Chapter 6 magic rocket

magic rocket The king's son is getting married, so there will be celebrations throughout the country.He has waited a whole day for his bride Years later, she finally came.She was a Russian princess who had come all the way from Finland in a sleigh drawn by six reindeer. The sleigh looked like a huge golden swan, and the little princess rested between the two wings of the swan.that long mink fur The coat fell down to her heels, and on her head she wore a little hat of silver wire, and she was as pale as she had always been. The color of the inhabited Snow Palace.She was so pale that people along the street sighed in amazement as she drove through the street:

"She's like a white rose!" and they threw flowers at her from the balconies. At the gate of the castle the prince was waiting for her arrival.He has dreamy purple eyes and a golden head send.As soon as he saw her coming, he dropped on one knee and kissed her hand. "Your picture is so beautiful," he said softly, "but you are more beautiful than the picture." The little princess blushed suddenly up. "She was like a white rose before," said a young guard to those around her, "but now she is like a red rose." up. "Everyone in the palace was extremely happy.

For the next three days everyone said, "White roses, red roses; red roses, white roses." The guard's salary was doubled.However, he was not paid at all, so the order to increase salary did not affect him in any way. However, it was considered a great honor and was routinely published in the court newspaper. Three days later the wedding ceremony took place.This is a grand ceremony, the bride and groom in a purple embroidered with small pearls They walked hand in hand under a canopy of black velvet.A state banquet followed, which lasted five hours.prince and princess sitting in hall

On the first seat, drink from a pure crystal cup.Only sincere lovers can drink from this cup, because as long as hypocrisy As soon as my lips touch the glass, the glass becomes dull and dull. "It can be seen at a glance that they love each other," said the little guard, "as pure as crystal!" Wang again ordered a raise in his salary. "What a great honor!" the ministers shouted in unison. After the feast there was a ball, in which the bride and groom were to dance together, and the king promised to play the flute for them.he blows very No, but no one dares to say that to him, because he is the king of a country.Seriously, he only knows two tunes, and never

Haven't figured out which one he was playing, but it doesn't matter, because no matter what he is playing, people will shout crazy Call: "Great! Great!" The final event of the show was a grand display of fireworks, which was scheduled for exactly midnight.little princess life The fireworks were not seen, so the king ordered the royal fireworkers to be present at the wedding in person in order to set off the fireworks. "What do fireworks look like?" the little princess asked the prince one morning as she was walking on the terrace. "They're like the Northern Lights," said the king, who always liked to answer questions for others, "only more natural. I would have

People prefer fireworks to stars because you always know when they're going to appear and they're as beautiful as my flute wonderful.You should definitely check them out. " In this way, a large platform was erected at the end of the royal garden.Wait for the Royal Fireworks to prepare everything, Fireworks They talked with each other. "The world is so beautiful," cried a little firecracker, "look at those yellow tulips. Oh! If it They are real firecrackers and they will be cuter.I'm glad I took the tour.Travel greatly enhances knowledge and can Get rid of all personal prejudices. "

"The king's garden is not the world, you silly firecracker," said a Roman candle, "the world is a very large places, it would take you three days to see the whole world. " "Anywhere you love it, it's your world," enthuses a thoughtful wheeler.she In the early years, I fell in love with an old fir box, and I am proud of this sad experience. "But love is out of fashion, Poets kill it.They express so much about love that people no longer believe it.I am not at all Not surprised.True love is painful and silent.I remember myself being there once—but now

It's over.Romance belongs only to the past. " "Nonsense!" said the Roman candle, "romance never dies, it lives forever like the moon. Like, How passionately the bridegroom and bride love each other.I heard their story from a brown paper firecracker this morning He happened to be in the same drawer with me and knew the latest palace news. " But I saw the runner fireworks shook his head and murmured, "Romance is dead, romance is dead, it's dead up. "She, like many others, believes that if you say the same thing over and over again, eventually the fake will become

Really. Suddenly, there was a sharp dry cough, and they all turned their heads to look around. The sound came from a tall, haughty-looking rocket strapped to the top of a long wooden pole.it is speaking Before that, I always cough a few times to attract people's attention. "Ah cough! Ah cough!" he coughed.Everyone listened carefully, only poor Fireworks still shook his head and murmured. Muttered, "Romance is dead." "Silence! Silence!" cried a firecracker.He's a politician who always dominates local elections So he knows how to use the right political term.

"Dead," Whisperer whispered, before she went to bed. When the surroundings were completely quiet, Rocket coughed for the third time and began to speak.His tone is slow and Clearly, as if reciting from his own notebook, he never looked directly at his audience.To tell the truth, his wind The speed is very outstanding. "Lucky is the king's son," he said, "that the day of his marriage coincides with my ascension. Yes, nothing could have been better for him if it had been arranged beforehand; but then again, princes always give good luck. " "My God!" said the little firecracker, "I think just the opposite. I think we are ascended to heaven for the honor of the prince."

