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and filled with what could be gathered from the ground of the treasure
which had promised so much but failed in keeping its promise。 Waldemar
Daa hid the glass in his bosom； and； taking his stick in his hand； the
once rich gentleman passed with his daughters out of the house of
Borreby。 I blew coldly upon his flustered cheeks； I stroked his gray
beard and his long white hair； and I sang as well as I was able；
'Whir…r…r； whir…r…r。 Gone away！ Gone away！' Ida walked on one side
of the old man； and Anna Dorothea on the other； Joanna turned round；
as they left the entrance。 Why？ Fortune would not turn because she
turned。 She looked at the stone in the walls which had once formed
part of the castle of Marck Stig； and perhaps she thought of his
daughters and of the old song；…
〃The eldest and youngest； hand…in…hand；
Went forth alone to a distant land。〃
These were only two； here there were three； and their father with them
also。 They walked along the high…road； where once they had driven in
their splendid carriage； they went forth with their father as beggars。
They wandered across an open field to a mud hut； which they rented for
a dollar and a half a year； a new home； with bare walls and empty
cupboards。 Crows and magpies fluttered about them； and cried； as if in
contempt； 'Caw； caw； turned out of our nest… caw； caw；' as they had
done in the wood at Borreby； when the trees were felled。 Daa and his
daughters could not help hearing it； so I blew about their ears to
drown the noise； what use was it that they should listen？ So they went
to live in the mud hut in the open field； and I wandered away； over
moor and meadow； through bare bushes and leafless forests； to the open
sea； to the broad shores in other lands； 'Whir…r…r； whir…r…r！ Away；
away！' year after year。〃
And what became of Waldemar Daa and his daughters？ Listen； the
Wind will tell us：
〃The last I saw of them was the pale hyacinth； Anna Dorothea。 She
was old and bent then； for fifty years had passed and she had outlived
them all。 She could relate the history。 Yonder； on the heath； near the
town of Wiborg； in Jutland； stood the fine new house of the canon。 It
was built of red brick； with projecting gables。 It was inhabited； for
the smoke curled up thickly from the chimneys。 The canon's gentle lady
and her beautiful daughters sat in the bay…window； and looked over the
hawthorn hedge of the garden towards the brown heath。 What were they
looking at？ Their glances fell upon a stork's nest； which was built
upon an old tumbledown hut。 The roof； as far as one existed at all；
was covered with moss and lichen。 The stork's nest covered the greater
part of it； and that alone was in a good condition； for it was kept in
order by the stork himself。 That is a house to be looked at； and not
to be touched；〃 said the Wind。 〃For the sake of the stork's nest it
had been allowed to remain； although it is a blot on the landscape。
They did not like to drive the stork away； therefore the old shed was
left standing； and the poor woman who dwelt in it allowed to stay。 She
had the Egyptian bird to thank for that； or was it perchance her
reward for having once interceded for the preservation of the nest of
its black brother in the forest of Borreby？ At that time she； the
poor woman； was a young child； a white hyacinth in a rich garden。 She
remembered that time well； for it was Anna Dorothea。
〃'O…h； o…h；' she sighed； for people can sigh like the moaning of
the wind among the reeds and rushes。 'O…h； o…h；' she would say； 'no
bell sounded at thy burial； Waldemar Daa。 The poor school…boys did not
even sing a psalm when the former lord of Borreby was laid in the
earth to rest。 O…h； everything has an end； even misery。 Sister Ida
became the wife of a peasant； that was the hardest trial which
befell our father； that the husband of his own daughter should be a
miserable serf； whom his owner could place for punishment on the
wooden horse。 I suppose he is under the ground now； and Ida… alas！
alas！ it is not ended yet； miserable that I am！ Kind Heaven； grant
me that I may die。'
〃That was Anna Dorothea's prayer in the wretched hut that was left
standing for the sake of the stork。 I took pity on the proudest of the
sisters；〃 said the Wind。 〃Her courage was like that of a man； and in
man's clothes she served as a sailor on board ship。 She was of few
words； and of a dark countenance； but she did not know how to climb；
so I blew her overboard before any one found out that she was a woman；
and； in my opinion； that was well done；〃 said the Wind。
On such another Easter morning as that on which Waldemar Daa
imagined he had discovered the art of making gold； I heard the tones
of a psalm under the stork's nest； and within the crumbling walls。
It was Anna Dorothea's last song。 There was no window in the hut； only
a hole in the wall； and the sun rose like a globe of burnished gold；
and looked through。 With what splendor he filled that dismal dwelling！
Her eyes were glazing； and her heart breaking； but so it would have
been； even had the sun not shone that morning on Anna Dorothea。 The
stork's nest had secured her a home till her death。 I sung over her
grave； I sung at her father's grave。 I know where it lies； and where
her grave is too； but nobody else knows it。
〃New times now； all is changed。 The old high…road is lost amid
cultivated fields； the new one now winds along over covered graves；
and soon the railway will come； with its train of carriages； and
rush over graves where lie those whose very names are forgoten。 All
passed away； passed away！
〃This is the story of Waldemar Daa and his daughters。 Tell it
better； any of you； if you know how；〃 said the Wind； and he rushed
away； and was gone。
THE END
。