The old man looked Elsa all up and down, as if he was taking her
measure, bowed again to the lady, and left the hall. After dinner the
lady said kindly to Elsa, 'Kisika has begged me to let you stay with
her, and you have told her you would like to live here. Is that so?'

At these words Elsa fell on her knees, and kissed the lady's hands and
feet in gratitude for her escape from her cruel stepmother; but her
hostess raised her from the ground and patted her head, saying, 'All
will go well as long as you are a good, obedient child, and I will take
care of you and see that you want for nothing till you are grown up and
can look after yourself. My waiting-maid, who teaches Kisika all sorts
of fine handiwork, shall teach you too.'

Not long after the old man came back with a mould full of clay on his
shoulders, and a little covered basket in his left hand. He put down his
mould and his basket on the ground, took up a handful of clay, and made
a doll as large as life. When it was finished he bored a hole in the
doll's breast and put a bit of bread inside; then, drawing a snake out
of the basket, forced it to enter the hollow body.

'Now,' he said to the lady, 'all we want is a drop of the maiden's
blood.'

When she heard this Elsa grew white with horror, for she thought she was
selling her soul to the evil one.

'Do not be afraid!' the lady hastened to say; 'we do not want your blood
for any bad purpose, but rather to give you freedom and happiness.'

Then she took a tiny golden needle, pricked Elsa in the arm, and gave
the needle to the old man, who stuck it into the heart of the doll. When
this was done he placed the figure in the basket, promising that the
next day they should all see what a beautiful piece of work he had
finished.

When Elsa awoke the next morning in her silken bed, with its soft white
pillows, she saw a beautiful dress lying over the back of a chair, ready
for her to put on. A maid came in to comb out her long hair, and brought
the finest linen for her use; but nothing gave Elsa so much joy as the
little pair of embroidered shoes that she held in her hand, for the girl
had hitherto been forced to run about barefoot by her cruel stepmother.
In her excitement she never gave a thought to the rough clothes she had
worn the day before, which had disappeared as if by magic during the
night. Who could have taken them? Well, she was to know that by-and-by.
But WE can guess that the doll had been dresse