o heart
Mother and child can never live apart_

Once upon a time there was a little boy who had a long journey to go. He
had a very dear mother, and she did not want her little son to leave
her; but she knew he must go, so she put her arms around him and said:
"Now, don't be afraid, for I shall be thinking of you, and God will take
care of you."

Then the little boy kissed her goodbye and ran away, singing a merry
song. As long as he could see her he would turn and wave his hand to
her; but by and by she was out of sight. Just then he came to a stream
of water that ran across his path.

"How can I get over?" thought the little boy; but a white swan swam up
to greet him, and said:--

"There is always a way to get over the stream. Follow me! follow me!"

So the little boy followed the swan till he came to a row of great
stepping stones, and he jumped from one to another, counting them as he
went.

When he reached the seventh he was safe across, and he turned to thank
the white swan. And when he had thanked her, he called:--

"_White swan, white swan, swimming so gay!
Carry a message for me to-day:
My love to my mother, wherever she be;
I know she is always thinking of me_."

Then the white swan swam back to carry the message, and the little boy
ran on his way.

Oh! there were so many beautiful things to hear,--the birds singing and
the bees humming; and so many beautiful things to see,--the flowers and
butterflies and green grass! And after a while he came to a wood, where
every tree wore a green dress; and through the wood, under the shade of
the trees, flowed a babbling creek.

"I wonder how I can get over?" said the little boy; and the wise wind
whispered:

"There is always a way to get over the stream. Follow me! follow me!"

[Illustration: "There is always a way to get over the stream, Follow me!
Follow me!"]

Then he followed the sound of the wise wind's voice, and the wind blew
against a tall pine tree, and the pine tree fell across the creek, and
lay there, a great round foot-log, where the little boy might step. He
made his way over, and thanked the wise wind; and he asked:--

"_Wise wind, wise wind, blowing so gay!
Carry a message for me to-day:
My love to my mother, wherever she be;
I know she is always thinking of me_."

The wind blew back to carry the message, and the little boy made haste
on his journey. His way lead through a meadow, where the clover