He sat down on a little smooth plot of turf, shaded by the branches
of a nut-bush, and thought he should now sip the cup of his delight,
drop by drop. And first he plucked down some brambles which
threatened him with their prickles; then he bent aside some branches
which concealed the view; then he removed the stones, so that he
might stretch out his feet at full length on the soft turf; and when
he had done all this, he bethought himself what was yet to do; and
as he found nothing, he stood up to look for his acquaintance the
dragon-fly, and to beg her to guide him once more out of the wood
into the open fields. About midway he met her, and she began to
excuse herself for having fallen asleep in the night. The Child
thought not of the past, were it even but a minute ago, so earnestly
did he now wish to get out from among the thick and close trees; for
his heart beat high, and he felt as if he should breathe freer in
the open ground. The dragon-fly flew on before and showed him the
way as far as the outermost verge of the wood, whence the Child
could espy his own little hut, and then flew away to her
playfellows.



CHAPTER XIII.



The Child walked forth alone upon the fresh dewy cornfield. A
thousand little suns glittered in his eyes, and a lark soared
warbling above his head. And the lark proclaimed the joys of the
coming year, and awakened endless hopes, while she soared circling
higher and higher, till, at length, her song was like the soft