Hewasinanecstasy。Howhehadlongedforawatch，justsuchaturnip-shapedone，andapaint-box。Whatcolourshecouldmake！EvenAuntAmy’sprayerbookwassomething，withitssquashycoverandsilkmarkeronlywhydidAuntAmynevergivehimanythingsensible？。Hestoodthere，hisfaceflushed，hiseyessparkling，thewatchinonehandandthepaint-boxintheother。Remarkswereheardlike：“Youmustn’tpokeitwith，yourfinger，Jerrydarling，oryou’llbreakthehandsoff“；and“Ithoughthe’d，betterhavethesquaresort，andnotthetubes。They’resosquashy“；and“You’llbeabletolearnyourCollectsoeasilywiththatbigprint，Jerrydear。Verykindofyou，Amy。“
　　MeanwhilehewasawarethatUncleSamuelhadgivenhimnothing。
　　Therewasalittlethickcatchofdisappointmentinhisthroat，notbecausehewantedapresent，butbecausehelikedUncleSamuel。
　　Suddenly，fromsomewherebehindhimhisunclesaid：“Shutyoureyes，Jerry。Don’topenthemuntilItellyou“——thenrathercrossly，“No，Amy，leavemealone。IknowwhatI’mabout，thankyou。“
　　Jeremyshuthiseyestight。Heclosedthemsothattheeyelidsseemedtoturnrightinwardsandredlightsflashed。Hestoodthereforatleastacentury，allindarkness，noonesayinganythingsavethatonceMarycried“Oh！“andclappedherhands，whichsamecryexcitedhimtosuchapitchthathewouldhavedughisnailsintohishandshadhenotsoconsistentlyinthepastbittenthemthattherewerenonailswithwhichtodig。Hewaited。Hewaited。Hewaited。Hewasnoteight，hewaseightywhenatlastUncleSamuelsaid，“Nowyoumaylook。“
　　Heopenedhiseyesandturned；foramomentthenursery，too，rockedintheunfamiliarlight。Thenhesaw。Onthemiddleofthenurserycarpetwasavillage，arealvillage，sixhouseswithredroofs，greenwindowsandwhiteporches，achurchwithatowerandatinybell，anorchardwithflowersonthefruittrees，agreenlawn，astreetwithabutcher’sshop，apostoffice，andagrocer’s。
　　VillagerNoah，Mrs。NoahandthelittleNoahs，afieldwithcows，horses，dogs，afarmwithchickensandeventwopigs……
　　Hestood，hestared，hedrewadeepbreath。
　　“ItcomesallthewayfromGermany，“saidAuntAmy，whoalwaysmadethingsuninterestingifshepossiblycould。
　　Therewasmuchdelightedtalk。Jeremysaidnothing。ButUncleSamuelunderstood。
　　“Gladyoulikeit，“hesaid，andlefttheroom。
　　“Aren’tyoupleased？“saidHelen。
　　Jeremystillsaidnothing。
　　“Sausages。Sausages！“criedMary，asGladys，grinning，enteredwithadishofalovelyandpleasantsmell。ButJeremydidnotturn。Hesimplystoodthere——staring。
　　III
　　Itisoftheessenceofbirthdaysthattheycannotmaintainthroughoutalongdaythegloriouscharacteroftheirearlydawning。
　　InPolchesterthirtyyearsagotherewerenocinematographs，notheatresaveforanoccasionalamateurperformanceattheAssemblyRoomsand，onceandagain，amagic-lanternshow。Onthisparticularday，moreover，Mr。andMrs。Colewereimmenselybusiedwithpreparationsforsomeparochialtea。MissTrefusishadcallstomake，and，ofcourse，UncleSamuelwasinvisible。TheBirthdaythensuddenlybecamenolongerabirthdaybutanordinaryday——withanextraordinarystandard。Thisiswhysomanybirthdaysendintears。
　　ButJeremy，aswasusualwithhim，tookeverythingquietly。Hemightcryaloudaboutsuchanaffairastheconquestofthewickerchairbecausethatdidnotdeeplymattertohim，butabouttherealthingshewassilent。Thevillagewasoneoftherealthings；duringallthemorningheremainedshutupinhissoulwithit，thewideworldclosedofffromthembymanymuffleddoors。HowhadUncleSamuelknownthathehaddeepinhisowninside，sodeepthathehadnotmentionediteventohimself，wantedsomethingjustlikethis？
