child from the earth they ran towards him, and would
have kissed him joyously, but that they saw the tears he had so recently
shed still standing upon his cheeks; at this, sorrow shone over their
faces, and tears like pearls entered their own eyes, as, in the
tenderest manner, they asked him the cause of his grief.

"Do not ask me, dear brothers and sisters," he entreated; "I wish only
to think how I am with you now for a little while, and I long to forget
the earth-scenes." Speaking thus he kissed them all, and led them away
off among the bright fields.

Very gayly they played a long time; they plucked the golden apples from
the trees, and threw them far up in the sky, and the apples bounded so
lightly that they still went on, till at last they dropped down to the
earth into some dark rooms where poor people lived, who, when they found
them, rejoiced exceedingly.

Then they went riding on the clouds, and the light of their faces gave a
brightness to the edge of the clouds, so that the people on the earth
loved to stand watching them, never fancying what a troop of
angel-children were frolicking on them.

At last they became weary of this sport, and bent their way quite
towards the earth. At this our earth-child saddened, and did not wing
his flight as quickly as the others did. Upon this they looked around
upon him and said:

"Why tarry you? Do you not know we go to the earth, to do there what our
dear Teacher bids us? You have played with us, and will you not now do
the work which you have so often done with us before?" So he sped on
with them, but his voice was silent and his heart wept.

They soon came to the earth, and then, unseen by any one, they made
their way towards a little, dingy house, in one room of which sat a
little boy upon a bench, driving pegs into the sole of a boot. On one
side lay all the boots in which he had driven pegs, and on the other a
great many more in which he must still drive them. He looked sad and
pale, and the sweat lay in large drops upon his forehead. By his side
sat a large, stout man, with his shirt-sleeves rolled up, displaying
strong, brawny arms, while his face was red and stern. He was also at
work, but watched the boy well, and if he saw his arm rested for a
moment he would give him a little push, bidding him mind his work; and
so the poor boy had to drive the pegs into the soles of the boots, even
though he was weary and his face pale and sad.

Then the angel-childre