Toasmallgirl—child，whomaylivetograspsomewhatofthatwhichforusisyetsight，nottouch。
Note。
TheseDreamsareprintedintheorderinwhichtheywerewritten。
Inthecaseoftwotherewasalapseofsomeyearsbetweenthewritingofthefirstandlastparts;theseareplacedaccordingtothedateofthefirstpart。
OliveSchreiner。
Matjesfontein，CapeColony，SouthAfrica。
November，1890。
CONTENTS。
I。TheLostJoy。
II。TheHunter（From\"TheStoryofofanAfricanFarm\"）。
III。TheGardensofPleasure。
IV。InaFar—offWorld。
V。ThreeDreamsinaDesert。
VI。ADreamofWildBees（Writtenasalettertoafriend）。
VII。InaRuinedChapel。
VIII。Life’sGifts。
IX。TheArtist’sSecret。
X。\"IThoughtIStood。\"
XI。TheSunlightLayacrossMyBed。
I。THELOSTJOY。
Allday，wherethesunlightplayedonthesea—shore，Lifesat。
Alldaythesoftwindplayedwithherhair，andtheyoung，youngfacelookedoutacrossthewater。Shewaswaiting——shewaswaiting;butshecouldnottellforwhat。
Alldaythewavesranupanduponthesand，andranbackagain，andthepinkshellsrolled。Lifesatwaiting;allday，withthesunlightinhereyes，shesatthere，till，grownweary，shelaidherheaduponherkneeandfellasleep，waitingstill。
Thenakeelgratedonthesand，andthenastepwasontheshore——Lifeawokeandheardit。Ahandwaslaiduponher，andagreatshudderpassedthroughher。Shelookedup，andsawoverherthestrange，wideeyesofLove——andLifenowknewforwhomshehadsattherewaiting。
AndLovedrewLifeuptohim。
Andofthatmeetingwasbornathingrareandbeautiful——Joy，First—Joywasitcalled。Thesunlightwhenitshinesuponthemerrywaterisnotsoglad;therosebuds，whentheyturnbacktheirlipsforthesun’sfirstkiss，arenotsoruddy。Itstinypulsesbeatquick。Itwassowarm，sosoft！Itneverspoke，butitlaughedandplayedinthesunshine:andLoveandLiferejoicedexceedingly。Neitherwhisperedittotheother，butdeepinitsownhearteachsaid，\"Itshallbeoursforever。\"
Thentherecameatime——wasitafterweeks？wasitaftermonths？（LoveandLifedonotmeasuretime）——whenthethingwasnotasithadbeen。
Stillitplayed;stillitlaughed;stillitstaineditsmouthwithpurpleberries;butsometimesthelittlehandshungweary，andthelittleeyeslookedoutheavilyacrossthewater。
AndLifeandLovedarednotlookintoeachother’seyes，darednotsay，\"Whatailsourdarling？\"Eachheartwhisperedtoitself，\"Itisnothing，itisnothing，tomorrowitwilllaughoutclear。\"Buttomorrowandtomorrowcame。Theyjourneyedon，andthechildplayedbesidethem，butheavily，moreheavily。
OnedayLifeandLovelaydowntosleep;andwhentheyawoke，itwasgone:
only，nearthem，onthegrass，satalittlestranger，withwide—openeyes，verysoftandsad。Neithernoticedit;buttheywalkedapart，weepingbitterly，\"Oh，ourJoy！ourlostJoy！shallweseeyounomoreforever？\"
Thelittlesoftandsad—eyedstrangerslippedahandintoonehandofeach，anddrewthemcloser，andLifeandLovewalkedonwithitbetweenthem。
AndwhenLifelookeddowninanguish，shesawhertearsreflectedinitssofteyes。AndwhenLove，madwithpain，criedout，\"Iamweary，Iamweary！Icanjourneynofurther。Thelightisallbehind，thedarkisallbefore，\"alittlerosyfingerpointedwherethesunlightlayuponthehill—
sides。Alwaysitslargeeyesweresadandthoughtful:alwaysthelittlebravemouthwassmilingquietly。
WhenonthesharpstonesLifecutherfeet，hewipedtheblooduponhisgarments，andkissedthewoundedfeetwithhislittlelips。WheninthedesertLovelaydownfaint（forLoveitselfgrowsfaint），heranoverthehotsandwithhislittlenakedfeet，andeventhereinthedesertfoundwaterintheholesintherockstomoistenLove’slipswith。Hewasnoburden——heneverweightedthem;heonlyhelpedthemforwardontheirjourney。
Whentheycametothedarkravinewheretheicicleshangfromtherocks——