set off. " "It may be so to you," he replied, "as a matter of fact it certainly is. But to me In other words, things are not auspicious.I'm a really amazing Rocket, from an amazing family.my mother is her The most famous wheel fireworks of the era, and is famous for her graceful dance.As soon as she makes her debut, she has to spin nineteen times It flies out, and with each turn she throws seven colorful pink stars into the air.She was three and a half feet in diameter and was made with the most Made of good gunpowder.My father was a Rocket like me, he was from France.He flies so high that people worry He won't come down.Still, he came down because of his good nature.He turned into a burst of golden rain, very bright Eyes dropped.Newspapers described his performance in admirable terms.Indeed, the court papers called him the master of the art of fireworks. A great achievement. " "Fireworks, fireworks, do you mean it," said a Bengali sparkler, "I know it's fireworks because I see my It's written on the box. " "Oh, I mean artillery," replied the Rocket, in a grave tone.Bengal fireworks feel hugely bullied pressure, and immediately bullied those little firecrackers, the purpose is to show that he is still an important role. "I mean," continued the Rocket, "I mean—what am I talking about?" "You're talking about yourself," replied the Roman candle. "Indeed, I know I'm discussing an interesting topic and I'm rudely interrupted. I hate all kinds of rudeness. manners and bad behavior because I am a very sensitive person.There is no one in the whole world who is more sensitive than I am, and I deeply Believe it or not. " "What is a sensitive person?" asked Firecracker to Roman Candelabra. "A man always wants to step on other people's toes because he has corns in his own feet," whispered Roman Candelabra. The firecrackers almost burst out laughing. "Excuse me, what are you laughing at?" Rocket asked, "I'm not smiling at all." "I laugh because I am happy," replied Firecracker. "That's a selfish reason," said the Rocket with an angry face. "What right do you have to be happy? You should think about others. Actually, you should think for me.I always think about myself, and I hope everyone else does too.This is the so-called Affection.It is a lovely virtue, and I am very high in it.For example, suppose something happened to me tonight, then What a misfortune it would be for everyone!The prince and princess will never be happy again and their married life will be ruined and as for the king, he may not be able to withstand the blow.Indeed, I am almost moved when I think of the importance I occupy Gotta shed a tear. " "If you want to make other people happy," said Roman Candlestick, "then you'd better not get yourself wet first." of. " "Of course," said Bengal Fireworks, who is in better spirits now, "it's simple common sense." "Common sense, it's true!" said the Rocket indignantly, "but you forget me is very unusual, and very remarkable rise.Ah, anyone who has no imagination has common sense.I have imagination, however, because I never Things are considered as they are, and I always imagine them to be something else.As for asking me not to flow Tears, it is clear that none of you here can appreciate amorous qualities.Fortunately I don't mind it myself.able to keep me The only thing in my life is the thought of how much superior I am to other people, and that's a feeling I've always cultivated.you people It's all emotionless.You'll just giggle or joke like the prince and princess didn't just get married. " "Ah, that's right," a little fireball cried emotionally, "isn't it okay? What a happy event, I just want to As soon as I'm in the sky, I'll tell all this to the stars.When I tell them about beautiful princesses, you'll see stars The stars are blinking. " "Ah! what a petty view of life!" said the Rocket, "yet it is just what I expected. You have no ambitions; you Both superficial and ignorant.Oh, perhaps the prince and princess will go to live in a country with a deep river; perhaps they will have only one son My son, the little boy has blond hair and purple eyes like a prince; maybe one day the little boy will go out with the nanny perhaps the nurse will sleep under an old tree; perhaps the little boy will fall into the deep running water and be drowned.how cute What a disaster!Poor people, lost their only son!This is really scary!I will never forget it. " "But they did not lose their only son," said Roman Candle, "there was no unfortunate on them. " "I never said they would have misfortune," the Rockets replied, "I just said they might. If they've What's the point of talking about it when you've lost your only son.I hate people who regret it later.But thinking they can I would be very sad to lose my only son. " "Of course you will!" exclaimed the Bengal Fireworks. "In fact, you're the most sentimental person I've ever met." "You are the most vulgar person I have ever met," retorted the Rocket, "you cannot understand my friendship for the Prince." "Oh, you don't even know him yet," bellowed Roman Candle. "I never said I knew him," Rocket replied, "and I dare say I wouldn't be him if I knew him." friend's.Knowing many friends is a very dangerous thing. " "Really you'd better not shed tears," said Fireball, "it's a matter of great importance." "It's very important to you, I'm sure," replied the Rocket, "but I have to cry if I want to." First he did cry up, the water rained down the pole and almost drowned the two were looking for a good dry place to nest little beetle. "He must have real romantic qualities," said Runner Fireworks, "who can afford to cry when he has nothing to cry about." Come. " Then she sighed for a long time, and thought of the fir box again. But the Roman candlesticks and the Bengal fireworks