A Leaf from Heaven
Hans Christian Andersen
High up in the thin, clear air there flew an angel bearing a flower from the garden of
heaven. As he kissed it, a tiny leaf drifted down into the muddy soil in the middle of the
wood; it very soon took root there, and sprouted, and sent up shoots among the other
plants.
"That's a funny kind of slip," said the plants.
And neither the thistle nor the stinging nettle would have anything to do with the stranger.
"It must be some low kind of garden plant," they said, grinning and making fun at it. But it
grew and grew, and like no other plant its long branches spread far about.
"Where do you think you're going?" said the tall thistles, who have thorns on each of their
leaves. "You're taking a good deal of space. That's a lot of nonsense-we can't stand here
and support you!"
When winter came, the snow covered the plant, but from it the blanket of snow received a
glow as if the sun were shining from below. Then the spring returned, and the plant was in
glorious bloom, more beautiful than any other in the forest.
And now there came to the forest a professor of botany, who could show what he was with
many degrees. He carefully inspected the plant and tested it, but decided it was not
included in his system of botany; he could not possibly learn to what class it did belong.
"This must be some unimportant variety," he said. "I certainly don't know it. It's not
included in any system."
"Not included in any system!" said the thistles and the nettles.
The big trees which grew round it heard what was said and they also saw the tree was not
one of their kind, but they said nothing, good or bad. And that is much the wisest course
for stupid people to take.
Then a poor, innocent girl came through the forest. Her heart was pure, and her
understanding was glorious with faith. Her only inheritance was an old Bible, but from its
pages the voice of God spoke to her: "If people wish to do you evil, remember the story of
Joseph. They had evil in their hearts, but God turned it to good. If you suffer wrong, if you
are despised and misunderstood, then you must remember the words of Him who was
purity and goodness itself, and who prayed for those who struck Him and nailed Him to
the cross. 'Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do!' "
She stopped before the wondrous plant, whose great leaves gave forth sweet and
refreshing fragrance and whose flowers glowed in the sun like a wonderful firework of
color. And from each flower there came a sound as though it held concealed within itself a
deep well of melody that thousands of years would not empty. With devout gratitude the
girl gazed on this exquisite work of the Creator and bent down one of the branches, that
she might examine the flower and breathe in its sweetness; and a lovely light burned in
her soul. It seemed to uplift her heart, and she wanted to pluck a flower, but she had not
the heart to break one off, for she knew it would soon fade if she did. So she took only a
single green leaf, carried it home, and there she pressed it in between the pages of her
Bible; and it lay there quite fresh, always green, and never fading.
It was kept in the pages of that Bible, and with that Bible it was placed under the girl's
head when, some weeks thereafter, she lay in her coffin. On her gentle face was the
solemn peace of death, as if the earthly remains carried the imprint of the truth that she
now was in the presence of her Creator.