forLoveandLifemustpassthroughstrangedrearplaces——there，wherealliscold，andthesnowliesthick，hetooktheirfreezinghandsandheldthemagainsthisbeatinglittleheart，andwarmedthem——andsoftlyhedrewthemonandon。
Andwhentheycamebeyond，intothelandofsunshineandflowers，strangelythegreateyeslitup，anddimplesbrokeoutupontheface。Brightlylaughing，itranoverthesoftgrass;gatheredhoneyfromthehollowtree;
andbroughtitthemonthepalmofitshand;carriedthemwaterintheleavesofthelily，andgatheredflowersandwreathedthemroundtheirheads，softlylaughingallthewhile。HetouchedthemastheirJoyhadtouchedthem，buthisfingersclungmoretenderly。
Sotheywanderedon，throughthedarklandsandthelight，alwayswiththatlittlebravesmilingonebetweenthem。SometimestheyrememberedthatfirstradiantJoy，andwhisperedtothemselves，\"Oh！couldwebutfindhimalso！\"
AtlasttheycametowhereReflectionsits;thatstrangeoldwomanwhohasalwaysoneelbowonherknee，andherchininherhand，andwhostealslightoutofthepasttosheditonthefuture。
AndLifeandLovecriedout，\"Owiseone！tellus:whenfirstwemet，alovelyradiantthingbelongedtous——gladnesswithoutatear，sunshinewithoutashade。Oh！howdidwesinthatwelostit？Whereshallwegothatwemayfindit？\"
Andshe，thewiseoldwoman，answered，\"Tohaveitback，willyougiveupthatwhichwalksbesideyounow？\"
AndinagonyLoveandLifecried，\"No！\"
\"Giveupthis！\"saidLife。\"Whenthethornshavepiercedme，whowillsuckthepoisonout？Whenmyheadthrobs，whowilllayhistinyhandsuponitandstillthebeating？Inthecoldandthedark，whowillwarmmyfreezingheart？\"
AndLovecriedout，\"Betterletmedie！WithoutJoyIcanlive;withoutthisIcannot。Letmeratherdie，notloseit！\"
Andthewiseoldwomananswered，\"Ofoolsandblind！Whatyouoncehadisthatwhichyouhavenow！WhenLoveandLifefirstmeet，aradiantthingisborn，withoutashade。Whentheroadsbegintoroughen，whentheshadesbegintodarken，whenthedaysarehard，andthenightscoldandlong——thenitbeginstochange。LoveandLifeWILLnotseeit，WILLnotknowit——tillonedaytheystartupsuddenly，crying，’OGod！OGod！wehavelostit！
Whereisit？’Theydonotunderstandthattheycouldnotcarrythelaughingthingunchangedintothedesert，andthefrost，andthesnow。
TheydonotknowthatwhatwalksbesidethemstillistheJoygrownolder。
Thegrave，sweet，tenderthing——warminthecoldestsnows，braveinthedreariestdeserts——itsnameisSympathy;itisthePerfectLove。\"
SouthAfrica。
II。THEHUNTER。
Incertainvalleystherewasahunter。Daybydayhewenttohuntforwild—fowlinthewoods;anditchancedthatoncehestoodontheshoresofalargelake。Whilehestoodwaitingintherushesforthecomingofthebirds，agreatshadowfellonhim，andinthewaterhesawareflection。
Helookeduptothesky;butthethingwasgone。Thenaburningdesirecameoverhimtoseeonceagainthatreflectioninthewater，andalldayhewatchedandwaited;butnightcameandithadnotreturned。Thenhewenthomewithhisemptybag，moodyandsilent。Hiscomradescamequestioningabouthimtoknowthereason，butheansweredthemnothing;hesataloneandbrooded。Thenhisfriendcametohim，andtohimhespoke。
\"Ihaveseentoday，\"hesaid，\"thatwhichIneversawbefore——avastwhitebird，withsilverwingsoutstretched，sailingintheeverlastingblue。Andnowitisasthoughagreatfireburntwithinmybreast。Itwasbutasheen，ashimmer，areflectioninthewater;butnowIdesirenothingmoreonearththantoholdher。\"
Hisfriendlaughed。
\"Itwasbutabeamplayingonthewater，ortheshadowofyourownhead。
Tomorrowyouwillforgether，\"hesaid。
Buttomorrow，andtomorrow，andtomorrowthehunterwalkedalone。Hesoughtintheforestandinthewoods，bythelakesandamongtherushes，buthecouldnotfindher。Heshotnomorewildfowl;whatweretheytohim？
\"Whatailshim？\"saidhiscomrades。
\"Heismad，\"saidone。
