"Little Rosebud, good and wise,
All at once has lost her eyes:
Taking Hyacinth for her mother,
Round his neck her arms she flings;
Then perceiving 'tis another--
Starts with terror?--no, but clings--
Think of that!--fast as before,
Only kissing all the more!"

Alas, how soon was the grand time over! There came a man out of strange
lands, who had travelled wondrous far and wide, had a long beard, deep
eyes, frightful eyebrows, and a strange garment with many folds, and
inwoven with curious figures. He seated himself before the house of
Hyacinth's parents. Hyacinth at once became very inquisitive, and sat down
beside him, and brought him bread and wine. Then parted he his white
beard, and told stories deep into the night; and Hyacinth never stirred or
tired of listening. This much they learned afterward, that he talked a
great deal about strange lands, unknown countries, and amazingly wonderful
things; stopped there three days, and crept with Hyacinth down into deep
shafts. Little Rosebud execrated the old sorcerer pretty thoroughly, for
Hyacinth was altogether absorbed in his conversation, and paid no heed to
anything else, hardly even to the swallowing of a mouthful of food. At
length the man took his departure, but left with Hyacinth a little book
which no man could read. Hyacinth gave him fruit, and bread, and wine to
take with him, and accompanied him a long way. Then he came back sunk in
thought, and thereafter took up a quite new mode of life. Rosebud was in a
very sad way about him, for from that time forward he made little of her,
and kept himself always to himself. But it came to pass that one day he
came home, and was like one born again. He fell on his parents' neck and