BIRDS IN A VILLAGE 57 



knowledge had come too suddenly and in too 

 vivid and dreadful a manner. He could not en- 

 dure it. Only for a season! — only for a season I 

 The earth would be green, and the sky blue, and 

 the sun shine bright for ever, and he would not 

 see, not know itl Struck with anguish at the 

 thought, he stole away out of sight of the others 

 to hide himself in woods and thickets, to brood 

 alone on such a hateful destiny, and torture him- 

 self with vain longings, until he, too, grew pale 

 and thin and large-eyed, like the boy that had 

 died, and those who saw him shook their heads 

 and whispered to one another that he was not 

 long for this world. He knew what they were 

 saying, and It only served to increase his misery 

 and fear, and made him hate them because they 

 were insensible to the awful fact that death 

 awaited them, or so little concerned that they had 

 never taken the trouble to inform him of it. To 

 eat and drink and sleep was all they cared for, 

 and they regarded death with indifference, be- 

 cause their dull sight did not recognize the beauty 

 and glory of the earth, nor their dull hearts re- 

 spond to Nature's everlasting gladness. The 

 sight of the villagers, with their solemn head- 



