not shy, but let the girls take them in
their hands, and stroke their gold and silver feathers. In the centre
of the garden was the dwelling-house, shining with glass and precious
stones, and in the doorway sat a woman in rich garments, who turned to
Elsa's companion and asked:

'What sort of a guest are you bringing to me?'

'I found her alone in the wood,' replied her daughter, 'and brought her
back with me for a companion. You will let her stay?'

The mother laughed, but said nothing, only she looked Elsa up and down
sharply. Then she told the girl to come near, and stroked her cheeks and
spoke kindly to her, asking if her parents were alive, and if she really
would like to stay with them. Elsa stooped and kissed her hand, then,
kneeling down, buried her face in the woman's lap, and sobbed out:

'My mother has lain for many years under the ground. My father is still
alive, but I am nothing to him, and my stepmother beats me all the day
long. I can do nothing right, so let me, I pray you, stay with you. I
will look after the flocks or do any work you tell me; I will obey your
lightest word; only do not, I entreat you, send me back to her. She will
half kill me for not having come back with the other children.'

And the woman smiled and answered, 'Well, we will see what we can do
with you,' and, rising, went into the house.

Then the daughter said to Elsa, 'Fear nothing, my mother will be your
friend. I saw by the way she looked that she would grant your request
when she had thought over it,' and, telling Elsa to wait, she entered
the house to seek her mother. Elsa meanwhile was tossed about between
hope and fear, and felt as if the girl would never come.

At last Elsa saw her crossing the grass with a box in her hand.

'My mother says we may play together to-day, as she wants to make up her
mind what to do about you. But I hope you will stay here always, as I
can't bear you to go away. Have you ever been on the sea?'

'The sea?' asked Elsa, staring; 'what is that? I've never heard of such
a thing!'

'Oh, I'll soon show you,' answered the girl, taking the lid from the
box, and at the very bottom lay a scrap of a cloak, a mussel shell, and
two fish scales. Two drops of water were glistening on the cloak, and
these the girl shook on the ground. In an instant the garden and lawn
and everything else had vanished utterly, as if the earth had opened
and swallowed them up, and as far as the eye could reach you coul