listened he found that it was the birch which had sung so loudly;
it sounded as if some one were sifting sand or gravel, and again
he thought of the lime trees, which make the soft velvety sounds
that touch the heart.

On the following day his birch was faded and gave little shade.

On the day after that the foliage was as dry as paper and rattled
like teeth. And finally there was nothing left but a huge birch
rod, which reminded him of his childhood.

He remembered the gourd of the prophet Jonah, and he cursed when
the sun scorched his head.

***

A new king had come to the throne, and he brought fresh life into
the government of the country. The town was to have a new watercourse,
and therefore all the prisoners were commanded to dredge.

It was for the first time after many years that he was allowed to
leave his cliff. He was in the boat, swimming on the water, and
saw much in his native town that was new to him; he saw the railway
and the locomotive. And they began dredging just below the railway
station.

And gradually they brought up all the corruption which lay buried
at the bottom of the sea. Drowned cats, old shoes, decomposed
fat from the candle factory, the refuse from the dye works called
"The Blue Hand," tanners' bark from the tannery, and all the human