are the bosses who don't like it. They keep saying: "Nonsense! Nonsense!" The sound is really loud.They're very practical, and anything they object to, they call bullshit. Then the moon rose like a silver shield; the stars began to twinkle, and music came from the palace. The prince and princess are leading the dance.They danced so beautifully that even those slim white lotuses peeped at him through the window The big red poppies nodded frequently and beat each other. Then the clock struck ten, then eleven, and then twelve.when the clock last strikes midnight When the bell sounded, all the people were out on the terrace, and the king sent for the Royal Fireworkers. "Start the fireworks," the king announced.The royal fireworkers bowed deeply and stepped down to the garden's the end.He took six assistants with him, and each assistant was based on a pole with a lighted torch tied to the top of the pole. This is indeed an unprecedented grand performance. swish!swish!The runner fireworks flew up, spinning while flying.Boom!Boom!Roman candles fly again go up.Then the firecrackers danced wildly all over the place, and then the Bengal fireworks made everything red. "goodbye It's gone," the fireball yelled and flew into the air, throwing down countless small blue sparks. Crack! Crack! The big firecrackers followed suit. Yes, they are really happy.All of them were very successful, except for the magic rocket.he was wet from crying Yes, it is impossible to lift into the sky at all.The best thing on him is gunpowder, which is useless when wet with tears Can't make it.His poor relatives, who he never greeted at ordinary times, only occasionally ridiculed, all of them looked like Sheng at the moment. The open burning full-color flowers flew into the sky.Hurrah!Hurrah!All the people in the court cheered; the little princess laughed happily. "I guess they're keeping me for some bigger occasion," said the Rocket, "that's what it's meant to be, no doubt. think. "He looked even more arrogant than before. The workers came to clean up the next day. "These people look like they belong to the delegation," Rocket said, "I will come with dignity." greet them. "So he put on a majestic look, frowning solemnly, as if he was thinking about something important. like.But they paid him no attention, until, as they were leaving, one of them happened to see him. "Hey!" he cried, "such an old rocket!" and he threw the rocket into the gutter beyond the wall. "Old Rocket? Old Rocket?" he said while rolling in the air, "Impossible! Big Rocket, that man That's what it says.Worn and big are pronounced very closely, and indeed they are often pronounced the same. "Then he fell into the gutter. "It's not comfortable here," he said, "but it's probably a fashionable bathhouse, and they sent me here to restore my health." Kang.My nerves are really hurting and I need to rest. " Then a little frog swam up to him. He had bright, shining jewel eyes, and a green-striped coat. "Looks like it's a new one!" said the frog. "Ah, it's not like mud after all. I just want to enjoy the rain and a gutter, and I'd be perfectly happy.Do you think it will rain this afternoon?I wish so, but look at the blue sky, in case What a pity that there are no clouds in the sky! " "Ah cough! Ah cough!" Rocket said and coughed. "What a beautiful voice you have!" cried the frog. "It's like the croak of a frog, which of course is The most beautiful music in the world.You can come and listen to our chorus performance tonight.We are all by the farmer's house In Laoya Pond, we started performing as soon as the moon rose.It was so charming that everyone lay with their eyes open listening to us sing.That In fact, just yesterday I heard the farmer's wife tell her mother that it was because of us that she couldn't sleep at all all night. no.Thank you so much for being welcomed by so many people. " "Ah cough! Ah cough!" said the Rocket angrily.He was very annoyed that he could not even get a word in. "Of course, great music," continued the Frog, "I wish you could come to the duck pond. I'm going to see my daughters up.I have six beautiful daughters and I'm worried that Barracuda will meet them.He's a real monster and won't hesitate to take They ate it for breakfast.Well, goodbye, our talk really made me happy, I can trust you. " "Talk, it's true!" said the Rocket, "it's all you talking, and that's not talking." "Somebody has to listen," replied the Frog. "I like to talk to myself, too. It saves time and avoids quarrels." "But I like to argue," Rocket said. "I don't want that," said the Frog triumphantly. "A quarrel is vulgar, because in a good society everyone will There is complete agreement.Farewell again, I saw my daughter over there. "After speaking, the little frog swam away. "You're a very nasty fellow," said the Rocket, "and very poorly brought up. I hate when people talk about themselves and Like you, you must know that other people want to talk at this time, just like me.That's what I call selfishness, and selfishness is terrible. Evil, especially to a man of my nature, for I have a reputation for being sympathetic.Honestly, you should It's time to follow my example, and you probably won't find a better example than me.Since you still have a chance, you'd better take it, because For I will return to the palace almost immediately.I am a great favorite at court; indeed, the prince and princess celebrated yesterday Wish me a wedding.Of course, you don't know anything about these things because you're a bumpkin. " "It's no good talking to him," said a Dragonfly, who was sitting on top of a brown cattail. "It's no good because he's gone." "Well, that's his loss, not mine," Rocket replied. "I'm not going to stop just because he's ignoring me. stop talking to him.I love