w does that happen--the gentleman has actually no shadow!"

"Alas! alas!" replied I, sighing, "during a long and severe illness,
my hair, nails, and shadow fell off. See, father, at my age, my hair,
which is renewed again, is quite white, the nails very short, and the
shadow--that will not grow again."

"Ay! ay!" responded the old man, shaking his head--"no shadow, that
is bad! That was a bad illness that the gentleman had." But he did
not continue his narrative, and at the next cross-way which presented
itself left me without saying a word. Bitter tears trembled anew upon
my cheeks, and my cheerfulness was gone.

I pursued my way with a sorrowful heart, and sought no further the
society of men. I kept myself in the darkest wood, and was many a time
compelled, in order to pass over a space where the sun shone, to wait
for whole hours, lest some human eye should forbid me the transit. In
the evening I sought shelter in the villages. I went particularly in
quest of a mine in the mountains where I hoped to get work under the
earth; since, besides that my present situation made it imperative
that I should provide for my support, I had discovered that the most
active labor alone could protect me from my own annihilating thoughts.

A few rainy days advanced me well on the way, but at the expense of
my boots, whose soles had been calculated for Count Peter, and not for
the pedestrian laborer. I was already barefoot and had to procure a
pair of new boots. The next morning I transacted this business with
much gravity in a village where a wake was being held, and where in
a booth old and new boots were sold. I selected and bargained long. I
was forced to deny myself a new pair, which I would gladly have had,
for the extravagant price frightened me. I therefore contented myself
with an old pair, which were yet good and strong, and which the
handsome, blond-haired boy who kept the stall, for present cash
payment handed to me with a friendly smile and wished me good luck on
my journey. I put them on at once, and left the place by the northern
gate.

I was deeply absorbed in my thoughts and scarcely saw where I set
my feet, for I was pondering on the mine which I hoped to reach by
evening, and where I hardly knew how I should introduce myself. I had
not advanced two hundred strides when I observed that I had gone out
of the way. I therefore looked round me, and found myself in a wild
and ancient forest, where the axe appeared ne