the young man, "What do you here?" And the young man said, "I am
always in love. Come and love with me."

But the traveler lost the young man as he had lost the rest of
his friends, and, after calling to him to come back, which he
never did, went on upon his journey. At last he came to a
middle-aged gentleman. So he said to him, "What are you doing
here?" And his answer was, "I am always busy. Come and be busy
with me."

The traveler began to be very busy with the gentleman, and they
went on through the wood together. The whole journey was through
a wood, only it had been open and green at first, like a wood in
spring, and now began to be thick and dark, like a wood in
summer; some of the little trees that had come out earliest were
even turning brown.

The gentleman was not alone, but had a lady of about the same age
with him, who was his wife; and they had children, who were with
them too. They all went on together through the wood, cutting
down the trees, and making a path among the branches, and
carrying burdens and working hard.

Sometimes they came to a long green avenue that opened into
deeper woods. Then they would hear a very distant little voice
crying, "Father, father, I am another child! Stop for me!" And
presently they would see a very little figure, growing larger as
it came along, running to join them. When it came up, they all
crowded round it, and kissed and welcomed it; and then they all
went on together.