cool drops had fallen through the crevice in the rocks. She pushed the
asparagus branch aside, and looked out, with her little hands folded about
her knees. She heard the thunder rolling, and saw the red torrents rush
among the stones on their way to the river. She heard the roar of the
river as it now rolled, angry and red, bearing away stumps and trees on its
muddy water. She listened and smiled, and pressed closer to the rock that
took care of her. She pressed the palm of her hand against it. When you
have no one to love you, you love the dumb things very much. When the sun
set, it cleared up. Then the little girl ate some kippersol, and lay down
again to sleep. She thought there was nothing so nice as to sleep. When
one has had no food but kippersol juice for two days, one doesn't feel
strong.

"It is so nice here," she thought as she went to sleep, "I will stay here
always."

Afterwards the moon rose. The sky was very clear now, there was not a
cloud anywhere; and the moon shone in through the bushes in the door, and
made a lattice-work of light on her face. She was dreaming a beautiful
dream. The loveliest dreams of all are dreamed when you are hungry. She
thought she was walking in a beautiful place, holding her father's hand,
and they both had crowns on their heads, crowns of wild asparagus. The
people whom they passed smiled and kissed her; some gave her flowers, and
some gave her food, and the sunlight was everywhere. She dreamed the same
dream over and over, and it grew more and more beautiful; till, suddenly,
it seemed as though she were standing quite alone. She looked up: on one
side of her was the high precipice, on the other was the river, with the
willow trees, drooping their branches into the water; and the moonlight was
over all. Up, against the night sky the pointed leaves of the kippersol
trees were clearly marked, and the rocks and the willow trees cast dark