The Story of a Mother by Hans Christian Andersen. Short summary

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Death took the child. The mother went after her to snatch the child from her arms. Death showed her the destinies of two souls: one would become a good man and the other a villain. The mother did not know who her child would be.

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At the cradle sat the mother. Death came in and took the baby. The mother rushed after her.

At the threshold, she asked the old woman where Death had gone. Night (that was her) demanded that she sing all the songs the mother had sung to the child. She sang them.

There was a blackthorn growing at the crossroads. He wanted to be warmed to his heart. It pointed the way that led to the Lake. It wanted its mother’s eyes. She gave it what it wanted and the Lake carried the mother to the other shore.

Death’s gardener wanted black curls. The mother gave them up, and the gardener let her into the greenhouse. Flowers grew there, and each one was a soul.

The mother found a hyacinth in which her child’s heart was beating. The gardener taught her how to act. When Death came, let the mother threaten to pluck the flowers if she did not give her child’s soul to her. So the woman did.

However, Death showed her in the well what the two souls from her flowerpot could become. One will grow up to be good and kind, and the other will grow up to be evil. Which one is my son? — the mother asked. I will not tell,» answered Death. And then the mother retreated.