, it seemed as if he
could not bear the mocking and jeering again; how could he dare to
go into the water now, after Joanna's dream! He never would do it, for
this dream always satisfied him. The parents of these children, who
were poor, often sat together while Knud and Joanna played in the
gardens or in the road. Along this road--a row of willow-trees had
been planted to separate it from a ditch on one side of it. They
were not very handsome trees, for the tops had been cut off;
however, they were intended for use, and not for show. The old
willow-tree in the garden was much handsomer, and therefore the
children were very fond of sitting under it. The town had a large
market-place; and at the fair-time there would be whole rows, like
streets, of tents and booths containing silks and ribbons, and toys
and cakes, and everything that could be wished for. There were
crowds of people, and sometimes the weather would be rainy, and splash
with moisture the woollen jackets of the peasants; but it did not
destroy the beautiful fragrance of the honey-cakes and gingerbread
with which one booth was filled; and the best of it was, that the
man who sold these cakes always lodged during the fair-time with
little Knud's parents. So every now and then he had a present of
gingerbread, and of course Joanna always had a share. And, more
delightful still, the gingerbread seller knew all sorts of things to
tell and could even relate stories about his own gingerbread. So one
evening he told them a story that made such a deep impression on the
children that they never forgot it; and therefore I think we may as
well hear it too, for it is not very long.

"Once upon a time," said he, "there lay on my counter two
gingerbread cakes, one in the shape of a man wearing a hat, the
other of a maiden without a bonnet. Their faces were on the side
that was uppermost, for on the other side they looked very
different. Most people have a best side to their characters, which
they take care to show to the world. On the left, just where the heart
is, the gingerbread man had an almond stuck in to represent it, but
the maiden was honey cake all over. They were placed on the counter as
samples, and after lying there a long time they at last fell in love
with each other; but neither of them spoke of it to the other, as they
should have done if they expected anything to follow. 'He is a man, he
ought to speak the first word,' thought the gingerbread maiden; but