There she lay, dead in her coffin, with flowers in her hand.

Along the wall of the room were arranged three little white beds, and on each of the beds lay one of my brothers.

They all looked as though they were asleep, and they all had flowers in their hands.

My father told me to kiss them, because I should not see them any more, and I did so, though I was very frightened.

I did not know why.
Then he took me in his arms and kissed me.
"The Lord hath given," he said, "and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." I cried very much, and he took me downstairs, and after that I have only a confused memory of men dressed in black carrying heavy burdens towards the grey churchyard! Next comes a vision of a great ship and wide tossing waters.