ales . ▁The ▁collection ▁was ▁received ▁by ▁Dan ish ▁critics ▁and ▁the ▁public ▁with ▁great ▁acc laim . ▁ ▁Plot ▁ ▁In ▁a ▁dra wer ▁filled ▁with ▁play th ings , ▁a ▁ma h og any ▁top ▁wo os ▁a ▁le ather ▁ball . ▁The ▁ball ▁sp urn s ▁the ▁top , ▁thinking ▁she ▁deser ves ▁a ▁fin er ▁su itor . ▁One ▁day , ▁the ▁ball ▁is ▁taken ▁out do ors , ▁thrown ▁high ▁into ▁the ▁air , ▁and ▁disapp ears . ▁The ▁ball ▁has ▁land ed ▁in ▁the ▁roof ▁g utter ▁but ▁the ▁top ▁bel ieves ▁she ▁has ▁become ▁the ▁wife ▁of ▁a ▁sw allow ▁living ▁in ▁a ▁nearby ▁tree . ▁Not ▁being ▁able ▁to ▁possess ▁her , ▁the ▁top ' s ▁inf atu ation ▁deep ens . ▁Years ▁pass , ▁and , ▁one ▁day , ▁the ▁top ▁is ▁ref urb ished ▁with ▁g ild ing . ▁He ▁is ▁sp un ▁and ▁j umps ▁into ▁the ▁dust ▁bin . ▁Among ▁the ▁tr ash ▁lying ▁about , ▁he ▁sees ▁the ▁ball ▁who ▁has ▁suffered ▁much ▁from ▁expos ure ▁to ▁the ▁elements . ▁She ▁doesn ' t ▁recognize ▁him ▁as ▁her ▁former ▁su itor ▁and ▁tells ▁him ▁she ▁spent ▁five ▁years ▁in ▁the ▁roof ▁g utter ▁so aked ▁with ▁rain ▁before ▁falling ▁into ▁the ▁dust bin . ▁The ▁ma id ▁suddenly ▁arriv es , ▁finds ▁the ▁top , ▁and ▁car ries ▁him ▁into ▁the ▁house . ▁The ▁top ▁puts ▁aside ▁the ▁passion ▁he ▁felt ▁for ▁the ▁ball , ▁" for ▁love ▁van ishes