\"No;butheisworse，\"saidanother;\"hewouldseethatwhichnoneofushaveseen，andmakehimselfawonder。\"
\"Come，letusforswearhiscompany，\"saidall。
Sothehunterwalkedalone。
Onenight，ashewanderedintheshade，veryheartsoreandweeping，anoldmanstoodbeforehim，granderandtallerthanthesonsofmen。
\"Whoareyou？\"askedthehunter。
\"IamWisdom，\"answeredtheoldman;\"butsomemencallmeKnowledge。AllmylifeIhavegrowninthesevalleys;butnomanseesmetillhehassorrowedmuch。Theeyesmustbewashedwithtearsthataretobeholdme;
and，accordingasamanhassuffered，Ispeak。\"
Andthehuntercried:
\"Oh，youwhohavelivedheresolong，tellme，whatisthatgreatwildbirdIhaveseensailingintheblue？Theywouldhavemebelievesheisadream;theshadowofmyownhead。\"
Theoldmansmiled。
\"HernameisTruth。Hewhohasonceseenherneverrestsagain。Tilldeathhedesiresher。\"
Andthehuntercried:
\"Oh，tellmewhereImayfindher。\"
Buttheoldmansaid:
\"Youhavenotsufferedenough，\"andwent。
ThenthehuntertookfromhisbreasttheshuttleofImagination，andwoundonitthethreadofhisWishes;andallnighthesatandwoveanet。
Inthemorninghespreadthegoldennetupontheground，andintoithethrewafewgrainsofcredulity，whichhisfatherhadlefthim，andwhichhekeptinhisbreast—pocket。Theywerelikewhitepuff—balls，andwhenyoutrodonthemabrowndustflewout。Thenhesatbytoseewhatwouldhappen。Thefirstthatcameintothenetwasasnow—whitebird，withdove’seyes，andhesangabeautifulsong——\"Ahuman—God！ahuman—God！ahuman—God！\"itsang。Thesecondthatcamewasblackandmystical，withdark，lovelyeyes，thatlookedintothedepthsofyoursoul，andhesangonlythis——\"Immortality！\"
Andthehuntertookthembothinhisarms，forhesaid——
\"TheyaresurelyofthebeautifulfamilyofTruth。\"
Thencameanother，greenandgold，whosanginashrillvoice，likeonecryinginthemarketplace，——\"RewardafterDeath！RewardafterDeath！\"
Andhesaid——
\"Youarenotsofair;butyouarefairtoo，\"andhetookit。
Andotherscame，brightlycoloured，singingpleasantsongs，tillallthegrainswerefinished。Andthehuntergatheredallhisbirdstogether，andbuiltastrongironcagecalledanewcreed，andputallhisbirdsinit。
Thenthepeoplecameaboutdancingandsinging。
\"Oh，happyhunter！\"theycried。\"Oh，wonderfulman！Oh，delightfulbirds！
Oh，lovelysongs！\"
Nooneaskedwherethebirdshadcomefrom，norhowtheyhadbeencaught;
buttheydancedandsangbeforethem。Andthehuntertoowasglad，forhesaid:
\"SurelyTruthisamongthem。Intimeshewillmoultherfeathers，andI
shallseehersnow—whiteform。\"
Butthetimepassed，andthepeoplesanganddanced;butthehunter’sheartgrewheavy。Hecreptalone，asofold，toweep;theterribledesirehadawakenedagaininhisbreast。Oneday，ashesataloneweeping，itchancedthatWisdommethim。Hetoldtheoldmanwhathehaddone。
AndWisdomsmiledsadly。
\"Manymen，\"hesaid，\"havespreadthatnetforTruth;buttheyhaveneverfoundher。Onthegrainsofcredulityshewillnotfeed;inthenetofwishesherfeetcannotbeheld;intheairofthesevalleysshewillnotbreathe。ThebirdsyouhavecaughtareofthebroodofLies。Lovelyandbeautiful，butstilllies;Truthknowsthemnot。\"
Andthehuntercriedoutinbitterness——
\"AndmustIthensitstill，tobedevouredofthisgreatburning？\"
Andtheoldmansaid，\"Listen，andinthatyouhavesufferedmuchandweptmuch，IwilltellyouwhatIknow。HewhosetsouttosearchforTruthmustleavethesevalleysofsuperstitionforever，takingwithhimnotoneshredthathasbelongedtothem。AlonehemustwanderdownintotheLandofAbsoluteNegationandDenial;hemustabidethere;hemustresisttemptation;whenthelightbreakshemustariseandfollowitintothecountryofdrysunshine。Themountainsofsternrealitywillrisebeforehim;hemustclimbthem;beyondthemliesTruth。\"
\"Andhewillholdherfast！hewillholdherinhishands！\"thehuntercried。