hearing myself talk, it's one of my greatest joys.I often talk a lot by myself, I But so smart that sometimes I don't even understand what I say. " "Then you should really teach philosophy," said Sunnyfly, and he spread his lovely gauze wings and flew into the air. "He would be a fool not to stay here!" said the Rockets. Mental.However, I don't mind at all.A genius like me will surely be appreciated someday. "He plunged into the mud sank deeper. After a while a big white duck swam towards him.She has yellow legs and webbed feet, and because When she walks with a sway, she is regarded as a great beauty. "Quack, quack, quack," she cried, "how queer you look! I might ask how you were born so like it?Or was it due to an accident? " "Obviously you've been living in the country," replied the Rocket, "otherwise you'd know who I am. However, I'll Forgive your ignorance.It's not fair to expect others to be as great as you are.When you hear I can fly into the sky and scatter You will be amazed after the golden raindrops. " "I don't think much of that," said the duck, "because I don't see how it can do anybody any good. Now, if you To be able to plow like an ox, pull a cart like a horse, or tend a flock like a shepherd dog is quite a character. " "My good man," cried the Rocket, in very haughty language, "you are thus of the lower classes. I am People with such identities will never be useful.We've achieved a certain amount, and that's enough.I myself am concerned about various so-called I don't have a good impression of your hard work, especially the hard work you admire.To be honest, I always thought Doing hard work is just an escape for those who have nothing else to do. " "Well, well," said Duck, who was a steady creature and never quarreled with anyone, "everyone has their own way." people's hobbies.I think, anyway, you're going to make your home here. " "Ah! Of course not," cried the Rocket. "I'm just a passer-by, a guest of renown. The fact is that I feel This place is so boring.There is neither peace nor social life here.To tell the truth, here is the outskirts at all.I might To go back to the palace, because I am destined to do something in the world. " "I thought of going into public service, too," said Duck. "There are so many things in the world that need innovation. Old man To be honest, I was the chair of a conference some time ago where we passed resolutions condemning everything we didn't like.However However, they don't seem to have much effect.Now I concentrate on housework and looking after my family. " "I was born for this society," Rocket said, "and so were all my relatives, even them the humblest of all.As long as we appear on the stage, it will attract widespread attention at any time.Actually it's not my turn yet, but If I appear, it will be a spectacular scene.When it comes to domestic chores, it ages a man prematurely and distracts him from higher purposes. mark. " "Ah! higher objects of life, how nice they are!" said the Duck, "but they make me very hungry." said When she was done she swam downstream, yelling "quack, quack, quack." "Come back, come back!" cried Rocket Point, "I have a lot to tell you." But Duck ignored him. "I'm glad she's gone," he said to himself, "she's got only an average mind." He sank deeper into the mud. It was only then that I began to think of the loneliness of a genius.Suddenly, two little boys were wearing white coarse shirts, holding a bottle of water in their hands. Hu, holding a lot of firewood in his arms, ran towards the shore. "This must be the delegation," said the Rocket, again trying to appear very dignified. "Hey!" cried one of the boys, "look at this old stick! I don't know how it's here." Rocket picks up from the gutter. "Old sticks!" said the Rocket. "Impossible! Gold sticks, that's what he said. Gold sticks are very nice words. Really In fact, he mistook me for some dignitary in the palace. " "Let's put it in the fire!" said another child, "and it will help to boil the water." So they piled the wood together, put the rocket on top, and lit the fire. "That's great," cried the Rocket, "they're going to set me off in broad daylight so everyone will see me. " "Let's go to bed now," said they, "the kettle will be boiling when we wake up." Lie down and close your eyes. Rocket was soaking wet, so it took a long time to dry him out.In the end, however, the flame ignited him. "Now I'm going to lift off!" he yelled, pulling himself upright. "I know I'm going to fly Higher than the stars, higher than the moon, higher than the sun.Actually, I'd fly so high—" Hiss!Hiss!Hiss!He flew vertically into the sky. "Brilliant!" he exclaimed, "I'm going to keep flying like this, how successful I am!" However, no one saw him. Then he began to feel a strange stabbing pain all over his body. "Now I'm going to blow up," he cried, "I'm going to set the world on fire, I'm going to make a big splash, and make all People don't talk about anything else for a year. "Indeed he really exploded. Huh! Huh: Huh! The gunpowder exploded. This is True. But no one heard him, not even the two children, for they were fast asleep. Then all he had left was the stick, which fell and landed right on the back of a goose walking by the gutter. "My God!" the goose cried, "why did the stick come down?" After saying that, he jumped into the river. "I know I'm going to work miracles," Rocket gasped, before he went off. THE REMARKABLE ROCKET The Kings son was going to be married, so there were general rejoicings. He had waited a whole year for his bride, and at last she had arrived. She was a Russian Princess, and had driven all the way from Finland in a sledge drawn by six reindeer. The sledge was shaped like a great golden swan, and between the swans wings lay the little Princess herself. Her