sheepskin tunic, and his bare feet and legs, and his wallet that
never was to get filled.

"Where do you come from, and what do you want?" they asked; and he
answered, with a sob in his voice:--

"I want to do like Findelkind of Arlberg."

And then the crowd laughed, not knowing at all what he meant, but
laughing just because they did not know: as crowds always will do.
And only the big dogs that are so very big in this country, and
are all loose, and free, and good-natured citizens, came up to him
kindly, and rubbed against him, and made friends; and at that
tears came into his eyes, and his courage rose, and he lifted his
head.

"You are cruel people to laugh," he said indignantly; "the dogs
are kinder. People did not laugh at Findelkind. He was a little
boy just like me, no better and no bigger, and as poor; and yet he
had so much faith, and the world then was so good, that he left
his sheep and got money enough to build a church and a hospice to
Christ and St. Christopher. And I want to do the same for the
poor. Not for myself, no; for the poor! I am Findelkind, too, and
Findelkind of Arlberg that is in heaven speaks to me."

Then he stopped, and a sob rose again in his throat.

"He is crazy!" said the people, laughing, yet a little scared; for
the priest at Zirl had said rightly, this is not an age of faith.
At that moment there sounded, coming from the barracks, that used