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ch　home　before　all　whom　he　remembered　should　die；　but　he　spoke　to　no　one　of　this　longing。

No　one　would　have　believed　or　understood　this　sorrow　of　his　heart；　the　deepest　that　can　be　felt　by　human　nature。　Such　grief　is　not　for　the
world；　it　is　not　entertaining　even　to　friends；　and　poor　Knud　had　no
friends；　he　was　a　stranger；　wandering　through　strange　lands　to　his
home　in　the　north。

He　was　walking　one　evening　through　the　public　roads；　the　country
around　him　was　flatter；　with　fields　and　meadows；　the　air　had　a
frosty　feeling。　A　willow…tree　grew　by　the　roadside；　everything
reminded　him　of　home。　He　felt　very　tired；　so　he　sat　down　under　the
tree；　and　very　soon　began　to　nod；　then　his　eyes　closed　in　sleep。　Yet
still　he　seemed　conscious　that　the　willow…tree　was　stretching　its
branches　over　him；　in　his　dreaming　state　the　tree　appeared　like　a
strong；　old　man…　the　〃willow…father〃　himself；　who　had　taken　his
tired　son　up　in　his　arms　to　carry　him　back　to　the　land　of　home；　to　the
garden　of　his　childhood；　on　the　bleak　open　shores　of　Kjoge。　And　then　he　dreamed　that　it　was　really　the　willow…tree　itself　from　Kjoge；　which　had　travelled　out　in　the　world　to　seek　him；　and　now　had　found　him　and　carried　him　back　into　the　little　garden　on　the　banks　of　the
streamlet；　and　there　stood　Joanna；　in　all　her　splendor；　with　the
golden　crown　on　her　head；　as　he　had　last　seen　her；　to　welcome　him
back。　And　then　there　appeared　before　him　two　remarkable　shapes；
which　looked　much　more　like　human　beings　than　when　he　had　seen　them　in　his　childhood；　they　were　changed；　but　he　remembered　that　they　were　the　two　gingerbread　cakes；　the　man　and　the　woman；　who　had　shown　their　best　sides　to　the　world　and　looked　so　good。

〃We　thank　you；〃　they　said　to　Knud；　〃for　you　have　loosened　our
tongues；　we　have　learnt　from　you　that　thoughts　should　be　spoken
freely；　or　nothing　will　come　of　them；　and　now　something　has　come　of
our　thoughts；　for　we　are　engaged　to　be　married。〃　Then　they　walked
away；　hand…in…hand；　through　the　streets　of　Kjoge；　looking　very
respectable　on　the　best　side；　which　they　were　quite　right　to　show。

They　turned　their　steps　to　the　church；　and　Knud　and　Joanna　followed
them；　also　walking　hand…in…hand；　there　stood　the　church；　as　of　old；
with　its　red　walls；　on　which　the　green　ivy　grew。

The　great　church　door　flew　open　wide；　and　as　they　walked　up　the
broad　aisle；　soft　tones　of　music　sounded　from　the　organ。　〃Our　master
first；〃　said　the　gingerbread　pair；　making　room　for　Knud　and　Joanna。　
As　they　knelt　at　the　altar；　Joanna　bent　her　head　over　him；　and　cold；
icy　tears　fell　on　his　face　from　her　eyes。　They　were　indeed　tears　of
ice；　for　her　heart　was　melting　towards　him　through　his　strong　love；
and　as　her　tears　fell　on　his　burning　cheeks　he　awoke。　He　was　still
sitting　under　the　willow…tree　in　a　strange　land；　on　a　cold　winter
evening；　with　snow　and　hail　falling　from　the　clouds；　and　beating
upon　his　face。

〃That　was　the　most　delightful　hour　of　my　life；〃　said　he；　〃although
it　was　only　a　dream。　Oh；　let　me　dream　again。〃　Then　he　closed　his
eyes　once　more；　and　slept　and　dreamed。

Towards　morning　there　was　a　great　fall　of　snow；　the　wind　drifted
it　over　him；　but　he　still　slept　on。　The　villagers　came　forth　to　go
to　church；　by　the　roadside　they　found　a　workman　seated；　but　he　was
dead！　frozen　to　death　under　a　willow…tree。

THE　END

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Written　By　Anderson