eedles of the pines shot his rays, becoming more
and more red, covering the ground of the woods in places with great
golden circles. The air was dry; in the west were spreading great
shafts of golden light, which flooded all like an ocean of molten gold
and amber. The wondrous beauties of the peaceful, warm spring evening
were glowing in the sky. In the woods the daily work was gradually
ceasing. The noise of the woodpecker had stopped; black and bronzed
ants returned in rows to their hills, which were red in the rays of
the setting sun. Some carried in their mouths pine needles and some
insects. Among the herbs here and there circled small forest bees,
humming joyfully as they completed their last load of the sweet
flower-dust. From the fissures in the bark of the trees came gloomy
and blind millers; in the streams of the golden light circled swarms
of midgets and gnats scarcely visible to the eye; mosquitoes began
their mournful song. On the trees the birds were choosing their places
for the night; a yellow bird was softly whistling; the crows flapped
their wings, crowding all on one tree and quarreling about the best
places. But these voices were more and more rare, and became fainter;
gradually all ceased, and the silence was interrupted by the evening
breeze playing among the trees. The poplar tree tried to lift her
bluish-green leaves upward; the king-oak murmured softly; the leaves
of the birch tree slightly moved--silence.

Now the sky became more red; in the east the horizon became dark blue,
and all the voices of the woods merged into a chorus, solemn, deep and
immense. Thus the forest sings its evening song of praise, and says
its prayers before it sleeps; tree speaks to tree of the glory of God,
and you would say that it spoke with a human voice.

Only very innocent souls understand this great and blessed speech.
Only very innocent hearts hear and understand when the first chorus of
the parent oaks begins its strain:

"Rejoice, O sister pines, and be glad. The Lord hath given a warm and
peaceful day, and now above the earth He makes the starry night. Great
is the Lord, and mighty, powerful and good is He, so let there be
glory to Him upon the heights, upon the waters, upon the lands, and
upon the air."

And the pines pondered a moment upon the words of the oaks, and then
they raised their voices together, saying:

"Now, O Lord, to thy great glory, we, as censers, offer to Thee the
incense of our sweet-