sheasked.

"yes,"repliedthethorn-bush;"butiwillnottellyouwhichwayhehastakenuntilyouhavewarmedmeinyourbosom.iamfreezingtodeathhere,andturningtoice."

thenshepressedthebrambletoherbosomquiteclose,sothatitmightbethawed,andthethornspiercedherflesh,andgreatdropsofbloodflowed;butthebrambleshotforthfreshgreenleaves,andtheybecameflowersonthecoldwinter'snight,sowarmistheheartofasorrowingmother.thenthebramble-bushtoldherthepathshemusttake.shecameatlengthtoagreatlake,onwhichtherewasneithershipnorboattobeseen.thelakewasnotfrozensufficientlyforhertopassoverontheice,norwasitopenenoughforhertowadethrough;andyetshemustcrossit,ifshewishedtofindherchild.thenshelaidherselfdowntodrinkupthewaterofthelake,whichwasofcourseimpossibleforanyhumanbeingtodo;butthebereavedmotherthoughtthatperhapsamiraclemighttakeplacetohelpher."youwillneversucceedinthis,"saidthelake;letusmakeanagreementtogetherwhichwillbebetter.ilovetocollectpearls,andyoureyesarethepurestihaveeverseen.ifyouwillweepthoseeyesawayintearsintomywaters,theniwilltakeyoutothelargehothousewheredeathdwellsandrearsflowersandtrees,everyoneofwhichisahumanlife."

"oh,whatwouldinotgivetoreachmychild!"saidtheweepingmother;andasshestillcontinuedtoweep,hereyesfellintothedepthsofthelake,andbecametwocostlypearls.

thenthelakeliftedherup,andwaftedheracrosstotheoppositeshoreasifshewereonaswing,wherestoodawonderfulbuildingmanymilesinlength.noonecouldtellwhetheritwasamountaincoveredwithforestsandfullofcaves,orwhetherithadbeenbuilt.butthepoormothercouldnotsee,forshehadwepthereyesintothelake."whereshallifinddeath,whowentawaywithmylittlechild?"sheasked.

"hehasnotarrivedhereyet,"saidanoldgray-hairedwoman,whowaswalkingabout,andwateringdeath'shothouse."howhaveyoufoundyourwayhere?andwhohelpedyou?"

"godhashelpedme,"shereplied."heismerciful;willyounotbemercifultoo?whereshallifindmylittlechild?"

"ididnotknowthechild,"saidtheoldwoman;"andyouareblind.manyflowersandtreeshavefadedto-night,anddeathwillsooncometotransplantthem.youknowalreadythateveryhumanbeinghasalife-treeoralife-flower,justasmaybeordainedforhim.theylooklikeotherplants;buttheyhaveheartsthatbeat.children'sheartsalsobeat:fromthatyoumayperhapsbeabletorecognizeyourchild.butwhatwillyougiveme,ifitellyouwhatmoreyouwillhavetodo?

"ihavenothingtogive,"saidtheafflictedmother;"butiwouldgototheendsoftheearthforyou."

"icangiveyounothingtodoformethere,"saidtheoldwoman;"butyoucangivemeyourlongblackhair.youknowyourselfthatitisbeautiful,anditpleasesme.youcantakemywhitehairinexchange,whichwillbesomethinginreturn."

"doyouasknothingmorethanthat?"saidshe."iwillgiveittoyouwithpleasure."

andshegaveupherbeautifulhair,andreceivedinreturnthewhitelocksoftheoldwoman.thentheywentintodeath'svasthothouse,whereflowersandtreesgrewtogetherinwonderfulprofusion.bloominghyacinths,underglassbells,andpeonies,likestrongtrees.theregrewwater-plants,somequitefresh,andotherslookingsickly,whichhadwater-snakestwiningroundthem,andblackcrabsclingingtotheirstems.therestoodnoblepalm-trees,oaks,andplantains,andbeneaththembloomedthymeandparsley.eachtreeandflowerhadaname;eachrepresentedahumanlife,andbelongedtomenstillliving,someinchina,othersingreenland,andinallpartsoftheworld.somelargetreeshadbeenplantedinlittlepots,sothattheywerecrampedforroom,andseemedabouttoburstthepottopieces;whilemanyweaklittleflowersweregrowinginrichsoil,withmossallaroundthem,carefullytendedandcaredfor.thesorrowingmotherbentoverthelittleplants,andheardthehumanheartbeatingineach,andrecognizedthebeatingsofherchild'sheartamongmillionsofothers.

"thatisit,"shecried,stretchingoutherhandtowardsalittlecrocus-flowerwhichhungdownitssicklyhead.

"donottouchtheflower,"exclaimedtheoldwoman;"butplaceyourselfhere;andwhendeathcomes-iexpecthimeveryminute-donotlethimpullupthatplant,butthreatenhimthatifhedoesyouwillservetheotherflowersinthesamemanner.thiswillmakehimafraid;forhemustaccounttogodforeachofthem.nonecanbeuprooted,unlesshereceivespermissiontodoso."

thererushedthroughthehothouseachilloficycoldness,andtheblindmotherfeltthatdeathhadarrived.

"howdidyoufindyourwayhither?"