howbeautifuleverythingwas!manyanolddamecameforthfromherdoorintothesunshine,andshuffledaboutwithgreatdelight,glancingatthegoldenflowerswhichglitteredeverywhereinthefields,astheyusedtodoinheryoungdays.theworldgrewyoungagaintoher,asshesaid,"itisablessedtimeouthereto-day."theforestalreadyworeitsdressofdark-greenbuds.thethymeblossomedinfreshfragrance.primrosesandanemonessprungforth,andvioletsbloomedintheshade,whileeverybladeofgrasswasfullofstrengthandsap.whocouldresistsittingdownonsuchabeautifulcarpet?andthentheyoungchildrenofspringseatedthemselves,holdingeachother'shands,andsang,andlaughed,andgrew.agentlerainfelluponthemfromthesky,buttheydidnotnoticeit,fortherain-dropsweretheirowntearsofjoy.theykissedeachother,andwerebetrothed;andinthesamemomentthebudsofthetreesunfolded,andwhenthesunrose,theforestwasgreen.handinhandthetwowanderedbeneaththefreshpendantcanopyoffoliage,whilethesun'sraysgleamedthroughtheopeningoftheshade,inchangingandvariedcolors.thedelicateyoungleavesfilledtheairwithrefreshingodor.merrilyrippledtheclearbrooksandrivuletsbetweenthegreen,velvetyrushes,andoverthemany-coloredpebblesbeneath.allnaturespokeofabundanceandplenty.thecuckoosang,andthelarkcarolled,foritwasnowbeautifulspring.thecarefulwillowshad,however,coveredtheirblossomswithwoollygloves;andthiscarefulnessisrathertedious.daysandweekswentby,andtheheatincreased.warmairwavedthecornasitgrewgoldeninthesun.thewhitenorthernlilyspreaditslargegreenleavesovertheglossymirrorofthewoodlandlake,andthefishessoughttheshadowsbeneaththem.inashelteredpartofthewood,thesunshoneuponthewallsofafarm-house,brighteningthebloomingroses,andripeningtheblackjuicyberries,whichhungontheloadedcherry-trees,withhishotbeams.heresatthelovelywifeofsummer,thesamewhomwehaveseenasachildandabride;hereyeswerefixedondarkgatheringclouds,whichinwavyoutlinesofblackandindigowerepilingthemselvesuplikemountains,higherandhigher.theycamefromeveryside,alwaysincreasinglikearising,rollingsea.thentheyswoopedtowardstheforest,whereeverysoundhadbeensilencedasifbymagic,everybreathhushed,everybirdmute.allnaturestoodstillingravesuspense.butinthelanesandthehighways,passengersonfootorincarriageswerehurryingtofindaplaceofshelter.thencameaflashoflight,asifthesunhadrushedforthfromthesky,flaming,burning,all-devouring,anddarknessreturnedamidarollingcrashofthunder.therainpoureddowninstreams,-nowtherewasdarkness,thenblindinglight,-nowthrillingsilence,thendeafeningdin.theyoungbrownreedsonthemoorwavedtoandfroinfeatherybillows;theforestboughswerehiddeninawaterymist,andstilllightanddarknessfollowedeachother,stillcamethesilenceaftertheroar,whilethecornandthebladesofgrasslaybeatendownandswamped,sothatitseemedimpossibletheycouldeverraisethemselvesagain.butafterawhiletherainbegantofallgently,thesun'srayspiercedtheclouds,andthewater-dropsglitteredlikepearlsonleafandstem.thebirdssang,thefishesleapeduptothesurfaceofthewater,thegnatsdancedinthesunshine,andyonder,onarockbytheheavingsaltsea,satsummerhimself,astrongmanwithsturdylimbsandlong,drippinghair.strengthenedbythecoolbath,hesatinthewarmsunshine,whileallaroundhimrenewednaturebloomedstrong,luxuriant,andbeautiful:itwassummer,warm,lovelysummer.sweetandpleasantwasthefragrancewaftedfromtheclover-field,wherethebeesswarmedroundtheruinedtower,thebrambletwineditselfovertheoldaltar,which,washedbytherain,glitteredinthesunshine;andthitherflewthequeenbeewithherswarm,andpreparedwaxandhoney.butsummerandhisbosom-wifesawitwithdifferenteyes,tothemthealtar-tablewascoveredwiththeofferingsofnature.theeveningskyshonelikegold,nochurchdomecouldevergleamsobrightly,andbetweenthegoldeneveningandtheblushingmorningtherewasmoonlight.itwasindeedsummer.anddaysandweekspassed,thebrightscythesofthereapersglitteredinthecorn-fields,thebranchesoftheapple-treesbentlow,heavywiththeredandgoldenfruit.thehop,hanginginclusters,filledtheairwithsweetfragrance,andbeneaththehazel-bushes,wherethenutshungingreatbunches,restedamanandawoman-summerandhisgraveconsort.

"see,"sheexclaimed,"whatwealth,whatblessingssurroundverythingishome-likeandgood,andyet,iknownotwhy,ilongforrestandpeace;icanscarcelyexpresswhatifeel.theyarealreadyploughingthefieldsagain;moreandmorethepeoplewishforgain.see,thestorksareflockingtogether,andfollowingtheploughatashortdistance.theyarethebirdsfromegypt,whocarriedusthroughtheair.doyourememberhowwecameaschildrentothislandofthenorth;webroughtwithusflowersandbrightsunshine,andgreentotheforests,butthewindhasbeenroughwiththem,andtheyarenowbecomedarkandbrown,likethetreesofthesouth,buttheydonot,likethem,beargoldenfruit."

"doyouwishtoseegoldenfruit?"