The story goes on to tell how, at last, weary with wintriness, shetravelled towards the southern regions of her globe, to meet the springon its slow way northwards; and how, after many sad adventures, manydisappointed hopes, and many tears, bitter and fruitless, she foundat last, one stormy afternoon, in a leafless forest, a single snowdropgrowing betwixt the borders of the winter and spring. She lay downbeside it and died. I almost believe that a child, pale and peaceful asa snowdrop, was born in the Earth within a fixed season from that stormyafternoon.