ke the buzzing of a gnat always singing in her
ear, "Go to the spring, go to the spring, whence trickle the watery
streams of your good fortune!" Although she could not listen to this
secret summons without a shudder, yet she fortified her heart at length,
and leaving the other maidens, who were amusing themselves with the
swing and round the fire, she went to the spring. The nearer she came,
the more her heart failed her, and she would have turned back if the
gnat-like voice had allowed her any rest; but it drove her unwillingly
onwards. When she reached the spot, she saw a lady in white robes
sitting on a stone by the spring. When the lady perceived the girl's
alarm, she advanced a few steps to meet her, and offered her her hand,
saying, "Fear nothing, dear child; I will do you no harm. Give good heed
to what I tell you, and remember it. In the autumn you will be sought in
marriage. Your bridegroom will be as poor as yourself; but do not
concern yourself about this, and accept his offered brandy.[38] As you
are both good people, I will bring you happiness, and help you to get
on; but do not neglect thrift and labour, without which no happiness is
lasting. Take this bag, and put it in your pocket; there is nothing in
it but a few milk-can pebbles.[39] When you have given birth to your
first child, throw a pebble into the well, and I will come to see you.
When the child is baptized, I will be the sponsor. Let no one know of
our nocturnal meeting. For the present I say farewell." At these words
the wonderful stranger vanished from the girl's eyes as suddenly as if
she had sunk into the ground. Very likely the girl might have thought
that this adventure was a dream too, if the bag in her hand had not
testified to its reality: it contained twelve stones.

The prediction was fulfilled, and the girl was married in the autumn to
a poor labourer. Next year the young wife gave birth to her first child,
and remembering what had happened to her on St. John's Eve, she rose
secretly from her bed, and threw a pebble into the well. It splashed
into the water, and immediately the friendly white-robed lady stood
before her, and said, "I thank you for not forgetting me. Take the child
to be baptized on Sunday fortnight, and I will come to church too, and
stand sponsor."

When the child was brought into church on the appointed day, an unknown
lady entered, who took it on her lap and had it baptized. When this was
done, she tied a silver