on and on till they came to the wood, and to a green path
in it, which well as they knew the neighborhood, none of the children
had ever seen before. It led to a most beautiful pond, as clear as
crystal and as blue as the sky. Large trees grew round it, dipping their
branches in the water, as if they were looking at themselves in a glass.
And all about their roots were quantities of primroses--the biggest
primroses the little girls had ever seen. Down they dropped on their fat
knees, squashing more primroses than they gathered, though they tried to
gather them all; and the smallest child even began to cry because her
hands were so full that the flowers dropped through her fingers. But the
boys, older and more practical, rather despised primroses.

"I thought we had come to look for ducklings," said the eldest. "Mother
is fretting dreadfully about her ducklings. Where can they be?"

"Shut your eyes, and you'll see," said the Brownie, at which they all
laughed, but did it; and when they opened their eyes again, what should
they behold but a whole fleet of ducklings sailing out from the roots of
an old willow-tree, one after the other, looking as fat and content as
possible, and swimming as naturally as if they had lived on a pond--and
this particularly pond, all their days.

"Count them," said the Brownie, "the whole eight--quite correct. And
then try and catch them--if you can."

Easier said than done. The boys set to work with great
satisfaction--boys do so enjoy hunting something. They coaxed them--they
shouted at them--they threw little sticks at them; but as soon as they
wanted them to go one way the fleet of ducklings immediately turned
round and sailed another way, doing it so deliberately and majestically,
that the children could not help laughing. As for little Brownie, he sat
on a branch of the willow-tree, with his legs dangling down to the
surface of the pond, kicking at the water-spiders, and grinning with all
his might. At length, quite tired out, in spite of their fun, the
children begged for his help, and he took compassion on them.

"Turn round three times and see what you can find," shouted he.

Immediately each little boy found in his arms, and each little girl in
her pinafore, a fine fat duckling. And there being eight of them, the
two elder children had each a couple. They were rather cold and damp,
and slightly uncomfortable to cuddle, ducks not being used to cuddling.
Poor things! they struggle