John is alarmed by this and asks the doctor if he too has lost his soul. The doctor replies that he has, as souls move much slower than their bodies, and now he must wait for his soul for an indefinite amount of time in a quiet place of his own. John follows the doctor's advice and settles down in an old cottage long enough for his hair and beard to grow long. He waits until one afternoon when his soul, who takes the form of a young girl, knocks at the door. John and his soul reunite and John makes sure to slow his life down in order to not lose his soul again. He buries his watches and suitcases in the garden, which then bloom into colorful flowers and large pumpkins and provide him with food for the following winters, and John and his soul live happily ever after.
