agreatboy,outofwickedness,hadeatenherup.atfirstthechildrencriedaboutit;butafterwards,thinkingveryprobablythatthepoorloveroughtnottobeleftaloneintheworld,theyatehimuptoo:buttheyneverforgotthestory.

thetwochildrenstillcontinuedtoplaytogetherbytheelder-tree,andunderthewillow;andthelittlemaidensangbeautifulsongs,withavoicethatwasasclearasabell.knud,onthecontrary,hadnotanoteofmusicinhim,butknewthewordsofthesongs,andthatofcourseissomething.thepeopleofkjoge,andeventherichwifeofthemanwhokeptthefancyshop,wouldstandandlistenwhilejoannawassinging,andsay,"shehasreallyaverysweetvoice."

thosewerehappydays;buttheycouldnotlastforever.theneighborswereseparated,themotherofthelittlegirlwasdead,andherfatherhadthoughtsofmarryingagainandofresidinginthecapital,wherehehadbeenpromisedaverylucrativeappointmentasmessenger.theneighborspartedwithtears,thechildrenweptsadly;buttheirparentspromisedthattheyshouldwritetoeachotheratleastonceayear.

afterthis,knudwasboundapprenticetoashoemaker;hewasgrowingagreatboy,andcouldnotbeallowedtorunwildanylonger.besides,hewasgoingtobeconfirmed.ah,howhappyhewouldhavebeenonthatfestaldayincopenhagenwithlittlejoanna;buthestillremainedatkjoge,andhadneverseenthegreatcity,thoughthetownisnotfivemilesfromit.butfaracrossthebay,whentheskywasclear,thetowersofcopenhagencouldbeseen;andonthedayofhisconfirmationhesawdistinctlythegoldencrossontheprincipalchurchglitteringinthesun.howoftenhisthoughtswerewithjoanna!butdidshethinkofhim?yes.aboutchristmascamealetterfromherfathertoknud'sparents,whichstatedthattheyweregoingonverywellincopenhagen,andmentioningparticularlythatjoanna'sbeautifulvoicewaslikelytobringherabrilliantfortuneinthefuture.shewasengagedtosingataconcert,andshehadalreadyearnedmoneybysinging,outofwhichshesentherdearneighborsatkjogeawholedollar,forthemtomakemerryonchristmaseve,andtheyweretodrinkherhealth.shehadherselfaddedthisinapostscript,andinthesamepostscriptshewrote,"kindregardstoknud."

thegoodneighborswept,althoughthenewswassopleasant;buttheywepttearsofjoy.knud'sthoughtshadbeendailywithjoanna,andnowheknewthatshealsohadthoughtofhim;andthenearerthetimecameforhisapprenticeshiptoend,theclearerdiditappeartohimthathelovedjoanna,andthatshemustbehiswife;andasmilecameonhislipsatthethought,andatonetimehedrewthethreadsofastasheworked,andpressedhisfootsohardagainstthekneestrap,thatherantheawlintohisfinger;butwhatdidhecareforthat?hewasdeterminednottoplaythedumbloverasboththegingerbreadcakeshaddone;thestorywasagoodlessontohim.

atlengthhebecomeajourneyman;andthen,forthefirsttime,hepreparedforajourneytocopenhagen,withhisknapsackpackedandready.amasterwasexpectinghimthere,andhethoughtofjoanna,andhowgladshewouldbetoseehim.shewasnowseventeen,andhenineteenyearsold.hewantedtobuyagoldringforherinkjoge,butthenherecollectedhowfarmorebeautifulsuchthingswouldbeincopenhagen.sohetookleaveofhisparents,andonarainyday,lateintheautumn,wanderedforthonfootfromthetownofhisleaveswerefallingfromthetrees;and,bythetimehearrivedathisnewmaster'sinthegreatmetropolis,hewaswetthrough.onthefollowingsundayheintendedtopayhisfirstvisittojoanna'sfather.whenthedaycame,thenewjourneyman'sclotheswerebroughtout,andanewhat,whichhehadbroughtinkjoge.thehatbecamehimverywell,forhithertohehadonlywornacap.hefoundthehousethathesoughteasily,buthadtomountsomanystairsthathebecamequitegiddy;itsurprisedhimtofindhowpeoplelivedoveroneanotherinthisdreadfultown.

onenteringaroominwhicheverythingdenotedprosperity,joanna'sfatherreceivedhimverykindly.thenewwifewasastrangertohim,butsheshookhandswithhim,andofferedhimcoffee.

"joannawillbeverygladtoseeyou,"saidherfather."youhavegrownquiteaniceyoungman,youshallseeherpresently;sheisagoodchild,andisthejoyofmyheart,and,pleasegod,shewillcontinuetobeso;shehasherownroomnow,andpaysusrentforit."andthefatherknockedquitepolitelyatadoor,asifhewereastranger,andthentheybothwentin.howprettyeverythingwasinthatroom!