hough
they could never raise themselves again. But soon the rain fell only
in gentle drops, the sun peered through the clouds, the water-drops
glittered like pearls on the leaves, the birds sang, the fishes leaped
up from the surface of the lake, the gnats danced in the sunshine, and
yonder on the rock, in the salt, heaving sea water, sat Summer
himself--a strong man with sturdy limbs and long dripping hair--there
he sat, strengthened by the cool bath, in the warm sunshine. All
nature round about was renewed, everything stood luxuriant, strong and
beautiful; it was summer, warm, lovely summer.

[Illustration: SUMMER TIME.]

And pleasant and sweet was the fragrance that streamed upwards from
the rich clover-field, where the bees swarmed round the old ruined
place of meeting: the bramble wound itself around the altar stone,
which, washed by the rain, glittered in the sunshine; and thither flew
the queen-bee with her swarm, and prepared wax and honey. Only Summer
saw it, he and his strong wife; for them the altar table stood covered
with the offerings of nature.

And the evening sky shone like gold, shone as no church dome can
shine; and in the interval between the evening and the morning red,
there was moonlight: it was summer.

And days went by, and weeks went by. The bright scythes of the reapers
gleamed in the corn-fields; the branches of the apple trees bent down,
heavy with red-and-yellow fruit. The hops smelt sweetly, hanging in
large clusters; and under the hazel bushes where hung great bunches of
nuts, rested a man and woman--Summer and his quiet consort.

"What wealth!" exclaimed the woman: "all around a blessing is
diffused, everywhere the scene looks homelike and good; and yet--I
know not why--I long for peace and rest--I know not how to express it.
Now they are already ploughing again in the field. The people want to
gain more and more. See, the storks flock together, and follow at a
little distance behind the plough--the bird of Egypt that carried us
through the air. Do you remember how we came as children to this land
of the North? We brought with us flowers, and pleasant sunshine, and
green to the woods; the wind has treated them roughly, and they have
become dark and brown like the trees of the South, but they do not,
like them, bear fruit."

"Do you wish to see the golden fruit?" said the man: "then rejoice."
And he lifted his arm, and the leaves of the forest put on hues of red
and gold, and beau