The Darning Needle

"The Darning Needle" is a charming and witty fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, the beloved Danish storyteller behind classics like The Little Mermaid and Thumbelina. First published in 1845, this whimsical little tale follows a very proud darning needle who believes she is far too fine and delicate for ordinary life — and hilariously refuses to let the world convince her otherwise.

With gentle humor and a light touch, Andersen reminds us that pride and self-importance are no match for the quiet grace of simply being present in the world.

Transcript

A Story About a Darning Needle by Hans Christian Andersen There was once a darning needle who thought herself so fine that she believed she was an embroidery needle. Take great care to hold me tight, " said the darning needle to the fingers who were holding her. Don't let me fall. If I fall on the ground, I shall never be found again. I am so fine. It is all right, Said the fingers, Seizing her round the waist. Look, I'm coming with my train, " said the Darning Needle, As she drew a long thread after her. But there was no knot at the end of the thread. The fingers were using the needle on the cook's shoe. The upper leather was unstitched. And had to be sewn together. This is common work, Said the darning needle. I shall never get through it. I am breaking. I am breaking. And in fact, She did break. Didn't I tell you so? " said the Darning Needle. I am too fine. Now she is good for nothing, Said the fingers. But they had to hold her tight until the cook dropped some sealing wax on the needle and stuck it to the front of the dress. Now I am a breast pin, Said the darning needle. I always knew I should be promoted. When one is something, One will become something. And she'd laugh to herself. You can never see when a darning needle is laughing. Then she said it proudly. As if she were in a state coach. And looked all around her. May I be allowed to ask if you're gold? " she said to her neighbor, The pin. You have a very nice appearance and a strange head. But it is too small. You must take pains to make it grow. For it is not everyone who has a head of sealing wax. And so saying, The darning needle raised herself up so proudly that she fell out of the dress, Right into the sink. Which the cook was rinsing out. Now I am off on my travels, Said the darning needle. I do hope I shan't get lost. She did indeed get lost. I am too fine for this world, Said she as she lay in the gutter. But I know who I am. And that is always a little satisfaction. And the darning needle kept her proud bearing and did not lose her good temper. All kinds of things swam over her. Shavings, Bits of straw, And scraps of old newspapers. Just look how long they sail, Said the darning needle. They don't know what is underneath them. Here I am sticking fast. There goes a shaving, Thinking of nothing in the world but of itself, A mere chip in There goes a straw. Well, How it does twist and twirl to be sure. Don't think so much about yourself or you will be knocked against a stone. There floats a bit of newspaper. What is written on it is long ago forgotten, And yet how proud it is. I am sitting patient and quiet. I know who I am. And that is enough for me. One day something thick lay near her which glittered so brightly that the darning needle thought it must be a diamond. But it was a bit of bottle glass. And because it sparkled, The darning needles spoke to it. And gave herself out as a breast pen. No doubt you are a diamond. Yes, Something of that kind. And each believed that the other was something very costly, And they both said how very proud the world must be of them. I have come from a lady's work box, " said Darning Needle. And this lady was a cook. She had five fingers on each hand, Anything so proud as these fingers I have never seen. And yet, They were only there to take me out of the work box and to put me back again. Were they of noble birth, Then? Asked the bit of bottle-glass. Of noble birth, " said the darning needle, No, Indeed, But proud. There were five brothers, All called Fingers. They held themselves proudly one against the other, Although they were of different sizes. The outside one, The thumb, Was short and fat. He was outside the rank and had only one bend in his back. And could only make one bow. But he said that if he were cut off from a man that he was no longer any use as a soldier. Dip into everything, The second finger, Dipped into sweet things as well as sour things, Pointed to the sun and the moon, And guided the pen when they wrote. Long Man the Third looked at the others over his shoulder. Goldband IV had a gold sash around his waist, And Little Playman did nothing at all and was the more proud. There is too much ostentation, And so I came away. And now we are sitting and shining here, Said the bit of bottle glass. At that moment more water came into the gutter. It streamed over the edges and washed the bitter bottle glass away. Ah. Now he has been promoted, Said the Darning Needle. I remain here. I am too fine. But that is my pride, Which is a sign of respectability. And she sat there very proudly, Thinking lofty thoughts. I really believe I must have been born a sunbeam. I am so fine. It seems to me as if the sunbeams were always looking under the water for me. I am so fine that my own mother cannot find me. If I had my old eye, Which broke off, I believe I could weep. But I can't. It is not fine to weep. One day, Two street urchins were playing and waiting in the gutter, Picking up old nails, Pennies, And such things. It was rather dirty work, But it was a great delight to them. Oh, Cried out one as he pricked himself with the darning needle. He is a fine fellow, Though. I am not a fellow. I am a young lady, " said the Darning Needle. But nobody heard. The sealing wax had gone, And she had become quite black. But black makes one look very slim. And so she thought she was even finer than before. Here comes an eggshell sailing along, Said the boys. And they stuck the darning needle into the eggshell. The walls white and black. What a pretty contrast it makes, " said the darning needle. Now I can be seen to advantage. If only I am not seasick, I should give myself up for lost. But she was not seasick. And did not give herself up. It is a good thing to be steeled against seasickness. Here one has indeed an advantage over man. Now my qualms are over. The finer one is the more one can beat. Crack! " said the eggshell as the wagon wheel went over it. Oh, How it presses, " said the darning needle. I shall indeed be seasick now. I am breaking. But she did not break. Although the wagon wheel went over her. She lay there at full length. And there she may lie. And that is the end of our story this evening. Until next time. Sweet dreams.