might take
me out of the box or put me back again."

"Were they of high descent?" asked the Bit of Bottle. "Did they shine?"

"No, indeed," replied the Darning-needle; "but they were none the less
haughty. There were five brothers of them--all of the Finger family. And
they held themselves so proudly side by side, though they were of quite
different heights. The outermost, Thumbling he was called, was short and
thick set; he generally stood out of the rank, a little in front of the
others; he had only one joint in his back, and could only bow once; but
he used to say that if he were cut off from a man, that man would be cut
off from military service. Foreman, the second, put himself forward on
all occasions, meddled with sweet and sour, pointed to sun and moon, and
when the fingers wrote, it was he who pressed the pen. Middleman, the
third of the brothers, could look over the others' heads, and gave
himself airs for that. Ringman, the fourth, went about with a gold belt
about his waist; and little Playman, whom they called Peter Spielman,
did nothing at all and was proud of that, I suppose. There was nothing
to be heard but boasting, and that is why I took myself away."

"And now we sit here together and shine," said the Bit of Bottle.

At that very moment some water came rushing along the gutter, so that it
overflowed and carried the glass diamond along with it.

"So he is off," said the Darning-needle, "and I still remain. I am left
here because I am too slender and genteel. But that's my pride, and
pride is honorable." And proudly she sat, thinking many thoughts.

"I could almost believe I had been born of a sunbeam, I'm so fine. It
seems as if the sunbeams were always trying to seek me under the water.
Alas, I'm so delicate that even my own mother cannot find me. If I had
my old eye still, which broke off, I think I should cry--but no, I would
not; it's not genteel to weep."

One day a couple of street boys were paddling about in the gutter,
hunting for old nails, pennies, and such like. It was dirty work, but
they seemed to find great pleasure in it.

"Hullo!" cried one of them, as he pricked himself with the
Darning-needle; "here's a fellow for you!"

"I'm not a fellow! I'm a young lady!" said the Darning-needle, but no
one heard it.

The sealing wax had worn off, and she had become quite black; "but black
makes one look slender, and is always becoming." She thought herself
finer even than before.

"T