me about what cannot be； or fancy that anything is too wonderful to be true。 〃We are fearfully and wonderfully made；〃 said old David； and so we are； and so is everything around us； down to the very deal table。 Yes； much more fearfully and wonderfully made； already； is the table； as it stands now； nothing but a piece of dead deal wood； than if； as foxes say； and geese believe； spirits could make it dance； or talk to you by rapping on it。
Am I in earnest？ Oh dear no！ Don't you know that this is a fairy tale； and all fun and pretence； and that you are not to believe one word of it； even if it is true？
But at all events； so it happened to Tom。 And； therefore； the keeper； and the groom； and Sir John made a great mistake； and were very unhappy （Sir John at least） without any reason； when they found a black thing in the water； and said it was Tom's body； and that he had been drowned。 They were utterly mistaken。 Tom was quite alive； and cleaner； and merrier； than he ever had been。 The fairies had washed him； you see； in the swift river； so thoroughly； that not only his dirt； but his whole husk and shell had been washed quite off him； and the pretty little real Tom was washed out of the inside of it； and swam away； as a caddis does when its case of stones and silk is bored through； and away it goes on its back； paddling to the shore； there to split its skin； and fly away as a caperer； on four fawn…coloured wings； with long legs and horns。 They are foolish fellows； the caperers； and fly into the candle at night； if you leave the door open。 We will hope Tom will be wiser； now he has got safe out of his sooty old shell。
But good Sir John did not understand all this； not being a fellow of the Linnaean Society； and he took it into his head that Tom was drowned。 When they looked into the empty pockets of his shell； and found no jewels there； nor money … nothing but three marbles； and a brass button with a string to it … then Sir John did something as like crying as ever he did in his life； and blamed himself more bitterly than he need have done。 So he cried； and the groom…boy cried； and the huntsman cried； and the dame cried； and the little girl cried； and the dairymaid cried； and the old nurse cried （for it was somewhat her fault）； and my lady cried； for though people have wigs； that is no reason why they should not have hearts； but the keeper did not cry； though he had been so good…natured to Tom the morning before； for he was so dried up with running after poachers； that you could no more get tears out of him than milk out of leather： and Grimes did not cry； for Sir John gave him ten pounds； and he drank it all in a week。 Sir John sent； far and wide； to find Tom's father and mother： but he might have looked till Doomsday for them； for one was dead； and the other was in Botany Bay。 And the little girl would not play with her dolls for a whole week； and never forgot poor little Tom。 And soon my lady put a pretty little tombstone over Tom's shell in the little churchyard in Vendale； where the old dalesmen all sleep side by side between the lime…stone crags。 And the dame decked it with garlands every Sunday； till she grew so old that she could not stir abroad； then the little children decked it； for her。 And always she sang an old old song； as she sat spinning what she called her wedding…dress。 The children could not understand it； but they liked it none the less for that； for it was very sweet； and very sad； and that was enough for them。 And these are the words of it：…
When all the world is young； lad； And all the trees are green； And every goose a swan； lad； And every lass a queen； Then hey for boot and horse； lad； And round the world away； Young blood must have its course； lad； And every dog his day。
When all the world is old； lad； And all the trees are brown； And all the sport is stale； lad； And all the wheels run down； Creep home； and take your place there； The spent and maimed among： God grant you find one face there； You loved when all was young。
Those are the words： but they are only the body of it： the soul of the song was the dear old woman's sweet face； and sweet voice； and the sweet old air to which she sang； and that； alas！ one cannot put on paper。 And at last she grew so stiff and lame； that the angels were forced to carry her； and they helped her on with her wedding…dress； and carried her up over Harthover Fells； and a long way beyond that too； and there was a new schoolmistress in Vendale； and we will hope that she was not certificated。
And all the while Tom was swimming about in the river； with a pretty little lace…collar of gills about his neck； as lively as a grig； and as clean as a fresh…run salmon。
Now if you don't like my story； then go to the schoolroom and learn your multiplication…table； and see if you like that better。 Some people； no doubt； would do so。 So much the better for us； if not for them。 It takes all sorts； they say； to make a world。
CHAPTER III
〃He prayeth well who loveth well Both men and bird and beast； He prayeth best who loveth best All things both great and small： For the dear God who loveth us； He made and loveth all。〃
