The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep

The little shepherdess with the long floral skirt and the big straw hat was placed on the table beneath the mirror, and found herself beside the chimney sweep. Both of the little statues were of the finest porcelain and looked very attractive and delicate. The moment they saw each other they fell in love, and began to plan for their wedding. However, the old harlequin, with the clockwork head that always nodded “yes”, and who claimed to be the grandfather of the shepherdess, said her hand was promised in marriage to the mask of the Chinese dragon hanging on the wall nearby.

When the little shepherdess heard this, she was afraid that her little ceramic heart was going to break in two. The sad little chimney sweep suggested that she flee with him to escape marriage with the dragon, and she agreed.

So they climbed up the chimney (the sweep did not know any other way out) and found themselves up on the roof. Above them shone the stars and beneath them the lights of the city sparkled. The little shepherdess had never imagined that the world was so big and mysterious. She was so terri­fied that she asked the sweep to take her back at once. The patient and devoted chimney sweep was also frightened and, since he did not know how to say no to his beloved, the two little statues returned to their usual places on the table.

During their absence, the old harle­quin had fallen off the table, when he attempted to pursue the shepherdess and had lost his head. The owners of the house had stuck his head back on with glue and a little iron hook, so now he had a stiff neck, and could no longer nod his consent to the dragon, who wanted to marry his granddaughter. And so the shepherdess and the chimney sweep were now free to marry, and the two little statues lived happily ever after.