Wisdomshookhishead。
\"Hewillneverseeher，neverholdher。Thetimeisnotyet。\"
\"Thenthereisnohope？\"criedthehunter。
\"Thereisthis，\"saidWisdom:\"Somemenhaveclimbedonthosemountains;
circleabovecircleofbarerocktheyhavescaled;and，wanderingthere，inthosehighregions，somehavechancedtopickuponthegroundonewhitesilverfeather，droppedfromthewingofTruth。Anditshallcometopass，\"saidtheoldman，raisinghimselfpropheticallyandpointingwithhisfingertothesky，\"itshallcometopass，thatwhenenoughofthosesilverfeathersshallhavebeengatheredbythehandsofmen，andshallhavebeenwovenintoacord，andthecordintoanet，thatinthatnetTruthmaybecaptured。NothingbutTruthcanholdTruth。\"
Thehunterarose。\"Iwillgo，\"hesaid。
Butwisdomdetainedhim。
\"Markyouwell——wholeavesthesevalleysneverreturnstothem。Thoughheshouldweeptearsofbloodsevendaysandnightsupontheconfines，hecanneverputhisfootacrossthem。Left——theyareleftforever。Upontheroadwhichyouwouldtravelthereisnorewardoffered。Whogoes，goesfreely——forthegreatlovethatisinhim。Theworkishisreward。\"
\"Igo\"saidthehunter;\"butuponthemountains，tellme，whichpathshallItake？\"
\"IamthechildofThe—Accumulated—Knowledge—of—Ages，\"saidtheman;\"Icanwalkonlywheremanymenhavetrodden。Onthesemountainsfewfeethavepassed;eachmanstrikesoutapathforhimself。Hegoesathisownperil:
myvoicehehearsnomore。Imayfollowafterhim，butcannotgobeforehim。\"
ThenKnowledgevanished。
Andthehunterturned。Hewenttohiscage，andwithhishandsbrokedownthebars，andthejaggedirontorehisflesh。Itissometimeseasiertobuildthantobreak。
Onebyonehetookhisplumedbirdsandletthemfly。Butwhenhecametohisdark—plumedbirdheheldit，andlookedintoitsbeautifuleyes，andthebirduttereditslow，deepcry——\"Immortality！\"
Andhesaidquickly:\"Icannotpartwithit。Itisnotheavy;iteatsnofood。Iwillhideitinmybreast;Iwilltakeitwithme。\"Andheburieditthereandcovereditoverwithhiscloak。
Butthethinghehadhiddengrewheavier，heavier，heavier——tillitlayonhisbreastlikelead。Hecouldnotmovewithit。Hecouldnotleavethosevalleyswithit。Thenagainhetookitoutandlookedatit。
\"Oh，mybeautiful！myheart’sown！\"hecried，\"mayInotkeepyou？\"
Heopenedhishandssadly。
\"Go！\"hesaid。\"ItmayhappenthatinTruth’ssongonenoteislikeyours;
butIshallneverhearit。\"
Sadlyheopenedhishand，andthebirdflewfromhimforever。
ThenfromtheshuttleofImaginationhetookthethreadofhiswishes，andthrewitontheground;andtheemptyshuttleheputintohisbreast，forthethreadwasmadeinthosevalleys，buttheshuttlecamefromanunknowncountry。Heturnedtogo，butnowthepeoplecameabouthim，howling。
\"Fool，hound，dementedlunatic！\"theycried。\"Howdaredyoubreakyourcageandletthebirdsfly？’
Thehunterspoke;buttheywouldnothearhim。
\"Truth！whoisshe？Canyoueather？canyoudrinkher？Whohaseverseenher？Yourbirdswerereal:allcouldhearthemsing！Oh，fool！vilereptile！atheist！\"theycried，\"youpollutetheair。\"
\"Come，letustakeupstonesandstonehim，\"criedsome。
\"Whataffairisitofours？\"saidothers。\"Lettheidiotgo，\"andwentaway。Buttherestgatheredupstonesandmudandthrewathim。Atlast，whenhewasbruisedandcut，thehuntercreptawayintothewoods。Anditwaseveningabouthim。
Hewanderedonandon，andtheshadegrewdeeper。Hewasonthebordersnowofthelandwhereitisalwaysnight。Thenhesteppedintoit，andtherewasnolightthere。Withhishandshegroped;buteachbranchashetoucheditbrokeoff，andtheearthwascoveredwithcinders。Ateverystephisfootsankin，andafinecloudofimpalpableashesflewupintohisface;anditwasdark。Sohesatdownuponastoneandburiedhisfaceinhishands，towaitintheLandofNegationandDenialtillthelightcame。