sotheywenttoliveinthemudhutintheopenfield,andiwanderedaway,overmoorandmeadow,throughbarebushesandleaflessforests,totheopensea,tothebroadshoresinotherlands,'whir-r-r,whir-r-r!away,away!'yearafteryear."

andwhatbecameofwaldemardaaandhisdaughters?listen;thewindwilltellus:

"thelastisawofthemwasthepalehyacinth,annadorothea.shewasoldandbentthen;forfiftyyearshadpassedandshehadoutlivedthemall.shecouldrelatethehistory.yonder,ontheheath,nearthetownofwiborg,injutland,stoodthefinenewhouseofthecanon.itwasbuiltofredbrick,withprojectinggables.itwasinhabited,forthesmokecurledupthicklyfromthechimneys.thecanon'sgentleladyandherbeautifuldaughterssatinthebay-window,andlookedoverthehawthornhedgeofthegardentowardsthebrownheath.whatweretheylookingat?theirglancesfelluponastork'snest,whichwasbuiltuponanoldtumbledownhut.theroof,asfarasoneexistedatall,wascoveredwithmossandlichen.thestork'snestcoveredthegreaterpartofit,andthatalonewasinagoodcondition;foritwaskeptinorderbythestorkhimself.thatisahousetobelookedat,andnottobetouched,"saidthewind."forthesakeofthestork'snestithadbeenallowedtoremain,althoughitisablotontheydidnotliketodrivethestorkaway;thereforetheoldshedwasleftstanding,andthepoorwomanwhodweltinitallowedtostay.shehadtheegyptianbirdtothankforthat;orwasitperchanceherrewardforhavingonceintercededforthepreservationofthenestofitsblackbrotherintheforestofborreby?atthattimeshe,thepoorwoman,wasayoungchild,awhitehyacinthinarichgarden.sherememberedthattimewell;foritwasannadorothea.

"'o-h,o-h,'shesighed;forpeoplecansighlikethemoaningofthewindamongthereedsandrushes.'o-h,o-h,'shewouldsay,'nobellsoundedatthyburial,waldemardaa.thepoorschool-boysdidnotevensingapsalmwhentheformerlordofborrebywaslaidintheearthtorest.o-h,everythinghasanend,evenmisery.sisteridabecamethewifeofapeasant;thatwasthehardesttrialwhichbefellourfather,thatthehusbandofhisowndaughtershouldbeamiserableserf,whomhisownercouldplaceforpunishmentonthewoodenhorse.isupposeheisunderthegroundnow;andida-alas!alas!itisnotendedyet;miserablethatiam!kindheaven,grantmethatimaydie.'

"thatwasannadorothea'sprayerinthewretchedhutthatwasleftstandingforthesakeofthestork.itookpityontheproudestofthesisters,"saidthewind."hercouragewaslikethatofaman;andinman'sclothessheservedasasailoronboardship.shewasoffewwords,andofadarkcountenance;butshedidnotknowhowtoclimb,soiblewheroverboardbeforeanyonefoundoutthatshewasawoman;and,inmyopinion,thatwaswelldone,"saidthewind.

onsuchanothereastermorningasthatonwhichwaldemardaaimaginedhehaddiscoveredtheartofmakinggold,iheardthetonesofapsalmunderthestork'snest,andwithinthecrumblingwasannadorothea'slastsong.therewasnowindowinthehut,onlyaholeinthewall;andthesunroselikeaglobeofburnishedgold,andlookedthrough.withwhatsplendorhefilledthatdismaldwelling!hereyeswereglazing,andherheartbreaking;butsoitwouldhavebeen,evenhadthesunnotshonethatmorningonannadorothea.thestork'snesthadsecuredherahometillherdeath.isungoverhergrave;isungatherfather'sgrave.iknowwhereitlies,andwherehergraveistoo,butnobodyelseknowsit.

"newtimesnow;allischanged.theoldhigh-roadislostamidcultivatedfields;thenewonenowwindsalongovercoveredgraves;andsoontherailwaywillcome,withitstrainofcarriages,andrushovergraveswhereliethosewhoseverynamesareforgoten.allpassedaway,passedaway!