yes-itwaslikemagic,-shewasherealso:for,whenthecurtainrose,therestoodjoanna,dressedinsilkandgold,andwithagoldencrownuponherhead.shesang,hethought,asonlyanangelcouldsing;andthenshesteppedforwardtothefrontandsmiled,asonlyjoannacouldsmile,andlookeddirectlyatknud.poorknud!heseizedhismaster'shand,andcriedoutloud,"joanna,"butnooneheardhim,exceptinghismaster,forthemusicsoundedaboveeverything.

"yes,yes,itisjoanna,"saidhismaster;andhedrewforthaprintedbill,andpointedtohername,whichwasthereinfull.thenitwasnotadream.alltheaudienceapplaudedher,andthrewwreathsofflowersather;andeverytimeshewentawaytheycalledforheragain,sothatshewasalwayscomingandgoing.inthestreetthepeoplecrowdedroundhercarriage,anddrewitawaythemselveswithoutthehorses.knudwasintheforemostrow,andshoutedasjoyouslyastherest;andwhenthecarriagestoppedbeforeabrilliantlylightedhouse,knudplacedhimselfclosetothedoorofhercarriage.itflewopen,andshesteppedout;thelightfelluponherdearface,andhecouldseethatshesmiledasshethankedthem,andappearedquiteovercome.knudlookedstraightinherface,andshelookedathim,butshedidnotrecognizehim.aman,withaglitteringstaronhisbreast,gaveherhisarm,andpeoplesaidthetwowereengagedtobemarried.thenknudwenthomeandpackeduphisknapsack;hefelthemustreturntothehomeofhischildhood,totheelder-treeandthewillow."ah,underthatwillow-tree!"amanmayliveawholelifeinonesinglehour.

theoldcouplebeggedhimtoremain,butwordswereuseless.invaintheyremindedhimthatwinterwascoming,andthatthesnowhadalreadyfallenonthemountains.hesaidhecouldeasilyfollowthetrackoftheclosely-movingcarriages,forwhichapathmustbekeptclear,andwithnothingbuthisknapsackonhisback,andleaningonhisstick,hecouldstepalongbriskly.soheturnedhisstepstothemountains,ascendedonesideanddescendedtheother,stillgoingnorthwardtillhisstrengthbegantofail,andnotahouseorvillagecouldbeseen.thestarsshoneintheskyabovehim,anddowninthevalleylightsglitteredlikestars,asifanotherskywerebeneathhim;buthisheadwasdizzyandhisfeetstumbled,andhefeltill.thelightsinthevalleygrewbrighterandbrighter,andmorenumerous,andhecouldseethemmovingtoandfro,andthenheunderstoodthattheremustbeavillageinthedistance;soheexertedhisfailingstrengthtoreachit,andatlengthobtainedshelterinahumblelodging.heremainedtherethatnightandthewholeofthefollowingday,forhisbodyrequiredrestandrefreshment,andinthevalleytherewasrainandathaw.butearlyinthemorningofthethirdday,amancamewithanorganandplayedoneofthemelodiesofhome;andafterthatknudcouldremaintherenolonger,sohestartedagainonhisjourneytowardthenorth.hetravelledformanydayswithhastysteps,asifheweretryingtoreachhomebeforeallwhomherememberedshoulddie;buthespoketonooneofthisonewouldhavebelievedorunderstoodthissorrowofhisheart,thedeepestthatcanbefeltbyhumannature.suchgriefisnotfortheworld;itisnotentertainingeventofriends,andpoorknudhadnofriends;hewasastranger,wanderingthroughstrangelandstohishomeinthenorth.

hewaswalkingoneeveningthroughthepublicroads,thecountryaroundhimwasflatter,withfieldsandmeadows,theairhadafrostyfeeling.awillow-treegrewbytheroadside,everythingremindedhimofhome.hefeltverytired;sohesatdownunderthetree,andverysoonbegantonod,thenhiseyesclosedinsleep.yetstillheseemedconsciousthatthewillow-treewasstretchingitsbranchesoverhim;inhisdreamingstatethetreeappearedlikeastrong,oldman-the"willow-father"himself,whohadtakenhistiredsonupinhisarmstocarryhimbacktothelandofhome,tothegardenofhischildhood,onthebleakopenshoresofkjoge.andthenhedreamedthatitwasreallythewillow-treeitselffromkjoge,whichhadtravelledoutintheworldtoseekhim,andnowhadfoundhimandcarriedhimbackintothelittlegardenonthebanksofthestreamlet;andtherestoodjoanna,inallhersplendor,withthegoldencrownonherhead,ashehadlastseenher,towelcomehimback.andthenthereappearedbeforehimtworemarkableshapes,whichlookedmuchmorelikehumanbeingsthanwhenhehadseentheminhischildhood;theywerechanged,butherememberedthattheywerethetwogingerbreadcakes,themanandthewoman,whohadshowntheirbestsidestotheworldandlookedsogood.

"wethankyou,"theysaidtoknud,"foryouhaveloosenedourtongues;wehavelearntfromyouthatthoughtsshouldbespokenfreely,ornothingwillcomeofthem;andnowsomethinghascomeofourthoughts,forweareengagedtobemarried."thentheywalkedaway,hand-in-hand,throughthestreetsofkjoge,lookingveryrespectableonthebestside,whichtheywerequiterighttoyturnedtheirstepstothechurch,andknudandjoannafollowedthem,alsowalkinghand-in-hand;therestoodthechurch,asofold,withitsredwalls,onwhichthegreenivygrew.

thegreatchurchdoorflewopenwide,andastheywalkedupthebroadaisle,softtonesofmusicsoundedfromtheorgan."ourmasterfirst,"saidthegingerbreadpair,makingroomforknudandjoanna.astheykneltatthealtar,joannabentherheadoverhim,andcold,icytearsfellonhisfacefromhereyes.theywereindeedtearsofice,forherheartwasmeltingtowardshimthroughhisstronglove,andashertearsfellonhisburningcheeksheawoke.hewasstillsittingunderthewillow-treeinastrangeland,onacoldwinterevening,withsnowandhailfallingfromtheclouds,andbeatinguponhisface.

"thatwasthemostdelightfulhourofmylife,"saidhe,"althoughitwasonlyadream.oh,letmedreamagain."thenheclosedhiseyesoncemore,andsleptanddreamed.

towardsmorningtherewasagreatfallofsnow;thewinddrifteditoverhim,buthestillslepton.thevillagerscameforthtogotochurch;bytheroadsidetheyfoundaworkmanseated,buthewasdead!