The Violet Fairy Book | Page 5

she
saw a little black dog with a silver bell on its neck come barking
towards her, followed by a maiden clad all in silk.
'Be quiet,' said she; then turning to Elsa she added: 'I am so glad you
did not run away with the other children. Stay here with me and be my
friend, and we will play delightful games together, and every day we
will go and gather strawberries. Nobody will dare to beat you if I tell
them not. Come, let us go to my mother'; and taking Elsa's hand she led
her deeper into the wood, the little black dog jumping up beside them
and barking with pleasure.
Oh! what wonders and splendours unfolded themselves before Elsa's
astonished eyes! She thought she really must be in Heaven. Fruit trees
and bushes loaded with fruit stood before them, while birds gayer than
the brightest butterfly sat in their branches and filled the air with their
song. And the birds were not shy, but let the girls take them in their
hands, and stroke their gold and silver feathers. In the centre of the
garden was the dwelling-house, shining with glass and precious stones,
and in the doorway sat a woman in rich garments, who turned to Elsa's
companion and asked:
'What sort of a guest are you bringing to me?'
'I found her alone in the wood,' replied her daughter, 'and brought her
back with me for a companion. You will let her stay?'
The mother laughed, but said nothing, only she looked Elsa up and
down sharply. Then she told the girl to come near, and stroked her
cheeks and spoke kindly to her, asking if her parents were alive, and if
she really would like to stay with them. Elsa stooped and kissed her

hand, then, kneeling down, buried her face in the woman's lap, and
sobbed out:
'My mother has lain for many years under the ground. My father is still
alive, but I am nothing to him, and my stepmother beats me all the day
long. I can do nothing right, so let me, I pray you, stay with you. I will
look after the flocks or do any work you tell me; I will obey your
lightest word; only do not, I entreat you, send me back to her. She will
half kill me for not having come back with the other children.'
And the woman smiled and answered, 'Well, we will see what we can
do with you,' and, rising, went into the house.
Then the daughter said to Elsa, 'Fear nothing, my mother will be your
friend. I saw by the way she looked that she would grant your request
when she had thought over it,' and, telling Elsa to wait, she entered the
house to seek her mother. Elsa meanwhile was tossed about between
hope and fear, and felt as if the girl would never come.
At last Elsa saw her crossing the grass with a box in her hand.
'My mother says we may play together to-day, as she wants to make up
her mind what to do about you. But I hope you will stay here always, as
I can't bear you to go away. Have you ever been on the sea?'
'The sea?' asked Elsa, staring; 'what is that? I've never heard of such a
thing!'
'Oh, I'll soon show you,' answered the girl, taking the lid from the box,
and at the very bottom lay a scrap of a cloak, a mussel shell, and two
fish scales. Two drops of water were glistening on the cloak, and these
the girl shook on the ground. In an instant the garden and lawn and
everything else had vanished utterly, as if the earth had opened and
swallowed them up, and as far as the eye could reach you could see
nothing but water, which seemed at last to touch heaven itself. Only
under their feet was a tiny dry spot. Then the girl placed the mussel
shell on the water and took the fish scales in her hand. The mussel shell
grew bigger and bigger, and turned into a pretty little boat, which

would have held a dozen children. The girls stepped in, Elsa very
cautiously, for which she was much laughed at by her friend, who used
the fish scales for a rudder. The waves rocked the girls softly, as if they
were lying in a cradle, and they floated on till they met other boats
filled with men, singing and making merry.
'We must sing you a song in return,' said the girl, but as Elsa did not
know any songs, she had to sing by herself. Elsa could not understand
any of the men's songs, but one word, she noticed, came over and over
again,