butthewaywasunfitforthegirls;theywouldhavetorntheirdresses.largerocks,coveredwithmossofvarioushues,werelyingabout;thefreshspringwaterrippledforthwithapeculiarsound."idon'tthinkthatcanbethebell,"saidoneoftheconfirmedchildren,andthenhelaydownandlistened."wemusttrytofindoutifitis!"andthereheremained,andlettheotherswalkon.

theycametoahutbuiltofthebarkoftreesandbranches;alargecrab-appletreespreaditsbranchesoverit,asifitintendedtopourallitsfruitontheroof,uponwhichroseswereblooming;thelongboughscoveredthegable,wherealittlebellwashanging.wasthistheonetheyhadheard?allagreedthatitmustbeso,exceptonewhosaidthatthebellwastoosmallandtoothintobeheardatsuchadistance,andthatithadquiteadifferentsoundtothatwhichhadsotouchedmen'shearts.

hewhospokewasaking'sson,andthereforetheotherssaidthatsuchaonealwayswishestobeclevererthanotherpeople.

thereforetheylethimgoalone;andashewalkedon,thesolitudeofthewoodproducedafeelingofreverenceinhisbreast;butstillheheardthelittlebellaboutwhichtheothersrejoiced,andsometimes,whenthewindblewinthatdirection,hecouldhearthesoundsfromtheconfectioner'sstall,wheretheothersweresingingattea.butthedeepsoundsofthebellweremuchstronger;soonitseemedtohimasifanorganplayedanaccompaniment-thesoundcamefromtheleft,fromthesidewheretheheartis.nowsomethingrustledamongthebushes,andalittleboystoodbeforetheking'sson,inwoodenshoesandsuchashortjacketthatthesleevesdidnotreachtohiswrists.theykneweachother:theboywastheonewhohadnotbeenabletogowiththembecausehehadtotakethecoatandbootsbacktohislandlord'sson.thathehaddone,andhadstartedagaininhiswoodenshoesandoldclothes,forthesoundofthebellwastooenticing-hefelthemustgoon.

"wemightgotogether,"saidtheking'sson.butthepoorboywiththewoodenshoeswasquiteashamed;hepulledattheshortsleevesofhisjacket,andsaidthathewasafraidhecouldnotwalksofast;besides,hewasofopinionthatthebelloughttobesoughtattheright,fortherewasallthatwasgrandandmagnificent.

"thenweshallnotmeet,"saidtheking'sson,noddingtothepoorboy,whowentintothedeepestpartofthewood,wherethethornstorehisshabbyclothesandscratchedhishands,face,andfeetuntiltheybled.theking'ssonalsoreceivedseveralgoodscratches,butthesunwasshiningonhisway,anditishewhomwewillnowfollow,forhewasaquickfellow."iwillandmustfindthebell,"hesaid,"ifihavetogototheendoftheworld."

uglymonkeyssathighinthebranchesandclenchedtheirteeth."shallwebeathim?"theysaid."shallwethrashhim?heisaking'sson!"

buthewalkedonundaunted,deeperanddeeperintothewood,wherethemostwonderfulflowersweregrowing;therewerestandingwhitestarlilieswithblood-redstamens,sky-bluetulipsshiningwhenthewindmovedthem;apple-treescoveredwithappleslikelargeglitteringsoapbubbles:onlythinkhowresplendentthesetreeswereinthesunshine!allaroundwerebeautifulgreenmeadows,wherehartandhindplayedinthegrass.theregrewmagnificentoaksandbeech-trees;andifthebarkwassplitofanyofthem,longbladesofgrassgrewoutoftheclefts;therewerealsolargesmoothlakesinthewood,onwhichtheswanswereswimmingaboutandflappingtheirwings.theking'ssonoftenstoodstillandlistened;sometimeshethoughtthatthesoundofthebellroseuptohimoutofoneofthesedeeplakes,butsoonhefoundthatthiswasamistake,andthatthebellwasringingstillfartherinthewood.thenthesunset,thecloudswereasredasfire;itbecamequietinthewood;hesankdownonhisknees,sanganeveninghymnandsaid:"ishallneverfindwhatiamlookingfor!