ver stopped? When the wind blows and they dance, or
when they curl over on the shore, they would be cold indeed, without
my comfortable white nightcaps!"

"Can you get me my shoe, dear Grandmother?" asked the little Princess
wistfully.

"Certainly, dear child. Though if you had not come at once, you might
have had to wait a few hundred years or so, before I could have found
it for you. The children wander so far now-a-days! Have you seen it?"
the Sea-grandmother continued, turning to some of the children who
surrounded her.

"Oh, yes," they answered in chorus. "Just now it floated above us. We
can fetch it in a minute!"

"Swim away then, as fast as you can!" cried the Sea-grandmother, and
the children darted off like fish through the green clearness of the
water.

The sound of their laughter had hardly died away in the distance,
before they reappeared, dragging the golden shoe behind them; and the
Princess, with smiles of joy, embraced them all as she drew it on to
her foot again.

"Oh, thank you, dearest Grandmother! I don't know how I can show you
how grateful I am," cried Sidigunda.

"By going home at once to your father and mother, and by promising me
_never_ again to be disobedient," said the Sea-grandmother gravely.
"Give me your shoe, and I will order it to take you back to the
Castle."

She stopped her needles for a moment, and passed her hand over the
slipper: then kissed the little Princess, and waved the knitting
rapidly before her.

A white cloud seemed to float over Sidigunda, and she felt herself
lifted up with a soothing motion, until on opening her eyes she found
she was once more in the region of the fresh air and sunshine. Looking
round, she saw the ruffled surface of the sea, and the waves breaking
upon the shore before the Castle.

Her heart beat with happiness, as the golden shoe landed her safely on
the beach; and she ran up through the little gate into the Castle
gardens, right into the arms of her mother, who was pacing up and down
with her attendants, in great anxiety.

Under the shade of some spreading fir trees the Princess related her
adventures, begging the King and Queen to forgive her for her
disobedience; and the whole Court was so delighted at her return that
everyone forgot to scold her.

That evening bonfires were lighted on all the hill-tops; and a great
banquet was held in the Castle, at which the Princess appeared amidst
loud cheering, and, holding her father's han