"In cherry time, you left me, dear;
In cherry time, again you're here.
The cherries they are black and red,
And I'll love my darling till I'm dead."

Suddenly he called out: "Walpurga, I must come down, I can't get any
more for you, I'm so giddy."

He was soon on the ground again and said: "That never happened to me
before, in all my life, and I've been up there many a half-day at a
time. I suppose it's our good fortune that makes me so giddy. I'll
never climb a tree again, I promise you that. It would be a terrible
thing if I were to fall down. We must take care that we keep well and
hearty, and stick to each other. I don't want to break my legs. I want
to dance with you yet. I'll dance with you at Burgei's wedding. It
seems as if I could hear the music already. Hark! don't you hear
anything?"

"No. It'll be a long while before the music for Burgei's wedding is
struck up."

"And she must get a good husband; I won't have it otherwise. What do
you think of a prince? but I'll be quiet, for I'm talking nothing but
silly stuff. I scarcely know what I'm saying, where I am, or who I am,
and--"

"We're at home, and you're my husband and that's all of it. You'll see,
I have something else good in store for you."

"Tell me nothing, and promise me nothing more. I've got enough already.
I can hardly believe that we've a child. It seems as if we were just
married."

In a soft voice, too low for any passer-by to hear it and just loud
enough for them to know they were singing, they sang:

"Oh, blissful is the tender tie
That binds me, love, to thee.
And swiftly speed the hours by,
When thou art near to me."

Just like the finch who never wearies of repeating his song, they sang
the same words over and over again. They had nothing more to tell each
other, for they were unspeakably happy. The church bell now began
tolling. Its sounds, floating over the lake, were echoed back from the
forests and mountains. A wagon was seen coming from the village and
Walpurga said: "We must get ready for church."

They went into the house. The mother had already brought Hansei his
royal Sunday suit. They soon heard the cracking of a whip and a voice
cried out: "Are you coming?" Hansei put his head out of the window and
asked: "What's the matter?" Covering herself with a large sheet,
Walpurga looked out of the l