efully at the nymph's
answer.

"You are fairly trapped, O Ak!" she exclaimed, laughing. "Now, I pray
you, give heed to Necile's petition."

The Woodsman, as was his habit when in thought, stroked his grizzled
beard slowly. Then he said:

"She shall keep the babe, and I will give it my protection. But I warn
you all that as this is the first time I have relaxed the Law, so shall
it be the last time. Never more, to the end of the World, shall a
mortal be adopted by an immortal. Otherwise would we abandon our happy
existence for one of trouble and anxiety. Good night, my nymphs!"

Then Ak was gone from their midst, and Necile hurried away to her bower
to rejoice over her new-found treasure.

4. Claus

Another day found Necile's bower the most popular place in the Forest.
The nymphs clustered around her and the child that lay asleep in her
lap, with expressions of curiosity and delight. Nor were they wanting
in praises for the great Ak's kindness in allowing Necile to keep the
babe and to care for it. Even the Queen came to peer into the innocent
childish face and to hold a helpless, chubby fist in her own fair hand.

"What shall we call him, Necile?" she asked, smiling. "He must have a
name, you know."

"Let him be called Claus," answered Necile, "for that means 'a little
one.'"

"Rather let him be called Neclaus,"** returned the Queen, "for that
will mean 'Necile's little one.'"

The nymphs clapped their hands in delight, and Neclaus became the
infant's name, although Necile loved best to call him Claus, and in
afterdays many of her sisters followed her example.

Necile gathered the softest moss in all the forest for Claus to lie
upon, and she made his bed in her own bower. Of food the infant had no
lack. The nymphs searched the forest for bell-udders, which grow upon
the goa-tree and when opened are found to be filled with sweet milk.
And the soft-eyed does willingly gave a share of their milk to support
the little stranger, while Shiegra, the lioness, often crept stealthily
into Necile's bower and purred softly as she lay beside the babe and
fed it.

So the little one flourished and grew big and sturdy day by day, while
Necile taught him to speak and to walk and to play.

His thoughts and words were sweet and gentle, for the nymphs knew no
evil and their hearts were pure and loving. He became the pet of the
forest, for Ak's decree had forbidden beast or reptile to molest him,
and he wa