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she　was　here　also：　for；　when　the　curtain　rose；　there　stood　Joanna；
dressed　in　silk　and　gold；　and　with　a　golden　crown　upon　her　head。　She
sang；　he　thought；　as　only　an　angel　could　sing；　and　then　she　stepped
forward　to　the　front　and　smiled；　as　only　Joanna　could　smile；　and
looked　directly　at　Knud。　Poor　Knud！　he　seized　his　master's　hand；　and
cried　out　loud；　〃Joanna；〃　but　no　one　heard　him；　excepting　his
master；　for　the　music　sounded　above　everything。

〃Yes；　yes；　it　is　Joanna；〃　said　his　master；　and　he　drew　forth　a
printed　bill；　and　pointed　to　her　name；　which　was　there　in　full。　Then
it　was　not　a　dream。　All　the　audience　applauded　her；　and　threw
wreaths　of　flowers　at　her；　and　every　time　she　went　away　they　called
for　her　again；　so　that　she　was　always　coming　and　going。　In　the
street　the　people　crowded　round　her　carriage；　and　drew　it　away
themselves　without　the　horses。　Knud　was　in　the　foremost　row；　and
shouted　as　joyously　as　the　rest；　and　when　the　carriage　stopped
before　a　brilliantly　lighted　house；　Knud　placed　himself　close　to　the
door　of　her　carriage。　It　flew　open；　and　she　stepped　out；　the　light
fell　upon　her　dear　face；　and　he　could　see　that　she　smiled　as　she
thanked　them；　and　appeared　quite　overcome。　Knud　looked　straight　in　her　face；　and　she　looked　at　him；　but　she　did　not　recognize　him。　A　man；　with　a　glittering　star　on　his　breast；　gave　her　his　arm；　and　people
said　the　two　were　engaged　to　be　married。　Then　Knud　went　home　and
packed　up　his　knapsack；　he　felt　he　must　return　to　the　home　of　his
childhood；　to　the　elder…tree　and　the　willow。　〃Ah；　under　that
willow…tree！〃　A　man　may　live　a　whole　life　in　one　single　hour。

The　old　couple　begged　him　to　remain；　but　words　were　useless。　In
vain　they　reminded　him　that　winter　was　coming；　and　that　the　snow　had　already　fallen　on　the　mountains。　He　said　he　could　easily　follow　the　track　of　the　closely…moving　carriages；　for　which　a　path　must　be　kept　clear；　and　with　nothing　but　his　knapsack　on　his　back；　and　leaning　on　his　stick；　he　could　step　along　briskly。　So　he　turned　his　steps　to
the　mountains；　ascended　one　side　and　descended　the　other；　still
going　northward　till　his　strength　began　to　fail；　and　not　a　house　or
village　could　be　seen。　The　stars　shone　in　the　sky　above　him；　and
down　in　the　valley　lights　glittered　like　stars；　as　if　another　sky　were
beneath　him；　but　his　head　was　dizzy　and　his　feet　stumbled；　and　he　felt
ill。　The　lights　in　the　valley　grew　brighter　and　brighter；　and　more
numerous；　and　he　could　see　them　moving　to　and　fro；　and　then　he
understood　that　there　must　be　a　village　in　the　distance；　so　he　exerted
his　failing　strength　to　reach　it；　and　at　length　obtained　shelter　in
a　humble　lodging。　He　remained　there　that　night　and　the　whole　of　the
following　day；　for　his　body　required　rest　and　refreshment；　and　in
the　valley　there　was　rain　and　a　thaw。　But　early　in　the　morning　of
the　third　day；　a　man　came　with　an　organ　and　played　one　of　the　melodies　of　home；　and　after　that　Knud　could　remain　there　no　longer；　so　he　started　again　on　his　journey　toward　the　north。　He　travelled　for　many　days　with　hasty　steps；　as　if　he　were　trying　to　reach　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