He traveled along a rather dark path for some time, without meeting anything or anyone, until at last he came to a beautiful child. So he said to the little boy child, "What do you do here?" And the boy said, "I am always playing. Come and play with me."
So he played with the child the whole day long, and they were very happy. The sky was so blue, the sun was so bright, the water was so sparkling, the leaves were so green, the flowers were so lovely, and they heard so many singing birds, and saw so many butterflies, that everything was beautiful. This was in fine weather.
When it rained, the boy and the traveler loved to watch the falling drops and smell the fresh scents. When the wind blew, it was delightful to listen to, and imagine what it said, as it came rushing from its home, whistling and howling, and driving the clouds across the sky, bending the trees, rumbling in the chimneys, shaking the house and making the waves in the sea roar in fury.
But when it snowed, that was the best of all; for they liked nothing better than to look up at the white flakes falling fast and thick, covering everything with a soft fluffy blanket. They loved to watch and see how smooth and deep the drift was, and to listen to the hush upon the paths and roads.
But one day suddenly the traveler lost the child. He called to the little boy over and over again, but got no answer. So he went on for a little while without meeting anything or anyone, until at last he came to a handsome older boy. He said to the boy, "What do you do here?" And the boy said, "I am always learning. Come and learn with me."
So he learned with the boy about the stars and the moon, plants and animals, and the Greeks and Romans,--more than either of them could ever hope to remember; for they soon forgot a great deal of it. But they were not always learning; they played happy games and had many merry days.
They went rowing on the river in summer, and skated on the frozen lake in the winter; they went on long hikes and ran along the paths; they played catch and tag and all kinds of games and follow-my-leader, and more sports than I can think of: nobody could beat them. As to friends, they had beloved and dear friends, and so many of them, that I haven’t the time to reckon them up. They were all young, like the handsome boy, and were never mean or estranged to one another all their lives.
Still, one day, in the midst of all these pleasures, the traveler lost the young boy, as he had lost the child, and, after calling him in vain, went on upon his journey. So he went on for a while without seeing anything or anyone, until at last he came to a young man. He said to the young man, "What do you do here?" And the young man said, "I am always in love. Come and learn of love with me."
But the traveler lost the young man as he had lost the rest of his friends, and, after calling to him to come back, which he never did, went on upon his journey. At last he came to a middle-aged gentleman. So he said to him, "What are you doing here?" And his answer was, "I am always busy. Come and be busy with me."
The traveler began to be very busy with the gentleman, and they went on through the woods together. The whole journey was through a wood, only it had been open and green at first, like a forest in spring, and now began to be thick and dark, like a forest in summer; some of the little trees that had come out earliest were even turning brown in the shade of the bigger trees.
The gentleman was not alone, but had a handsome man of about the same age with him, who was his companion; and along the way, there were children who were with them too. They all went on as a family through the forest, cutting down the trees, and making a path among the branches, and carrying burdens and working hard.
Sometimes they came to a long green avenue that opened into deeper woods. Then they would hear a very distant little voice crying, "Fathers, I am another child! Wait for me!" And soon they would see a very little figure, growing larger as it came along, running to join them. When it came up, the man and his companion and their children all crowded round it, and hugged and welcomed it; and then they all went on together.
Sometimes they came to several avenues at once; and then they all stood still, and one of the children said, "Fathers, I’m going to sea, I want to be a sailor;" and another said, "Fathers, I’m going to college;" and another, "Fathers, I’m going to seek my fortune where I can;" and another said, "Fathers, I’m going to heaven now."
So, with many sad tears at parting, they went, by themselves, down those avenues, each child upon its way; and the child who went to heaven rose into the golden air and vanished. Whenever these partings happened, the traveler looked at the gentleman and his companion, and saw them glance up at the sky above the trees, where the day was beginning to decline, and the sunset to come on. He saw, too, that their hair was turning gray. But they could never rest long, for they had to continue on their journey and it was necessary for them to always be busy.
At last, there had been so many partings that there were no children left, and only the traveler, the gentleman, and his companion went upon their way together. And now the forest was yellow; and then brown; and the leaves, even of the tallest trees, began to fall.
They came to an avenue that was darker than the rest, and they were pressing forward on their journey without looking down it, when the companion stopped.
"My husband," said the companion, "I’m called."
Together they listened, and they heard a voice a long way down the avenue say, "Father, father!" calling out to the companion.
It was the voice of the child who had said, "I’m going to heaven now!" and the gentleman cried, saying "I pray not yet. The sunset is very near. I pray not yet."
But the voice called out to the companion "Father, father!" without minding him, though his hair was now quite white, and tears were on his face.
Then the man’s companion, who was already drawn into the shade of the dark avenue, and moving away with his arms still around his neck, kissed him and said, "My dearest, I’m summoned, and I must go!" And he was gone. The traveler and gentleman were left alone together.
And they went on and on, until they came very near to the edge of the forest; so near, that they could see the setting sun shining red before them through the trees.
Yet once more, while he found his way through the branches, the traveler lost his friend. He called and called, but there was no reply, and when he passed out of the woods and saw the peaceful sun going down upon a wide purple prospect, he came to an old man sitting upon a fallen tree. He said to the old man, "What do you do here?" And the old man said, with a calm smile, "I’m always remembering. Come and remember with me."
So the traveler sat down by the side of the old man, face to face with the serene sunset; and all his friends came softly back and stood around him. The beautiful child, the handsome boy, the young man, the father, the companion, and children every one of them was there, and he had lost nothing. He loved them all, and was kind and forbearing with them all, and they all honored and loved him.
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But when it snowed, that was the best of all; for they liked nothing better than to look up at the white flakes falling fast and thick, covering everything with a soft fluffy blanket. They loved to watch and see how smooth and deep the drift was, and to listen to the hush upon the paths and roads.
But the traveler lost the young man as he had lost the rest of his friends, and, after calling to him to come back, which he never did, went on upon his journey. At last he came to a middle-aged gentleman. So he said to him, "What are you doing here?" And his answer was, "I am always busy. Come and be busy with me."
The gentleman was not alone, but had a handsome man of about the same age with him, who was his companion; and along the way, there were children who were with them too. They all went on as a family through the forest, cutting down the trees, and making a path among the branches, and carrying burdens and working hard.
Sometimes they came to several avenues at once; and then they all stood still, and one of the children said, "Fathers, I’m going to sea, I want to be a sailor;" and another said, "Fathers, I’m going to college;" and another, "Fathers, I’m going to seek my fortune where I can;" and another said, "Fathers, I’m going to heaven now."
At last, there had been so many partings that there were no children left, and only the traveler, the gentleman, and his companion went upon their way together. And now the forest was yellow; and then brown; and the leaves, even of the tallest trees, began to fall.
Then the man’s companion, who was already drawn into the shade of the dark avenue, and moving away with his arms still around his neck, kissed him and said, "My dearest, I’m summoned, and I must go!" And he was gone. The traveler and gentleman were left alone together.
So the traveler sat down by the side of the old man, face to face with the serene sunset; and all his friends came softly back and stood around him. The beautiful child, the handsome boy, the young man, the father, the companion, and children every one of them was there, and he had lost nothing. He loved them all, and was kind and forbearing with them all, and they all honored and loved him.
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