tood in his eyes once more. The
dwarf answered, "You would not see him again till after three weeks,
when the ice has become strong and firm. Your father will then have
finished his work for the year, and can pass his time pleasantly with us
till another year has passed, and he must again perform his office for
a month." "Must he then do this work for ever, and remember his
misfortune every year?" asked the old man sadly. The dwarf answered, "He
must perform this duty till another mortal accidentally damages our roof
and sinks down himself. Then is the first man released from his
journeying under the young ice, and the other must henceforth take the
work upon himself."

As they were thus conversing, the old man and his guide reached the
gate. Then they looked in each other's faces, and the dwarf gave the old
man two rods of copper with a friendly smile, and said, "If you ever
come to this gate, and don't find me on guard, but some one whom you
don't know, strike these rods together, and I will do what you wish, as
far as I can." Then he led his guest through the lofty gate, and
accompanied him through the bronze passage to the outer gate, and opened
it. Then the old man found himself standing again on the banks of the
lake near the mouth of the river, as if he had fallen from the clouds.
The door had vanished, but the rods in his hand showed him that what he
had seen was a reality. He put them in his pocket, and wandered home
sunk in deep thought, and dazed like a drunken man. But here he found
no rest or pleasure in anything. He went to the mouth of the river on
the lake daily for three weeks, and sat on the rock as if in a dream;
and at last he disappeared, and never came home again.

* * * * *

Kreutzwald relates that every autumn a little grey man, who lives in the
Uelemiste jaerv, rises from it to see if the new buildings are
sufficiently decorated. When he has finished his inspection, he returns
to the lake; but if he was so dissatisfied as to turn his head in the
opposite direction, evil would come on Tallin (Revel), for the low-lying
country would be inundated, and the town would be destroyed.

* * * * *

The following tales relate to beings inhabiting the sea.

[Footnote 42: These beings who dwell beneath the sea or lakes are often
called "underground people" in Esthonian and Lappish stories.]

THE FAITHLESS FISHERMAN.

(JANNSEN.)