consequently the little baron
had brought in his willow flute; but he could not get a note out of
it, nor could his papa, and therefore the flute was worth nothing.
There was instrumental music and song, both of the kind that delight
the performers most--quite charming!

"You are a performer?" said a cavalier--his father's son and nothing
else--to the tutor. "You play the flute and make it too--that's
genius. That should command, and should have the place of honour!"

"No indeed," replied the young man, "I only advance with the times, as
every one is obliged to do."

"Oh, you will enchant us with the little instrument, will you not?"
And with these words he handed to the clergyman's son the flute cut
from the willow tree by the pool, and announced aloud that the tutor
was about to perform a solo on that instrument.

Now, they only wanted to make fun of him, that was easily seen; and
therefore the tutor would not play, though indeed he could do so very
well; but they crowded round him and importuned him so strongly, that
at last he took the flute and put it to his lips.

That was a wonderful flute! A sound, as sustained as that which is
emitted by the whistle of a steam engine, and much stronger, echoed
far over courtyard, garden, and wood, miles away into the country;
and simultaneously with the tone came a rushing wind that roared,
"Everything in its right place!" And papa flew as if carried by the
wind straight out of the hall and into the shepherd's cot; and the
shepherd flew, not into the hall, for there he could not come--no, but
into the room of the servants, among the smart lacqueys who strutted
about there in silk stockings; and the proud servants were struck
motionless with horror at the thought that such a personage dared to
sit down to table with them.

But in the hall the young baroness flew up to the place of honour at
the top of the table, where she was worthy to sit; and the young
clergyman's son had a seat next to her; and there the two sat as if
they were a newly-married pair. An old count of one of the most
ancient families in the country remained untouched in his place of
honour; for the flute was just, as men ought to be. The witty
cavalier, the son of his father and nothing else, who had been the
cause of the flute-playing, flew head-over-heels into the
poultry-house--but not alone.

For a whole mile round about the sounds of the flute were heard, and
singular events took place. A rich ban