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1872
FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN
TWO　MAIDENS
by　Hans　Christian　Andersen
　
HAVE　you　ever　seen　a　maiden？　I　mean　what　our　pavers　call　a　maiden；　a　thing　with　which　they　ram　down　the　paving…stones　in　the　roads。　A　maiden　of　this　kind　is　made　altogether　of　wood；　broad　below；　and　girt　round　with　iron　rings。　At　the　top　she　is　narrow；　and　has　a　stick　passed　across　through　her　waist；　and　this　stick　forms　the　arms　of　the　maiden。

In　the　shed　stood　two　Maidens　of　this　kind。　They　had　their　place
among　shovels；　hand…carts；　wheelbarrows；　and　measuring…tapes；　and　to　all　this　company　the　news　had　come　that　the　Maidens　were　no　longer　to　be　called　〃maidens；〃　but　〃hand…rammers；〃　which　word　was　the　newest　and　the　only　correct　designation　among　the　pavers　for　the　thing　we　all　know　from　the　old　times　by　the　name　of　〃the　maiden。〃
Now；　there　are　among　us　human　creatures　certain　individuals　who
are　known　as　〃emancipated　women；〃　as；　for　instance；　principals　of
institutions；　dancers　who　stand　professionally　on　one　leg；
milliners；　and　sick…nurses；　and　with　this　class　of　emancipated　women
the　two　Maidens　in　the　shed　associated　themselves。　They　were　〃maidens〃　among　the　paver　folk；　and　determined　not　to　give　up　this　honorable　appellation；　and　let　themselves　be　miscalled　〃rammers。

〃Maiden　is　a　human　name；　but　hand…rammer　is　a　thing；　and　we
won't　be　called　things…　that's　insulting　us。〃

〃My　lover　would　be　ready　to　give　up　his　engagement；〃　said　the
youngest；　who　was　betrothed　to　a　paver's　hammer；　and　the　hammer　is　the　thing　which　drives　great　piles　into　the　earth；　like　a　machine；　and
therefore　does　on　a　large　scale　what　ten　maidens　effect　in　a　similar
way。　〃He　wants　to　marry　me　as　a　maiden；　but　whether　he　would　have　me　were　I　a　hand…rammer　is　a　question；　so　I　won't　have　my　name　changed。〃

〃And　I；〃　said　the　elder　one；　〃would　rather　have　both　my　arms
broken　off。〃

But　the　Wheelbarrow　was　of　a　different　opinion；　and　the
Wheelbarrow　was　looked　upon　as　of　some　consequence；　for　he
considered　himself　a　quarter　of　a　coach；　because　he　went　about　upon
one　wheel。

〃I　must　submit　to　your　notice；〃　he　said；　〃that　the　name　'maiden'
is　common　enough；　and　not　nearly　so　refined　as　'hand…rammer；'　or
'stamper；'　which　latter　has　also　been　proposed；　and　through　which
you　would　be　introduced　into　the　category　of　seals；　and　only　think
of　the　great　stamp　of　state；　which　impresses　the　royal　seal　that　gives
effect　to　the　laws！　No；　in　your　case　I　would　surrender　my　maiden
name。〃

〃No；　certainly　not！〃　exclaimed　the　elder。　〃I　am　too　old　for　that。〃
〃I　presume　you　have　never　heard　of　what　is　called　'European
necessity？'〃　observed　the　honest　Measuring　Tape。　〃One　must　be　able
to　adapt　one's　self　to　time　and　circumstances；　and　if　there　is　a　law
that　the　'maiden'　is　to　be　called　'hand…rammer；'　why；　she　must　be
called　'hand…rammer；'　and　no　pouting　will　avail；　for　everything　has
its　measure。〃

〃No；　if　there　must　be　a　change；〃　said　the　younger；　〃I　should
prefer　to　be　called　'Missy；'　for　that　reminds　one　a　little　of
maidens。〃

〃But　I　would　rather　be　chopped　to　chips；〃　said　the　elder。
At　last　they　all　went　to　work。　The　Maidens　rode…　that　is；　they
were　put　in　a　wheelbarrow；　and　that　was　a　distinction；　but　still
they　were　called　〃hand…rammers。〃
〃Mai…！〃　they　said；　as　they　were　bumped　upon　the　pavement。
〃Mai…！〃　and　they　were　very　nearly　pronouncing　the　whole　word　〃maiden；〃
but　they　broke　off　short；　and　swallowed　the　last　syllable；　for　after
mature　deliberation　they　considered　it　beneath　their　dignity　to
protest。　But　they　always　called　each　other　〃maiden；〃　and　praised　the
good　old　days　in　which　everything　had　been　called　by　its　right　name；
and　those　who　were　maidens　were　called　maidens。　And　they　remained　as　they　were；　for　the　hammer　really　broke　off　his　engagement　with　the
younger　one；　for　nothing　would　suit　him　but　he　must　have　a　maiden
for　his　bride。

THE　END

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Written　By　Anderson