long ermine-cloak reached right down to her feet, on her head was a tiny cap of silver tissue, and she was as pale as the Snow Palace in which she had always lived. So pale was she that as she drove through the streets all the people wondered. "She is like a white rose!" cried, and they threw down flowers on her from the balconies. At the gate of the Castle the Prince was waiting to receive her. He had dreamy violet eyes, and his hair was like fine gold. When he saw her he sank upon one knee, and kissed her hand. "Your picture was beautiful," he murmured, "but you are more beautiful than your picture"; and the little Princess blushed. "She was like a white rose before," said a young Page to his neighbour, "but she is like a red rose now"; and the whole Court was delighted. For the next three days everybody went about saying, "White rose, Red rose, Red rose, White rose"; and the King gave orders that the Pages salary was to be doubled. As he received no salary at all this was not of much use to him, but it was considered a great honour, and was duly published in the Court Gazette. When the three days were over the marriage was celebrated. It was a magnificent ceremony, and the bride and bridegroom walked hand in hand under a canopy of purple velvet embroidered with little pearls. Then there was a State Banquet, which lasted for five hours. The Prince and Princess sat at the top of the Great Hall and drank out of a cup of clear crystal. Only true lovers could drink out of this cup, for if false lips touched it, it grew gray and dull and cloudy. "It's quite clear that they love each other," said the little Page, "as clear as crystal!" and the King doubled his salary a second time. "What an honour!" cried all the courtiers. After the banquet there was to be a Ball. The bride and bridegroom were to dance the Rose-dance together, and the King had promised to play the flute. He played very badly, but no one had ever dared to tell him so, because he was the King. Indeed, he knew only two airs, and was never quite certain which one he was playing; but it made no matter, for, whatever he did, everybody cried out, "Charming! charming!" The last item on the program was a grand display of fireworks, to be let off exactly at midnight. The little Princess had never seen a firework in her life, so the King had given orders that the Royal Pyrotechnist should be in attendance on the day of her marriage. "What are fireworks like?" she had asked the Prince, one morning, as she was walking on the terrace. "They are like the Aurora Borealis," said the King, who always answered questions that were addressed to other people, "only much more natural. I prefer them to stars myself, as you always know when they are going to appear, and they are as delightful as my own flute-playing. You must certainly see them." So at the end of the Kings garden a great stand had been set up, and as soon as the Royal Pyrotechnist had put everything in its proper place, the fireworks began to talk to each other. "The world is certainly very beautiful," cried a little Squib. "Just look at those yellow tulips. Why! if they were real crackers they could not be lovelier. I am very glad I have traveled. Travel improves the mind wonderfully, and does away with all ones prejudices." "The Kings garden is not the world, you foolish squib," said a big Roman Candle; "the world is an enormous place, and it would take you three days to see it thoroughly." "Any place you love is the world to you," exclaimed a pensive Catherine Wheel, who had been attached to an old deal box in early life, and prided herself on her broken heart; "but love is not fashionable any more, the poets have killed it. they wrote so much about it that nobody believed them, and I am not surprised. True love suffers, and is silent. I remember myself once - But it is no matter now. Romance is a thing of the past." "Nonsense!" said the Roman Candle, "Romance never dies. It is like the moon, and lives for ever. The bride and bridegroom, for instance, love each other very dearly. I heard all about them this morning from a brown-paper cartridge, who happened to be staying in the same drawer as myself, and knew the latest Court news." But the Catherine Wheel shook her head. "Romance is dead, Romance is dead, Romance is dead," she murmured. She was one of those people who think that, if you say the same thing over and over a great many times, it becomes true in the end. Suddenly, a sharp, dry cough was heard, and they all looked round. It came from a tall, supercilious-looking Rocket, who was tied to the end of a long stick. He always coughed before he made any observation, so as to attract attention. "Ahem! ahem!" he said, and everybody listened except the poor Catherine Wheel, who was still shaking her head, and murmuring, "Romance is dead." "Order! order!" cried out a Cracker. He was something of a politician, and had always taken a prominent part in the local elections, so he knew the proper Parliamentary expressions to use. "Quite dead," whispered the Catherine Wheel, and she went off to sleep. As soon as there was perfect silence, the Rocket coughed a third time and began. He spoke with a very slow, distinct voice, as if he was dictating his memoirs, and always looked over the shoulder of the person to whom he was talking. In fact, he had a most distinguished manner. "How fortunate it is for the Kings son," he remarked, "that he is to be married on the very day on which I am to be let off. Really, if it had been arranged beforehand, it could not have turned out better for him; but, Princes are always lucky." "Dear me!" said the little Squib, "I thought it was quite the other way, and that we were to be let off in the Princes honor." "It may be so with you," he answered; "indeed, I