　　Thirtyyearsagotherewerenoneofthepresentsthatthereareforchildrennow——nowonderfulrailwaysthatrunroundthenurseryfromMonteCarlotoPariswithallthestationsmarked；nodollsthataresolikefashionablewomenthatyouaregivenamanicuresetwiththemtokeeptheirnailstidy；nominiaturemotor-carsthatrunofthemselvesandgoformilesroundthefloorwithoutbeingwoundup。
　　Jeremyknewnoneofthesethings，andwasthehappierthathedidnot。Tosuchaboysuchavillagewasamiracle……IthadnotcomefromGermany，asAuntAmysaid，butfromheaven。ButitwasevenmoreofUncleSamuelthanthevillagethathewasthinking。
　　Whentheystarted——Helen，MaryandheinchargeoftheJampot——upontheirafternoonwalk，hewasstillaskinghimselfthesamequestions。HowhadUncleSamuelknownsoexactly？Haditbeenagreattroubletobringfromsofaraway？HadUncleSamuelthoughtitbadofhimnottothankhim？
　　HewaslostinsuchconsiderationswhentheJampotinquiredofhimthewaythattheirwalkshouldtake——itwashischoicebecauseitwashisBirthday。Hehadnochoice。Therewasonewalkthatfarexceededallothersinglory，straightdownOrangeStreet，straightagainthroughtheMarket，pasttheAssemblyRoomsandtheTownHall，pasttheflowerandfruitstalls，andtheoldbananawomanunderthegreenumbrellaandthetoystallwithcolouredballoons，thechinadogsandthenoddingdonkeys，uptheHighStreet，intothecobble-
　　stonesoftheClose，whenceonecouldlookdown，betweenthehousesontotheorchards，roundtheCathedralwiththemeadows，PolMeadsslopingdowntotheriver，sothroughOrchardLaneintoOrangeStreetonceagain。
　　Suchawalkcombinedeverymagicanddelightknowntotheheartofman，butitwasnotgenerallyallowed，becauseJeremywoulddragpasttheshops，thestallsintheMarketPlaceandthewalkbehindtheCathedral，whenceonemightsometimesseeboatsontheriver，sheepandcowsinthemeads，and，intheirproperseason，delightofdelights——lambs。
　　Theysetout……
　　ThirtyyearsagothewinterweatherinPolchesterwaswonderful。
　　Now，ofcourse，therearenohardwinters，nofrost，nosnow，nowaits，nosnowmen，andnoskatingonthePol。Thentherewereallthosethings。To-daywasofahard，glitteringfrost；thesun，likearound，redlacquertray，fellheavily，slowlythroughafaintpaleskythatwasnotstrongenoughtosustainit。Theairhadthecold，sweettwangofpeppermintsinthethroat。Polchesterwasapaintedtownuponabluescreen，theCathedraltowerspurpleagainstthesky；theairwasscentedwithburningleaves，andcriesfromthetownroseupclearandhard，lingeringandfallinglikenotesofmusic。Somewheretheywereplayingfootball，andtheshoutingwasdistantandregularlikethetrampofarmedmen。“Three“strucktheCathedralclock，asthoughitwerecalling“OpenSesame。“Otherlesserclocksrepeatedthechallengecrythroughthetown。“Woppley——
　　Woppley——Why！“sungthemanwhowassellingskinsdownOrangeStreet。Thesky，turningslowlyfrombluetogold，shonemysteriouslythroughtheglassofthestreetlamps，andthesunbegantowrapitselfintintsofpurpleandcrocusandiris。
　　“Woppley——Woppley——Why！“screamedtheskin-mansuddenlyappearingatthetopofthestreet。
　　“Now’urry，MasterJeremy，“saidtheJampot，“orweshallneverget’omethisnight，andImighthaveknownyou’dchoosethelongestwalkpossible。Comealong，MissMary，now——noneofthatdawdling。“
