sel. I'm the boldest and bravest
creature in this country. I'm the lion of these parts, I am. And," said
the Weasel, "I never served anyone before, but I'll be your servant
for a quarter of a year. Tell me what way you're going and I'll go with
you." "I'm going the way he's going," said Gilly, nodding towards the
river, "and I'll keep beside him till he wants to turn back." "Oh, then
you'll have to go a long way," said the Weasel, "but I'll go with you no
matter bow far you go." The Weasel walked by Gilly's side very bravely
and very independently.

"Oh, look," said Gilly to the Weasel, "what is that that's in the
water?"

The Weasel looked and saw a crystal egg in the shallows.

"It's an egg," said the Weasel, "I often eat one myself. I'll bring it
up from the bottom to you. I'm good at carrying eggs."

The Weasel went into the water and put his mouth to the egg and tried to
lift it. He could not move it. He tried to lift it with his paws as well
as with his mouth; but this did not do either. He came up the bank then,
and said to Gilly, "You'll think I'm a poor sort of a servant because I
can't take an egg out of the water. But if I can't win one way I'll win
another way." He went into the reeds by the river and he said, "Hear me,
frogs! There's a great army coming to take you out of the reeds and eat
you red and raw." Then Gilly saw the queer frogs lifting up their
heads, "Oh, what will we do, what will we do?" they cried to the Weasel.
"There's only one thing to be done," said the Weasel. "You gather up
all the pebbles in the bed of the fiver and we'll make a big wail on the
bank to defend you." The frogs dived into the water at once and dragged
up pebbles. Gilly and the Weasel piled them on the bank. Then three
frogs carried up the Crystal Egg. The Weasel took it from them when they
left it on the bank. Then he climbed a tree and cried out to the frogs,
"The army is frightened and is running away." "Oh, thank you, thank
you," said the frogs, "we'll never forget your goodness to us." Then
they sat down in the marsh and told each other what a narrow escape they
all had.

The Weasel gave Gilly the Crystal Egg. It was heavy and he carried it
for a while in his hand. They went on. After a while said Gilly of the
Goatskin, "The night's coming on and the fiver shows no sign of turning
back. I wish there was a nice place to shelter us." No sooner did he say
the word than he and the Weasel found them-selves standing bef