COLERIDGE。
Tom was now quite amphibious。 You do not know what that means？ You had better； then； ask the nearest Government pupil…teacher； who may possibly answer you smartly enough； thus …
〃Amphibious。 Adjective； derived from two Greek words； AMPHI； a fish； and BIOS； a beast。 An animal supposed by our ignorant ancestors to be compounded of a fish and a beast； which therefore； like the hippopotamus； can't live on the land； and dies in the water。〃
However that may be； Tom was amphibious： and what is better still； he was clean。 For the first time in his life； he felt how comfortable it was to have nothing on him but himself。 But he only enjoyed it： he did not know it； or think about it； just as you enjoy life and health； and yet never think about being alive and healthy； and may it be long before you have to think about it！
He did not remember having ever been dirty。 Indeed； he did not remember any of his old troubles； being tired； or hungry； or beaten； or sent up dark chimneys。 Since that sweet sleep； he had forgotten all about his master； and Harthover Place； and the little white girl； and in a word； all that had happened to him when he lived before； and what was best of all； he had forgotten all the bad words which he had learned from Grimes； and the rude boys with whom he used to play。
That is not strange： for you know； when you came into this world； and became a land…baby； you remembered nothing。 So why should he； when he became a water…baby？
Then have you lived before？
My dear child； who can tell？ One can only tell that； by remembering something which happened where we lived before； and as we remember nothing； we know nothing about it； and no book； and no man； can ever tell us certainly。
There was a wise man once； a very wise man； and a very good man； who wrote a poem about the feelings which some children have about having lived before； and this is what he said …
〃Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting； The soul that rises with us； our life's star； Hath elsewhere had its setting； And cometh from afar： Not in entire forgetfulness； And not in utter nakedness； But trailing clouds of glory； do we come From God； who is our home。〃
There； you can know no more than that。 But if I was you； I would believe that。 For then the great fairy Science； who is likely to be queen of all the fairies for many a year to come； can only do you good； and never do you harm； and instead of fancying with some people； that your body makes your soul； as if a steam…engine could make its own coke； or； with some people； that your soul has nothing to do with your body； but is only stuck into it like a pin into a pincushion； to fall out with the first shake； … you will believe the one true；
orthodox； inductive； rational； deductive； philosophical； seductive； logical； productive； irrefragable； salutary； nominalistic； comfortable； realistic； and on…all…accounts…to…be…received
doctrine of this wonderful fairy tale； which is； that your soul makes your body； just as a snail makes his shell。 For the rest； it is enough for us to be sure that whether or not we lived before； we shall live again； though not； I hope； as poor little heathen Tom did。 For he went downward into the water： but we； I hope； shall go upward to a very different place。
But Tom was very happy in the water。 He had been sadly overworked in the land…world； and so now； to make up for that； he had nothing but holidays in the water…world for a long； long time to come。 He had nothing to do now but enjoy himself； and look at all the pretty things which are to be seen in the cool clear water…world； where the sun is never too hot； and the frost is never too cold。
And what did he live on？ Water…cresses； perhaps； or perhaps water… gruel； and water…milk； too many land…babies do so likewise。 But we do not know what one…tenth of the water…things eat； so we are not answerable for the water…babies。
Sometimes he went along the smooth gravel water…ways； looking at the crickets which ran in and out among the stones； as rabbits do on land； or he climbed over the ledges of rock； and saw the sand… pipes hanging in thousands； with every one of them a pretty little head and legs peeping out； or he went into a still corner； and watched the caddises eating dead sticks as greedily as you would eat plum…pudding； and building their houses with silk and glue。 Very fanciful ladies they were； none of them would keep to the same materials for a day。 One would begin with some pebbles； then she would stick on a piece of green wood； then she found a shell； and stuck it on too； and the poor shell was alive； and did not like at all being taken to build houses with： but the caddis did not let him have any voice in the matter； being rude and selfish； as vain people are apt to be； then she stuck on a piece of rotten wood； then a very smart pink stone； and so on； till she was patched all over like an Irishman's coat。 Then she found a long straw； five times as long as herself； and said； 〃Hurrah！ my sister has a tail； and I'll have one too；〃 and she