Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Vol. 26, October, 1880Various
History
Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Vol. 26, October, 1880
Various
Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; Science -- Periodicals
When spring came Findelkind sat by the edge of the bright pure water
amongst the flowering grasses and felt his head heavy. Findelkind of
Arlberg, who was in heaven now, must look down, he fancied, and think
him so stupid and so selfish sitting there. The first Findelkind a few
centuries before had trotted down on his bare feet from his
mountain-pass, and taken his little crook and gone out boldly over all
the land on his pilgrimage, and knocked at castle-gates and city-walls
in Christ's name and for love of the poor. That was to do something
indeed!
This poor little living Findelkind would look at the miniatures in the
priest's missal, in one of which there was the fourteenth-century boy
with long hanging hair and a wallet and bare feet, and he never doubted
that it was the portrait of the blessed Findelkind who was in heaven;
and he wondered if he looked like a little boy there or if he were
changed to the likeness of an angel.
"He was a boy just like me," thought the poor little fellow; and he felt
so ashamed of himself, so much ashamed; and the priest had told him to
try and do the same. He brooded over it so much, and it made him so
anxious and so vexed, that his brothers ate his porridge and he did not
notice it, his sisters pulled his curls and he did not feel it, his
father brought a stick down on his back and he only started and stared,
and his mother cried because he was losing his mind and would grow daft,
and even his mother's tears he scarcely saw. He was always thinking of
Findelkind in heaven.
When he went for water he spilt one half; when he did his lessons, he
forgot the chief part; when he drove out the cow, he let her munch the
cabbages; and when he was set to watch the oven, he let the loaves burn,
like great Alfred. He was always busied thinking, "Little Findelkind
that is in heaven did so great a thing: why may not I? I ought! I
ought!" What was the use of being named after Findelkind that was in
heaven unless one did something great too?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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