have no doubt that it is, but with me it is different. I am a very remarkable Rocket, and come of remarkable parents. My mother was the most celebrated Catherine Wheel of her day, and was renowned for her graceful dancing. When she made her great public appearance she spun round nineteen times before she went out, and each time that she did so she threw into the air seven pink stars. She was three feet and a half in diameter, and made of the very best gunpowder. My father was a Rocket like myself, and of French extraction. He flew so high that the people were afraid that he would never come down again. He did, though, for he was of a kindly disposition, and he made a most brilliant descent in a shower of golden rain. The newspapers wrote about his performance in very flattering terms. Indeed, the Court Gazette called him a triumph of Pylotechnic art." "Pyrotechnic, Pyrotechnic, you mean," said a Bengal Light; "I know it is Pyrotechnic, for I saw it written on my own canister." "Well, I said Pylotechnic," answered the Rocket, in a severe tone of voice, and the Bengal Light felt so crushed that he began at once to bully the little squibs, in order to show that he was still a person of some importance. "I was saying," continued the Rocket, "I was saying - What was I saying?" "You were talking about yourself," replied the Roman Candle. "Of course; I knew I was discussing some interesting subject when I was so rudely interrupted. I hate rudeness and bad manners of every kind, for I am extremely sensitive. No one in the whole The world is so sensitive as I am, I am quite sure of that." "What is a sensitive person?" said the Cracker to the Roman Candle. "A person who, because he has corns himself, always treads on other peoples toes," answered the Roman Candle in a low whisper; and the Cracker nearly exploded with laughter. "Pray, what are you laughing at?" inquired the Rocket; "I am not laughing." "I am laughing because I am happy," replied the Cracker. "That is a very selfish reason," said the Rocket angrily. "What right have you to be happy? You should be thinking about others. In fact, you should be thinking about me. I am always thinking about myself, and I expect everybody else to do the same. That is what is called sympathy. It is a beautiful virtue, and I possess it in a high degree. Suppose, for instance, anything happened to me to-night, what a misfortune that would be for every one! The Prince and Princess would never be happy again, their whole married life would be spoiled; and as for the King, I know he would not get over it. Really, when I begin to reflect on the importance of my position, I am almost moved to tears." "If you want to give pleasure to others," cried the Roman Candle, "you had better keep yourself dry." "Certainly," exclaimed the Bengal Light, who was now in better spirits; "that is only common sense." "Common sense, indeed!" said the Rocket indignantly; "you forget that I am very uncommon, and very remarkable. Why, anybody can have common sense, provided that they have no imagination. But I have imagination, for I never think of things as they really are; I always think of them as being quite different. As for keeping myself dry, there is evidently no one here who can at all appreciate an emotional nature. Fortunately for myself, I dont care. The only thing that sustains one through life is the consciousness of the immense inferiority of everybody else, and this is a feeling that I have always cultivated. But none of you have any hearts. Here you are laughing and making merry just as if the Prince and Princess had not just been married." "Well, really," exclaimed a small Fire-balloon, "why not? It is a most joyful occasion, and when I soar up into the air I intend to tell the stars all about it. You will see them twinkle when I talk to them about the pretty bride." "Ah! what a trivial view of life!" said the Rocket; "but it is only what I expected. There is nothing in you; you are hollow and empty. Why, perhaps the Prince and Princess may go to live in a country where there is a deep river, and perhaps they may have one only son, a little fair-haired boy with violet eyes like the Prince himself; and perhaps some day he may go out to walk with his nurse; and perhaps the nurse may go to sleep under a great elder-tree; and perhaps the little boy may fall into the deep river and be drowned. What a terrible misfortune! Poor people, to lose their only son! It is really too dreadful! I shall never get over it." "But they have not lost their only son," said the Roman Candle; "no misfortune has happened to them at all." "I never said that they had," replied the Rocket; "I said that they might. If they had lost their only son there would be no use in saying anything more about the matter. I hate people who cry over spilt milk. But when I think that they might lose their only son, I certainly am very much affected." "You certainly are!" cried the Bengal Light. "In fact, you are the most affected person I ever met." "You are the rudest person I ever met," said the Rocket, "and you cannot understand my friendship for the Prince." "Why, you dont even know him," growled the Roman Candle. "I never said I knew him," answered the Rocket. "I dare say that if I knew him I should not be his friend at all. It is a very dangerous thing to know ones friends." "You had really better keep yourself dry," said the Fire-balloon. "That is the important thing." "Very important for you, I have no doubt," answered the Rocket, "but I shall weep if I choose"; and he actually burst into real tears, which flowed down his stick like rain-drops, and nearly drowned two little beetles, who were just thinking of setting up house together, and were looking for a nice dry spot to live in. "He must have a