hepictureditallsoplainlytohimself,thathesmiledevenwhilethetearsrandownhischeeks.

thelittlebirdsinthechestnut-treestwittered,"tweet,tweet;"theyweresohappy,althoughtheyhadseenthefuneral;buttheyseemedasiftheyknewthatthedeadmanwasnowinheaven,andthathehadwingsmuchlargerandmorebeautifulthantheirown;andhewashappynow,becausehehadbeengoodhereonearth,andtheyweregladofit.johnsawthemflyawayoutofthegreentreesintothewideworld,andhelongedtoflywiththem;butfirsthecutoutalargewoodencross,toplaceonhisfather'sgrave;andwhenhebroughtitthereintheevening,hefoundthegravedeckedoutwithgravelandflowers.strangershaddonethis;theywhohadknownthegoodoldfatherwhowasnowdead,andwhohadlovedhimverymuch.

earlythenextmorning,johnpackeduphislittlebundleofclothes,andplacedallhismoney,whichconsistedoffiftydollarsandafewshillings,inhisgirdle;withthishedeterminedtotryhisfortuneintheworld.butfirsthewentintothechurchyard;and,byhisfather'sgrave,heofferedupaprayer,andsaid,"farewell."

ashepassedthroughthefields,alltheflowerslookedfreshandbeautifulinthewarmsunshine,andnoddedinthewind,asiftheywishedtosay,"welcometothegreenwood,whereallisfreshandbright."

thenjohnturnedtohaveonemorelookattheoldchurch,inwhichhehadbeenchristenedinhisinfancy,andwherehisfatherhadtakenhimeverysundaytoheartheserviceandjoininsingingthepsalms.ashelookedattheoldtower,heespiedtheringerstandingatoneofthenarrowopenings,withhislittlepointedredcaponhishead,andshadinghiseyesfromthesunwithhisbentarm.johnnoddedfarewelltohim,andthelittleringerwavedhisredcap,laidhishandonhisheart,andkissedhishandtohimagreatmanytimes,toshowthathefeltkindlytowardshim,andwishedhimaprosperousjourney.

johncontinuedhisjourney,andthoughtofallthewonderfulthingsheshouldseeinthelarge,beautifulworld,tillhefoundhimselffartherawayfromhomethaneverhehadbeenbefore.hedidnotevenknowthenamesoftheplaceshepassedthrough,andcouldscarcelyunderstandthelanguageofthepeoplehemet,forhewasfaraway,inastrangeland.thefirstnighthesleptonahaystack,outinthefields,fortherewasnootherbedforhim;butitseemedtohimsoniceandcomfortablethatevenakingneednotwishforabetter.thefield,thebrook,thehaystack,withtheblueskyabove,formedabeautifulsleeping-room.thegreengrass,withthelittleredandwhiteflowers,wasthecarpet;theelder-bushesandthehedgesofwildroseslookedlikegarlandsonthewalls;andforabathhecouldhavetheclear,freshwaterofthebrook;whiletherushesbowedtheirheadstohim,towishhimgoodmorningandgoodevening.themoon,likealargelamp,hunghighupintheblueceiling,andhehadnofearofitssettingfiretohiscurtains.johnsleptherequitesafelyallnight;andwhenheawoke,thesunwasup,andallthelittlebirdsweresingingroundhim,"goodmorning,goodreyounotupyet?"

itwassunday,andthebellswereringingforchurch.asthepeoplewentin,johnfollowedthem;heheardgod'sword,joinedinsingingthepsalms,andlistenedtothepreacher.itseemedtohimjustasifhewereinhisownchurch,wherehehadbeenchristened,andhadsungthepsalmswithhisfather.outinthechurchyardwereseveralgraves,andonsomeofthemthegrasshadgrownveryhigh.johnthoughtofhisfather'sgrave,whichheknewatlastwouldlooklikethese,ashewasnottheretoweedandattendtoit.thenhesettowork,pulledupthehighgrass,raisedthewoodencrosseswhichhadfallendown,andreplacedthewreathswhichhadbeenblownawayfromtheirplacesbythewind,thinkingallthetime,"perhapssomeoneisdoingthesameformyfather'sgrave,asiamnottheretodoit"

outsidethechurchdoorstoodanoldbeggar,leaningonhiscrutch.johngavehimhissilvershillings,andthenhecontinuedhisjourney,feelinglighterandhappierthanever.towardsevening,theweatherbecameverystormy,andhehastenedonasquicklyashecould,togetshelter;butitwasquitedarkbythetimehereachedalittlelonelychurchwhichstoodonahill."iwillgoinhere,"hesaid,"andsitdowninacorner;foriamquitetired,andwantrest."

sohewentin,andseatedhimself;thenhefoldedhishands,andoffereduphiseveningprayer,andwassoonfastasleepanddreaming,whilethethunderrolledandthelightningflashedwithout.whenheawoke,itwasstillnight;butthestormhadceased,andthemoonshoneinuponhimthroughthewindows.thenhesawanopencoffinstandinginthecentreofthechurch,whichcontainedadeadman,waitingforburial.johnwasnotatalltimid;hehadagoodconscience,andheknewalsothatthedeadcanneverinjureanyone.itislivingwickedmenwhodoharmtoothers.twosuchwickedpersonsstoodnowbythedeadman,whohadbeenbroughttothechurchtobeburied.theirevilintentionsweretothrowthepoordeadbodyoutsidethechurchdoor,andnotleavehimtorestinhiscoffin.

"whydoyoudothis?"