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than the old woman," and ordered her to be thrown into the fire. It was not long before the two elder princesses married kings' sons, like their youngest sister, and the golden thread which they had spun in the cottage in the wood provided them with rich dowries. But they never discovered their parents, nor the place of their birth. It was reported that the old woman had buried many more loads of golden thread in the ground, but no one could find the spot. [Footnote 129: "These forests are very useful in delivering princes from their courtiers, like a sieve that keeps back the bran. Then the princes get away to follow their fortunes."--_George MacDonald_, "_The Light Princess_."] [Footnote 130: Compare the scene with the four Grey Women in the second part of _Faust_.] [Footnote 131: Nine is a mystical number as well as seven.] [Footnote 132: Ahti, the God of the Waters.] [Footnote 133: A sacred tree in Eastern Europe, as it is in the British Isles.] [Footnote 134: See page 108.] SECTION II _ORPHAN AND FOUNDLING STORIES_ The Esthonians appear to be very compassionate towards orphans, for many of their tales relate to the adventures of neglected or ill-used orphan children, and the wonderful events by which their welfare was finally secured. Nevertheless, wicked stepmothers and farmers' wives are just as common as in other folk-tales. The first story of this class which we have selected, "The Wood of Tontla,"[135] is specially interesting from its resemblance to Tieck's well-known German story of "The Elves," which must originally have been derived from the same source as the present narrative. With the Orphan Stories proper I have placed others relating to stolen or friendless children. [Footnote 135: _Tont_ is a common name for a house-spirit.] THE WOOD OF TONTLA. (KREUTZWALD.) In ancient times there was a beautifully wooded region in Alutaga (north of Lake Peipus), which was called the Wood of Tontla. But no one dared to enter it, and those who had chanced to approach it related that they had seen an old tumbledown house through the thick trees, surrounded by creatures of human appearance, with which the grass swarmed like an anthill. These forms were ragged and dusky, and looked like gipsies, and there were many old women and half-naked children among them. A peasant who had wandered rather deeper into the wood than usual, as he was returning home one dark night af
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