of trouble.' Who art thou? How comes it that, under the
exterior of such an animal, there is so much compassionate feeling?"

The frog beckoned to him, and led him, behind tapestry that concealed
him, through private passages out to the stables, and pointed to a
horse. He sprang on it, and she also jumped up; and, placing herself
before him, she held by the animal's mane. The prisoner understood her
movement; and at full gallop they rode, by a path he never could have
found, away to the open heath.

He forgot her ugly form--he knew that the grace and mercy of God could
be evinced even by means of hobgoblins--he put up earnest prayers, and
sang holy hymns. She trembled. Was it the power of the prayers and
hymns that affected her thus? or was it a cold shivering at the
approach of morning, that was about to dawn? What was it that she
felt? She raised herself up into the air, attempted to stop the horse,
and was on the point of leaping down; but the Christian priest held
her fast with all his might, and chanted a psalm, which he thought
would have sufficient strength to overcome the influence of the
witchcraft under which she was kept in the hideous disguise of a frog.
And the horse dashed more wildly forward, the heavens became red, the
first ray of the sun burst forth through the morning sky, and with
that clear gush of light came the miraculous change--she was the young
beauty, with the cruel, demoniacal spirit. The astonished priest held
the loveliest maiden in his arms he had ever beheld; but he was
horror-struck, and, springing from the horse, he stopped it, expecting
to see it also the victim of some fearful sorcery. Young Helga sprang
at the same moment to the ground, her short childlike dress reaching
no lower than her knees. Suddenly she drew her sharp knife from her
belt, and rushed furiously upon him.

"Let me but reach thee--let me but reach thee, and my knife shall find
its way to thy heart. Thou art pale in thy terror, beardless slave!"

She closed with him; a severe struggle ensued, but it seemed as if
some invincible power bestowed strength upon the Christian priest. He
held her fast; and the old oak tree close by came to his assistance
by binding down her feet with its roots, which were half loosened from
the earth, her feet having slid under them. There was a fountain near,
and he splashed the clear, fresh water over her face and neck,
commanding the unclean spirit to pass out of her, and signed her