explained that morning mists were to be seen on the tops of all
mountains, then become dispersed during the day, till they gather once
more at the approach of night, and that mists also hover over
waterfalls--and this was the whole history of Gilbert's flock. He had
been served the same way himself the first time he came to Elf-land,
only not being quite so soft-pated as his new acquaintance he had found
out the tricks that were played upon travellers; and he now asked
Gilbert whether he should help to extricate him from running after
clouds, or whether he was determined to make a fool of himself for the
rest of his life? Gilbert answered gravely that he was set upon wooing
the beautiful lady, and becoming the lord of the castle. "The castle is
about as solid as those built by youngsters with playing cards, and as
to this beautiful lady of yours, she is only an Elle-maid," said the
Scotchman contemptuously.

"Suppose she is?--What then?" returned Gilbert philosophically. For the
fact was he did not exactly know what sort of a creature that might be,
never having travelled so far before. "Come, I must take pity on you,
and save you in spite of yourself,"--said Sandy. "Here is some wax with
which you must stop up your ears to-night, when you return to the lady,
that you may not hear that singing of hers which bewitches your sober
senses, and then if you draw the bow lengthways up and down the middle
string of the fiddle, in this fashion (taking up the fiddle and showing
him) as you approach her, and refuse both the wine and the kiss, you
will see what an Elle-maid really is."

He then laid the ivory fiddle down again, and by the time Gilbert had
raised himself on one elbow to take it back, the shepherd was clean out
of sight. Gilbert thought this very strange, and he began scraping once
more on the fiddle to see if the branches of the tree would again sprout
into his singular acquaintance, but they did not stir any more. Though
not believing in the full truth of Sandy's sneers about the castle and
the lady, Gilbert thought he would just follow his advice out of
curiosity, to see what it might bring to light, and perceiving it was
now time to retrace his steps, he descended from the rocks, and
following the course of the stream, returned to his night quarters by a
different road to any he had taken before. He now stopped his ears with
the wax Sandy had given him, and it was well he did, as he had just come
within hearing