truly romantic nature," said the Catherine Wheel, "for he weeps when there is nothing at all to weep about"; and she heaved a deep sigh, and thought about the deal box. But the Roman Candle and the Bengal Light were quite indignant, and kept saying, "Humbug! humbug!" at the top of their voices. They were extremely practical, and whenever they objected to anything they called it humbug. Then the moon rose like a wonderful silver shield; and the stars began to shine, and a sound of music came from the palace. The Prince and Princess were leading the dance. They danced so beautifully that the tall white lilies peeped in at the window and watched them, and the great red poppies nodded their heads and beat time. Then ten oclock struck, and then eleven, and then twelve, and at the last stroke of midnight every one came out on the terrace, and the King sent for the Royal Pyrotechnist. "Let the fireworks begin," said the King; and the Royal Pyrotechnist made a low bow, and marched down to the end of the garden. He had six attendants with him, each of whom carried a lighted torch at the end of a long pole. It was certainly a magnificent display. Whizz! Whizz! went the Catherine Wheel, as she spun round and round. Boom! Boom! went the Roman Candle. Then the Squibs danced all over the place, and the Bengal Lights made everything look scarlet. "Good-bye," cried the Fire-balloon, as he soared away, dropping tiny blue sparks. Bang! Bang! answered the Crackers, who were enjoying themselves immensely. Every one was a great success except the Remarkable Rocket. He was so damp with crying that he could not go off at all. The best thing in him was the gunpowder, and that was so wet with tears that it was of no use. All his poor relations, to whom he would never speak, except with a sneer, shot up into the sky like wonderful golden flowers with blossoms of fire. Huzza! Huzza! cried the Court; and the little Princess laughed with pleasure. "I suppose they are reserving me for some grand occasion," said the Rocket; "no doubt that is what it means," and he looked more supercilious than ever. The next day the workmen came to put everything tidy. "This is evidently a deputation," said the Rocket; "I will receive them with becoming dignity" so he put his nose in the air, and began to frown severely as if he were thinking about some very important subject. But they took no notice of him at all till they were just going away. Then one of them caught sight of him. "Hallo!" he cried, "what a bad rocket!" and he threw him over the wall into the ditch. "BAD Rocket? BAD Rocket?" he said, as he whirled through the air; "impossible! GRAND Rocket, that is what the man said. BAD and GRAND sound very much the same, indeed they often are the same"; and he fell into the mud. "It is not comfortable here," he remarked, "but no doubt it is some fashionable watering-place, and they have sent me away to recruit my health. My nerves are certainly very much shattered, and I require rest." Then a little Frog, with bright jewelled eyes, and a green mottled coat, swam up to him. "A new arrival, I see!" said the Frog. "Well, after all there is nothing like mud. Give me rainy weather and a ditch, and I am quite happy. Do you think it will be a wet afternoon? I am sure I hope so, but the sky is quite blue and cloudless. What a pity!" "Ahem! ahem!" said the Rocket, and he began to cough. "What a delightful voice you have!" cried the Frog. "Really it is quite like a croak, and croaking is of course the most musical sound in the world. You will hear our glee-club this evening. We sit in the old duck pond close by the farmers house, and as soon as the moon rises we begin. It is so entrancing that everybody lies awake to listen to us. In fact, it was only yesterday that I heard the farmers wife say to her mother that she could not get a wink of sleep at night on account of us. It is most gratifying to find oneself so popular." "Ahem! ahem!" said the Rocket angrily. He was very much annoyed that he could not get a word in. "A delightful voice, certainly," continued the Frog; "I hope you will come over to the duck-pond. I am off to look for my daughters. I have six beautiful daughters, and I am so afraid the Pike may meet them. He is a perfect monster, and would have no hesitation in breakfasting off them. Well, good-bye: I have enjoyed our conversation very much, I assure you." "Conversation, indeed!" said the Rocket. "You have talked the whole time yourself. That is not conversation." "Somebody must listen," answered the Frog, "and I like to do all the talking myself. It saves time, and prevents arguments." "But I like arguments," said the Rocket. "I hope not," said the Frog complacently. "Arguments are extremely vulgar, for everybody in good society holds exactly the same opinions. Good-bye a second time; I see my daughters in the distance and the little Frog swam away. "You are a very irritating person," said the Rocket, "and very ill- bred. I hate people who talk about themselves, as you do, when one wants to talk about oneself, as I do. It is what I call selfishness, and selfishness is a most detestable thing, especially to any one of my temperament, for I am well known for my sympathetic nature. In fact, you should take example by me; you could not possibly have a better model. Now that you have the chance you had better avail yourself of it, for I am going back to Court almost immediately. I am a great favourite at Court; in fact, the Prince and Princess were married yesterday in my honour. Of course you know nothing of these matters, for you are a provincial." "There is no good talking to him," said a Dragon-fly, who was sitting on the top of a large brown bulrush; "no good at all, for he has gone away." "Well, that is his loss, not mine," answered