The first , which is round , will likely please ye best at the first off-go ; but , O Davie , laddie , it 's but a drop of water in the sea ; it 'll help you but a step , and vanish like the morning . The second , which is flat and square and written upon , will stand by you through life , like a good staff for the road , and a good pillow to your head in sickness . And as for the last , which is cubical , that 'll see you , it 's my prayerful wish , into a better land . '' With that he got upon his feet , took off his hat , and prayed a little while aloud , and in affecting terms , for a young man setting out into the world ; then suddenly took me in his arms and embraced me very hard ; then held me at arm 's length , looking at me with his face all working with sorrow ; and then whipped about , and crying good-bye to me , set off backward by the way that we had come at a sort of jogging run . It might have been laughable to another ; but I was in no mind to laugh . I watched him as long as he was in sight ; and he never stopped hurrying , nor once looked back . Then it came in upon my mind that this was all his sorrow at my departure ; and my conscience smote me hard and fast , because I , for my part , was overjoyed to get away out of that quiet country-side , and go to a great , busy house , among rich and respected gentlefolk of my own name and blood . `` Davie , Davie , '' I thought , `` was ever seen such black ingratitude ? Can you forget old favours and old friends at the mere whistle of a name ? Fie , fie ; think shame . '' And I sat down on the boulder the good man had just left , and opened the parcel to see the nature of my gifts . That which he had called cubical , I had never had much doubt of ; sure enough it was a little Bible , to carry in a plaid-neuk . That which he had called round , I found to be a shilling piece ; and the third , which was to help me so wonderfully both in health and sickness all the days of my life , was a little piece of coarse yellow paper , written upon thus in red ink : `` TO MAKE LILLY OF THE VALLEY WATER . -- Take the flowers of lilly of the valley and distil them in sack , and drink a spooneful or two as there is occasion . It restores speech to those that have the dumb palsey . It is good against the Gout ; it comforts the heart and strengthens the memory ; and the flowers , put into a Glasse , close stopt , and set into ane hill of ants for a month , then take it out , and you will find a liquor which comes from the flowers , which keep in a vial ; it is good , ill or well , and whether man or woman . '' And then , in the minister 's own hand , was added : `` Likewise for sprains , rub it in ; and for the cholic , a great spooneful in the hour . '' To be sure , I laughed over this ; but it was rather tremulous laughter ; and I was glad to get my bundle on my staff 's end and set out over the ford and up the hill upon the farther side ; till , just as I came on the green drove-road running wide through the heather , I took my last look of Kirk Essendean , the trees about the manse , and the big rowans in the kirkyard where my father and my mother lay . CHAPTER II I COME TO MY JOURNEY 'S END On the forenoon of the second day , coming to the top of a hill , I saw all the country fall away before me down to the sea ; and in the midst of this descent , on a long ridge , the city of Edinburgh smoking like a kiln . There was a flag upon the castle , and ships moving or lying anchored in the firth ; both of which , for as far away as they were , I could distinguish clearly ; and both brought my country heart into my mouth .
Presently after , I came by a house where a shepherd lived , and got a rough direction for the neighbourhood of Cramond ; and so , from one to another , worked my way to the westward of the capital by Colinton , till I XXXXX out upon the Glasgow road .
Take came comes find forget found keep laughed seen vanish