bereaved mother thought that perhaps a miracle might take place to help
her. “You will never succeed in this,” said the lake; “let us make an
agreement together which will be better. I love to collect pearls, and your
eyes are the purest I have ever seen. If you will weep those eyes away in
tears into my waters, then I will take you to the large hothouse where Death
dwells and rears flowers and trees, every one of which is a human life.”
“Oh, what would I not give to reach my child!” said the weeping mother;
and as she still continued to weep, her eyes fell into the depths of the lake,
and became two costly pearls.
Then the lake lifted her up, and wafted her across to the opposite shore as
if she were on a swing, where stood a wonderful building many miles in
length. No one could tell whether it was a mountain covered with forests
and full of caves, or whether it had been built. But the poor mother could
not see, for she had wept her eyes into the lake. “Where shall I find Death,
who went away with my little child?” she asked.
“He has not arrived here yet,” said an old gray-haired woman, who was
walking about, and watering Death’s hothouse. “How have you found your
way here? and who helped you?”
“God has helped me,” she replied. “He is merciful; will you not be
merciful too? Where shall I find my little child?”
“I did not know the child,” said the old woman; “and you are blind. Many
flowers and trees have faded to-night, and Death will soon come to
transplant them. You know already that every human being has a life-tree or
a life-flower, just as may be ordained for him. They look like other plants;
but they have hearts that beat. Children’s hearts also beat: from that you
may perhaps be able to recognize your child. But what will you give me, if I
tell you what more you will have to do?”
“I have nothing to give,” said the afflicted mother; “but I would go to the
ends of the earth for you.”
“I can give you nothing to do for me there,” said the old woman; “but
you can give me your long black hair. You know yourself that it is beautiful,