the Rocket. "I am not going to stop talking to him merely because he pays no attention. I like hearing myself talk. It is one of my greatest pleasures. I often have long conversations all by myself, and I am so clever that sometimes I dont understand a single word of what I am saying." "Then you should certainly lecture on Philosophy," said the Dragon- fly; and he spread a pair of lovely gauze wings and soared away into the sky. "How very silly of him not to stay here!" said the Rocket. "I am sure that he has not often got such a chance of improving his mind. However, I dont care a bit. Genius like mine is sure to be appreciated some day"; and he sank down a little deeper into the mud. After some time a large White Duck swam up to him. She had yellow legs, and webbed feet, and was considered a great beauty on account of her waddle. "Quack, quack, quack," she said. "What a curious shape you are! May I ask were you born like that, or is it the result of an accident?" "It is quite evident that you have always lived in the country," answered the Rocket, "otherwise you would know who I am. However, I excuse your ignorance. It would be unfair to expect other people to be as remarkable as oneself. You will no doubt be surprised to hear that I can fly up into the sky, and come down in a shower of golden rain." "I dont think much of that," said the Duck, "as I cannot see what use it is to any one. Now, if you could plough the fields like the ox, or draw a cart like the horse, or look after the sheep like the collie-dog, that would be something." "My good creature," cried the Rocket in a very haughty tone of voice, "I see that you belong to the lower orders. A person of my position is never useful. We have certain accomplishments, and that is more than sufficient. I have no sympathy myself with industry of any kind, least of all with such industries as you seem to recommend. Indeed, I have always been of opinion that hard work is simply the refuge of people who have nothing whatever to do." "Well, well," said the Duck, who was of a very peaceable disposition, and never quarrelled with any one, "everybody has different tastes. I hope, at any rate, that you are going to take up your residence here." "Oh! dear no," cried the Rocket. "I am merely a visitor, a distinguished visitor. The fact is that I find this place rather tedious. There is neither society here, nor solitude. In fact, it is essentially suburban. I shall probably go back to Court, for I know that I am destined to make a sensation in the world." "I had thoughts of entering public life once myself," remarked the Duck; "there are so many things that need reforming. Indeed, I took the chair at a meeting some time ago, and we passed resolutions condemning everything that we did not like. However, they did not seem to have much effect. Now I go in for domesticity, and look after my family." "I am made for public life," said the Rocket, "and so are all my relations, even the humblest of them. Whenever we appear we excite great attention. I have not actually appeared myself, but when I do so it will be a magnificent sight. As for domesticity, it ages one rapidly, and distracts ones mind from higher things." "Ah! the higher things of life, how fine they are!" said the Duck; "and that reminds me how hungry I feel": and she swam away down the stream, saying, "Quack, quack, quack." "Come back! come back!" screamed the Rocket, "I have a great deal to say to you"; but the Duck paid no attention to him. "I am glad that she has gone," he said to himself, "she has a decidedly middle-class mind"; and he sank a little deeper still into the mud, and began to think about the loneliness of genius, when suddenly two little boys in white smocks came running down the bank, with a kettle and some faggots. "This must be the deputation," said the Rocket, and he tried to look very dignified. "Hallo!" cried one of the boys, "look at this old stick! I wonder how it came here"; and he picked the rocket out of the ditch. "OLD Stick!" said the Rocket, "impossible! GOLD Stick, that is what he said. Gold Stick is very complimentary. In fact, he mistakes me for one of the Court dignitaries!" "Let us put it into the fire!" said the other boy, "it will help to boil the kettle." So they piled the faggots together, and put the Rocket on top, and lit the fire. "This is magnificent," cried the Rocket, "they are going to let me off in broad day-light, so that every one can see me." "We will go to sleep now," they said, "and when we wake up the kettle will be boiled"; and they lay down on the grass, and shut their eyes. The Rocket was very damp, so he took a long time to burn. At last, however, the fire caught him. "Now I am going off!" he cried, and he made himself very stiff and straight. "I know I shall go much higher than the stars, much higher than the moon, much higher than the sun. In fact, I shall go so high that - " Fizz! Fizz! Fizz! and he went straight up into the air. "Delightful!" he cried, "I shall go on like this for ever. What a success I am!" But nobody saw him. Then he began to feel a curious tingling sensation all over him. "Now I am going to explode," he cried. "I shall set the whole world on fire, and make such a noise that nobody will talk about anything else for a whole year." And he certainly did explode. Bang! Bang! Bang! went the gunpowder. There was no doubt about it. But nobody heard him, not even the two little boys, for they were sound asleep. Then all that was left of him was the stick, and this fell down on the back of a Goose who was taking a walk by the side of the ditch. "Good heavens!" cried the Goose. "It is going to rain sticks"; and she rushed into the water. "I knew I should create a great sensation," gasped the Rocket, and he went out. end