d play and be happy, until the time comes for us to die?"

"No," said the man, looking round kindly upon them all; "you cannot swim
over; you never could get over of yourselves: but you need not stay here
and die; for I have found a way of escape for you. Follow me, and you
shall see it."

So I saw that he led them round a high rough rock, to where the calm
waves of the sea ran up into a little bay, upon the white sand of which
only a gentle ripple broke with a very pleasant sound. This bay was full
of boats, small painted boats, with just room in each for one person,
with a small rudder to guide them at the stern, and a little sail as
white as snow, and over all a flag, on which a bright red cross was
flapping in the gentle sea-breeze.

Then when the children saw these beautiful boats, they clapped their
little hands together for very joy of heart. But the man spoke to them
again and said, "You will all have a deep, and dangerous, and stormy sea
to pass over in these little boats. They will carry you quite safely, if
you are careful to do just as I bid you, for then neither are wind nor
the sea can harm them; but they will bear you safely over the foaming
waves to a bright and beautiful land--to a country where there is no
burning mountain, and no angry lightning, and no bare rocks, and no
blasting hill-storm; but where there are trees bearing golden fruits by
the side of beautiful rivers, into which they sweep their green boughs.
There the trees are always green, and the leaves ever fresh. There the
fruit ripens every month, {6} and the very leaves upon the trees are
healing. There is always glad and joyful light. There are happy
children who have passed this sea; and there are others who have grown
old full of happiness; there are some of your fathers, and mothers, and
brothers, and sisters; and there am I ever present to keep and to comfort
you." Now when they heard this, all the children wished to jump into the
boats, and he was kindly ready to help them, only he put each one in
carefully and slowly; and as he put him in, he gave him his charge. He
told them that they must never look round to this island they were
leaving, but must be always setting their faces towards the happy land
they sought for. He told them that they must leave behind them all the
shells and the berries which had pleased them here, for if they tried to
take these with them in their boats, some accident would certainly befall
them.