which in days long passed had been curly, and was combed with a
tooth-comb every Saturday by his mother's gentle hand. He was not
allowed to wear a cap to-day, because it would have facilitated an
attempt at escape. And as the sun scorched his head, he remembered
the story of the prophet Jonah, to whom the Lord gave a gourd so
that he might sit in its shade.

"A nice gift, that!" he sneered, for he did not believe in anything
good; in fact, he did not believe in anything at all.

All at once he saw a huge birch branch tossed about in the surf.
It was quite green and fresh and had a white stem; possibly it had
fallen off a pleasure-boat. He dragged it ashore, shook the water
off and carried it to a gully where he put it up, wedged firmly
between three stones. Then he sat down and listened to the wind
rustling through its leaves, which smelt of the finest resin.

When he had sat for a little while in the shade of the birch he
fell asleep.

And he dreamed a dream.

The whole mountain was a green wood with lovely trees and odorous
flowers. Birds were singing, bees and humble-bees buzzing, and
butterflies fluttering from flower to flower. But all by itself
and a little aside stood a tree which he did not know; it was more
beautiful than all the rest; it had several stems, like a shrub,
and the branches looked like lacework. And on one of its branches,
half hidden by its foliage, sat a little black-and-white bird which
looked like a swallow, but wasn't one.