hey do nothing?"

"One of them is too young," said the Owl.

"But why don't the others work?" asked Tommy.

"They are idle, they are idle," said the Old Owl, and she gave herself
such a shake as she said it, that the fluff went flying through the
shed, and Tommy nearly tumbled off the beam in his fright.

"Then we don't want them," said he. "What is the use of having Brownies
if they do nothing to help us?"

"Perhaps they don't know how, as no one has told them," said the Owl.

"I wish you would tell me where to find them," said Tommy; "I could
tell them."

"Could you?" said the Owl. "Oohoo! oohoo!" and Tommy couldn't tell
whether she were hooting or laughing.

"Of course I could," he said. "They might be up and sweep the house,
and light the fire, and spread the table, and that sort of thing,
before Father came down. Besides, they could _see_ what was wanted.
The Brownies did all that in Granny's mother's young days. And then
they could tidy the room, and fetch the turf, and pick up my chips,
and sort Granny's scraps. Oh! there's lots to do."

"So there is," said the Owl. "Oohoo! Well, I can tell you where to find
one of the Brownies; and if you find him, he will tell you where his
brother is. But all this depends upon whether you feel equal to
undertaking it, and whether you will follow my directions."

"I am quite ready to go," said Tommy, "and I will do as you shall tell
me. I feel sure I could persuade them. If they only knew how every one
would love them if they made themselves useful!"

"Oohoo! oohoo!" said the Owl. "Now pay attention. You must go to the
north side of the mere when the moon is shining--('I know Brownies like
water,' muttered Tommy)--and turn yourself round three times, saying
this charm:

'Twist me, and turn me, and show me the Elf--
I looked in the water, and saw--'

When you have got so far, look into the water, and at the same moment
you will see the Brownie, and think of a word that will fill up the
couplet, and rhyme with the first line. If either you do not see the
Brownie, or fail to think of the word, it will be of no use."

"Is the Brownie a merman," said Tommy, wriggling himself along the
beam, "that he lives under water?"

"That depends on whether he has a fish's tail," said the Owl, "and this
you can discover for yourself."

"Well, the moon is shining, so I shall go," said Tommy. "Good-bye, and
thank you, Ma'am;" and he jumped down and went, saying to h