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。 It shone redder； clearer throughthe dark trees； when the sun went down。 It was lovely thus to lookat the sunshine of heaven。 And she looked at the red sun； and shethought about it so deeply； and thought of the little one whom thestork was to bring； and the wife of the drummer was very cheerful； andlooked and looked； and wished that the child might have a gleam ofsunshine given to it； so that it might at least bee like one of theshining angels over the altar。
And when she really had the little child in her arms； and heldit up to its father； then it was like one of the angels in thechurch to behold； with hair like gold… the gleam of the setting sunwas upon it。
〃My golden treasure； my riches； my sunshine！〃 said the mother； andshe kissed the shining locks； and it sounded like music and song inthe room of the drummer； and there was joy； and life； and movement。The drummer beat a roll… a roll of joy。 And the Drum said… theFire…drum； that was beaten when there was a fire in the town：
〃Red hair！ the little fellow has red hair！ Believe the drum； andnot what your mother says！ Rub…a dub； rub…a dub！〃
And the town repeated what the Fire…drum had said。
The boy was taken to church； the boy was christened。 There wasnothing much to be said about his name； he was called Peter。 The wholetown； and the Drum too； called him Peter the drummer's boy with thered hair； but his mother kissed his red hair； and called him hergolden treasure。
In the hollow way in the clayey bank； many had scratched theirnames as a remembrance。
〃Celebrity is always something！〃 said the drummer； and so hescratched his own name there； and his little son's name likewise。
And the swallows came。 They had； on their long journey； seenmore durable characters engraven on rocks； and on the walls of thetemples in Hindostan； mighty deeds of great kings； immortal names；so old that no one now could read or speak them。 Remarkable celebrity！
In the clayey bank the martens built their nest。 They boredholes in the deep declivity； and the splashing rain and the thinmist came and crumbled and washed the names away； and the drummer'sname also； and that of his little son。
〃Peter's name will last a full year and a half longer！〃 said thefather。
〃Fool！〃 thought the Fire…drum； but it only said； 〃Dub； dub； dub；rub…a…dub！〃
He was a boy full of life and gladness； this drummer's son withthe red hair。 He had a lovely voice。 He could sing； and he sang like abird in the woodland。 There was melody； and yet no melody。
〃He must bee a chorister boy；〃 said his mother。 〃He shallsing in the church； and stand among the beautiful gilded angels whoare like him！〃
〃Fiery cat！〃 said some of the witty ones of the town。
The Drum heard that from the neighbors' wives。
〃Don't go home； Peter；〃 cried the street boys。 〃If you sleep inthe garret； there'll be a fire in the house； and the fire…drum willhave to be beaten。〃
〃Look out for the drumsticks；〃 replied Peter； and； small as hewas； he ran up boldly； and gave the foremost such a punch in thebody with his fist； that the fellow lost his legs and tumbled over；and the others took their legs off with themselves very rapidly。
The town musician was very genteel and fine。 He was the son of theroyal plate…washer。 He was very fond of Peter； and would sometimestake him to his home； and he gave him a violin； and taught him to playit。 It seemed as if the whole art lay in the boy's fingers； and hewanted to be more than a drummer… he wanted to bee musician tothe town。
〃I'll be a soldier；〃 said Peter； for he was still quite a littlelad； and it seemed to him the finest thing in the world to carry agun； and to be able to march one； two… one； two； and to wear a uniformand a sword。
〃Ah； you learn to long for the drum…skin； drum； dum； dum！〃 saidthe Drum。
〃Yes； if he could only march his way up to be a general！〃 observedhis father； 〃but before he can do that； there must be war。〃
〃Heaven forbid！〃 said his mother。
〃We have nothing to lose；〃 remarked the father。
〃Yes； we have my boy；〃 she retorted。
〃But suppose he came back a general！〃 said the father。
〃Without arms and legs！〃 cried the mother。 〃No； I would ratherkeep my golden treasure with me。〃
〃Drum； dum； dum！〃 The Fire…drum and all the other drums werebeating； for war had e。 The soldiers all set out； and the son ofthe drummer followed them。 〃Red…head。 Golden treasure！〃
The mother wept； the father in fancy saw him 〃famous；〃 the townmusician was of opinion that he ought not to go to war； but shouldstay at home and learn music。
〃Red…head；〃 said the soldiers； and little Peter laughed； butwhen one of them sometimes said to another； 〃Foxey；〃 he would bite histeeth together and look another way… into the wide world。 He did notcare for the nickname。
The boy was active； pleasant of speech； and good…humored； thatis the best canteen； said his old rades。
And many a night he had to sleep under the open sky； wet throughwith the driving rain or the falling mist； but his good humor neverforsook him。 The drum…sticks sounded； 〃Rub…a…dub； all up； all up！〃Yes； he was certainly born to be a drummer。
The day of battle dawned。 The sun had not yet risen； but themorning was e。 The air was cold； the battle was hot； there was mistin the air； but still more gunpowder…smoke。 The bullets and shellsflew over the soldiers' heads； and into their heads… into their bodiesand limbs； but still they pressed forward。 Here or there one orother of them would sink on his knees； with bleeding temples and aface as white as chalk。 The little drummer still kept his healthycolor； he had suffered no damage； he looked cheerfully at the dog ofthe regiment； which was jumping along as merrily as if the whole thinghad been got up for his amusement； and as if the bullets were onlyflying about that he might have a game of play with them。
〃March！ Forward！ March！〃 This； was the word of mand for thedrum。 The word had not yet been given to fall back； though theymight have done so； and perhaps there would have been much sense init； and now at last the word 〃Retire〃 was given； but our littledrummer beat 〃Forward！ march！〃 for he had understood the mand thus；and the soldiers obeyed the sound of the drum。 That was a good roll；and proved the summons to victory for the men； who had already begunto give way。
Life and limb were lost in the battle。 Bombshells tore away theflesh in red strips； bombshells lit up into a terrible glow thestrawheaps to which the wounded had dragged themselves； to lieuntended for many hours； perhaps for all the hours they had to live。
It's no use thinking of it； and yet one cannot help thinking ofit； even far away in the peaceful town。 The drummer and his wifealso thought of it； for Peter was at the war。
〃Now； I'm tired of these plaints；〃 said the Fire…drum。
Again the day of battle dawned； the sun had not yet risen； butit was morning。 The drummer and his wife were asleep。 They had beentalking about their son； as； indeed； they did almost every night；for he was out yonder in God's hand。 And the father dreamt that thewar was over； that the soldiers had returned home； and that Peter worea silver cross on his breast。 But the mother dreamt that she hadgone into the church； and had seen the painted pictures and the carvedangels with the gilded hair； and her own dear boy； the golden treasureof her heart； who was standing among the angels in white robes；singing so sweetly； as surely only the angels can sing； and that hehad soared up with them into the sunshine； and nodded so kindly at hismother。
〃My golden treasure！〃 she cried out； and she awoke。 〃Now thegood God has taken him to Himself！〃 She folded her hands； and hidher face in the cotton curtains of the bed； and wept。 〃Where does herest now？ among the many in the big grave that they have dug for thedead？ Perhaps he's in the water in the marsh！ Nobody knows hisgrave； no holy words have been read over it！〃 And the Lord's Prayerwent inaudibly over her lips； she bowed her head； and was so wearythat she went to sleep。
And the days went by； in life as in dreams！
It was evening。 Over the battle…field a rainbow spread； whichtouched the forest and the deep marsh。
It has been said； and is preserved in popular belief； that wherethe rainbo