my warm, blooming fatherland," sang the canary bird, "I will sing of thy dark-green trees and thy quiet streams, where the bending branches kiss the clear, smooth water. - [134](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/134/) — I will sing of the joy of my brothers and sisters, as their shining plumage flits among the dark leaves of the plants which grow wild by the springs." - [135](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/135/) — "Do leave off those dismal strains," said the parrot; "sing something to make us laugh; laughter is the sign of the highest order of intellect. - [136](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/136/) — Can a dog or a horse laugh? - [137](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/137/) — No, they can cry; but to man alone is the power of laughter given. - [138](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/138/) — Ha! ha! ha!" laughed Polly, and repeated his witty saying, "Now let us be men." - [139](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/139/) — "You little gray Danish bird," said the canary, "you also have become a prisoner. - [140](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/140/) — It is certainly cold in your forests, but still there is liberty there. - [141](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/141/) — Fly out! they have forgotten to close the cage, and the window is open at the top. - [142](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/142/) — Fly, fly!" - [143](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/143/) — Instinctively, the clerk obeyed, and left the cage; at the same moment the half-opened door leading into the next room creaked on its hinges, and, stealthily, with green fiery eyes, the cat crept in and chased the lark round the room. - [144](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/144/) — The canary-bird fluttered in his cage, and the parrot flapped his wings and cried, "Let us be men;" the poor clerk, in the most deadly terror, flew through the window, over the houses, and through the streets, till at length he was obliged to seek a resting-place. - [145](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/145/) — A house opposite to him had a look of home. - [146](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/146/) — A window stood open; he flew in, and perched upon the table. - [147](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/147/) — It was his own room. " - [148](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/148/) — Let us be men now," said he, involuntarily imitating the parrot; and at the same moment he became a clerk again, only that he was sitting on the table. " - [149](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/149/) — Heaven preserve us!" said he; "How did I get up here and fall asleep in this way? - [150](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/150/) — It was an uneasy dream too that I had. - [151](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/151/) — The whole affair appears most absurd." [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/44/) **2** - ← previous: [The Eventful Moment--a Most Unusual Journey](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/43/) - next →: [The Best Thing the Goloshes Did](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/45/) - ↑ back to [Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/)