When morning dawned, I set off on my further pilgrimage along the Váh, so as to chase unquiet thoughts from my mind with the soothing beauty of what I looked upon. And I passed through village after village, my eyes skipping gladly from summit to summit, over meadow and murmuring stream sparkling in the sun. Upon leaving a certain village, I came across a man leading some children out onto a meadow. The children were eager to play, for it was a beautiful day in May.
I guessed immediately that the man was the children’s teacher. For who else would be leading them out to play? And my heart was filled with joy at the goodness of the teacher, who desired the children to enjoy some innocent fun, which would serve both to refresh them, and invigorate their bodies. But soon my joy was tarnished,