　　Jeremy，inhisH。M。S。Adventure’scapandroughbluenavycoat，felthimselfsuperiortotheJampot，soheonlysaid，“Oh，don’tbother，Nurse，“andtheninthesamebreath，“I’llrunyoudownthehill，Mary，“andbeforeanyonecouldsayawordtheretheywereatthebottomofOrangeStreet，asthoughtheyhadfallenintoawell。Thesunwasgone，thegoldenhorizonwasgone——onlythepurplelightsbegantogatherabouttheirfeetandclimbslowlythehighblackhouses。
　　Marylikedthis，becauseshenowhadJeremytoherself。Shebeganhurriedly，sothatsheshouldlosenotime：
　　“ShallItellyouastory，Jeremy？I’vegotanewone。Onceuponatimetherewerethreelittleboys，andtheylivedinawood，andanoldwitchatethem，andthePrincesswhohadheapsofjewelleryandawhitehorseandalovelygolddresscame，anditwassnowingandthewitch——“
　　ThiswasalwaysMary’sway。ShelovedtotellJeremyinterestingstories，andhedidnotmindbecausehedidnotlistenandcouldmeanwhilethinkhisownthoughts。
　　Hischiefdecisionarrivedatashemarchedalongwasthathewouldkeepthevillagetohimself；nooneelseshouldputtheirfingersintoit，arrangetheorchardwiththecolouredtrees，decideuponthenamesoftheNoahfamily，settlethevillagestreetinitsfinalorder，ringthebellofthechurch，ormilkthecows。Healonewoulddoallthesethings。And，soconsidering，heseemedtohimselfverylikeGod。God，hesupposed，couldpullPolchesterabout，rootoutahousehere，anotherthere，knocktheAssemblyRoomsdownandsendathunderboltontotheapplewoman’sumbrella。Well，then——socouldhewithhisvillage。Hewalkedswollenwithpride。HearrivedatthefirstIslandofCirce，namely，thewindowofMr。Thompson，thejewellerinMarketStreet，pressedhisnosetothepane，andrefusedtolistenwhentheJampotsuggestedthatheshouldmoveforward。
　　Hecouldseethediamondslikedropsofwaterinthesun，andthepearlslikedropsofmilk，andtherubieslikedropsofblood，butitwasnotofdiamonds，pearlsorrubiesthathewasthinking——hethoughtonlyofhisvillage。Hewouldringthechurchbell，andthenalltheNoahfamilyshouldstartoutofthedoor，downthegarden，upthevillagestreet……ItdidnotmatterifoneoftheyoungerNoahsshouldbelazyandwishtostayathomebeneaththefloweringtreesoftheorchard。Shewouldnotbeallowed……HewasasGod……HewasasGod……Thebutchershouldgoifhewasnotstucktohisshop，andevensomeofhiscowsmightgo……HewasasGod……
　　HeheardMary’svoiceinhisear。
　　“Andafterthattheyallatechocolateswithwhitecreamandredcream，andtheysuckeditoffpins，andtherewerehardbitsandsoftbits，andthePrincessshewasafrognow。Youremember，don’tyou，Jeremy？Thewitchturnedherhottedtheovenlikecookhas，withblackdoors，andhotteditandhottedit，butsuddenlytherewasanoise——“
　　And，ontheotherside，theJampot’svoice：“Younaughtyboy，stoppin’’ereforeveryonetosee，justbecauseit’syourbirthday，whichIwishtherewasn’tnobirthdays，northerewouldn’tbeifI
　　hadmyway。“
　　JeremyturnedfromMr。Thompson’swindow，ascornfulsmileonhisface：
　　“I’mbigger’nyou，Nurse，“hesaid。“IfIsaidoutloud，’Iwon’tgo，’Iwouldn’tgo，andnoonecouldmakeme。“
　　“Well，comealong，then，“saidNurse。
　　“Don’tbesostupid，Jerry，“saidHelencalmly。“Ifapolicemancameandsaidyouhadtogohomeyou’dhavetogo。“
　　“NoIwouldn’t，“saidJeremy。
　　“Thenthey’dputyouinprison。“
　　“Theycould。“
　　“They’dhangyou，perhaps。“
　　“Theycould，“repliedJeremy。
　　Fartherthanthisargumentcannotgo，soHelenshruggedhershouldersandsaid：“Youaresilly。“
　　Andtheyallmovedforward。