shewasobligedtobesatisfiedwithbeingabletolookoverthebeautifulcountryandseethebusyindustryofmen.

itwasglorious;butmostgloriousofallwhentheoldclergymansatundertheoaktreeandtalkedoffrance,andofthegreatdeedsofhersonsanddaughters,whosenameswillbementionedwithadmirationthroughalltime.

thenthedryadheardoftheshepherdgirl,joanofarc,andofcharlottecorday;sheheardabouthenrythefourth,andnapoleonthefirst;sheheardnameswhoseechosoundsintheheartsofthepeople.

thevillagechildrenlistenedattentively,andthedryadnolessattentively;shebecameaschool-childwiththerest.inthecloudsthatwentsailingbyshesaw,picturebypicture,everythingthatsheheardtalkedabout.thecloudyskywasherpicture-book.

shefeltsohappyinbeautifulfrance,thefruitfullandofgenius,withthecrateroffreedom.butinherheartthestingremainedthatthebird,thateveryanimalthatcouldfly,wasmuchbetteroffthanshe.eventheflycouldlookaboutmoreintheworld,farbeyondthedryad'shorizon.

francewassogreatandsoglorious,butshecouldonlylookacrossalittlepieceofit.thelandstretchedout,world-wide,withvineyards,forestsandgreatcities.ofallthesepariswasthemostsplendidandthemightiest.thebirdscouldgetthere;butshe,never!

amongthevillagechildrenwasalittleragged,poorgirl,butaprettyonetolookat.shewasalwayslaughingorsingingandtwiningredflowersinherblackhair.

"don'tgotoparis!"theoldclergymanwarnedher."poorchild!ifyougothere,itwillbeyourruin."

butshewentforallthat.

thedryadoftenthoughtofher;forshehadthesamewish,andfeltthesamelongingforthegreatcity.

thedryad'streewasbearingitsfirstchestnutblossoms;thebirdsweretwitteringroundtheminthemostbeautifulastatelycarriagecamerollingalongthatway,andinitsatagrandladydrivingthespirited,light-footedhorses.onthebackseatalittlesmartgroombalancedhimself.thedryadknewthelady,andtheoldclergymanknewheralso.heshookhisheadgravelywhenhesawher,andsaid:

"soyouwentthereafterall,anditwasyourruin,poormary!"

"thatonepoor?"thoughtthedryad."no;shewearsadressfitforacountess"(shehadbecomeoneinthecityofmagicchanges)."oh,ifiwereonlythere,amidallthesplendorandpomp!theyshineupintotheverycloudsatnight;whenilookup,icantellinwhatdirectionthetownlies."

towardsthatdirectionthedryadlookedeveryevening.shesawinthedarknightthegleamingcloudonthehorizon;intheclearmoonlightnightsshemissedthesailingclouds,whichshowedherpicturesofthecityandpicturesfromhistory.

thechildgraspsatthepicture-books,thedryadgraspedatthecloud-world,herthought-book.asudden,cloudlessskywasforherablankleaf;andforseveraldaysshehadonlyhadsuchleavesbeforeher.

itwasinthewarmsummer-time:notabreezemovedthroughtheglowinghotdays.everyleaf,everyflower,layasifitweretorpid,andthepeopleseemedtorpid,too.

thenthecloudsaroseandcoveredtheregionroundaboutwherethegleamingmistannounced"hereliesparis."

thecloudspiledthemselvesuplikeachainofmountains,hurriedonthroughtheair,andspreadthemselvesabroadoverthewholelandscape,asfarasthedryad'seyecouldreach.

likeenormousblue-blackblocksofrock,thecloudslaypiledoveroneanother.gleamsoflightningshotforthfromthem.

"thesealsoaretheservantsofthelordgod,"theoldclergymanhadsaid.andtherecameabluishdazzlingflashoflightning,alightingupasifofthesunitself,whichcouldburstblocksofrockasunder.thelightningstruckandsplittotherootstheoldvenerableoak.thecrownfellasunder.itseemedasifthetreewerestretchingforthitsarmstoclaspthemessengersofthelight.

nobronzecannoncansoundoverthelandatthebirthofaroyalchildasthethundersoundedatthedeathoftheoldoak.therainstreameddown;arefreshingwindwasblowing;thestormhadgoneby,andtherewasquiteaholidayglowonallthings.theoldclergymanspokeafewwordsforhonorableremembrance,andapaintermadeadrawing,asalastingrecordofthetree.

"everythingpassesaway,"saidthedryad,"passesawaylikeacloud,andnevercomesback!"