01-a tale of the tontlawld-第3章

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play　in　the　sea；　where　no　harm　ever　came　to　her。

'What　a　pity；'　she　would　often　say　to　Elsa；　'that　you　have　grown
so　big；　you　cannot　play　with　me　any　more。'

Nine　years　slipped　away　in　this　manner；　when　one　day　the　lady
called　Elsa　into　her　room。　　Elsa　was　surprised　at　the　summons；
for　it　was　unusual；　and　her　heart　sank；　for　she　feared　some　evil
threatened　her。　　As　she　crossed　the　threshold；　she　saw　that　the
lady's　cheeks　were　flushed；　and　her　eyes　full　of　tears；　which　she
dried　hastily；　as　if　she　would　conceal　them　from　the　girl。　
'Dearest　child；'　she　began；　'the　time　has　come　when　we　must
part。'

'Part？'　cried　Elsa；　burying　her　head　in　the　lady's　lap。　　'No；
dear　lady；　that　can　never　be　till　death　parts　us。　　You　once
opened　your　arms　to　me；　you　cannot　thrust　me　away　now。'

'Ah；　be　quiet；　child；'　replied　the　lady；　'you　do　not　know　what　I
would　do　to　make　you　happy。　　Now　you　are　a　woman；　and　I　have　no
right　to　keep　you　here。　　You　must　return　to　the　world　of　men；
where　joy　awaits　you。'

'Dear　lady；'　entreated　Elsa　again。　　'Do　not；　I　beseech　you；　send
me　from　you。　　I　want　no　other　happiness　but　to　live　and　die
beside　you。　　Make　me　your　waiting　maid；　or　set　me　to　any　work　you
choose；　but　do　not　cast　me　forth　into　the　world。　　It　would　have
been　better　if　you　had　left　me　with　my　stepmother；　than　first　to
have　brought　me　to　heaven　and　then　send　me　back　to　a　worse
place。'

'Do　not　talk　like　that；　dear　child；'　replied　the　lady；　'you　do
not　know　all　that　must　be　done　to　secure　your　happiness；　however
much　it　costs　me。　　But　it　has　to　be。　　You　are　only　a　common
mortal；　who　will　have　to　die　one　day；　and　you　cannot　stay　here
any　longer。　　Though　we　have　the　bodies　of　men；　we　are　not　men　at
all；　though　it　is　not　easy　for　you　to　understand　why。　　Some　day
or　other　you　will　find　a　husband　who　has　been　made　expressly　for
you；　and　will　live　happily　with　him　till　death　separates　you。　　It
will　be　very　hard　for　me　to　part　from　you；　but　it　has　to　be；　and
you　must　make　up　your　mind　to　it。'　　Then　she　drew　her　golden　comb
gently　through　Elsa's　hair；　and　bade　her　go　to　bed；　but　little
sleep　had　the　poor　girl！　　Life　seemed　to　stretch　before　her　like
a　dark　starless　night。

Now　let　us　look　back　a　moment；　and　see　what　had　been　going　on　in
Elsa's　native　village　all　these　years；　and　how　her　double　had
fared。　　It　is　a　well…known　fact　that　a　bad　woman　seldom　becomes
better　as　she　grows　older；　and　Elsa's　stepmother　was　no　exception
to　the　rule；　but　as　the　figure　that　had　taken　the　girl's　place
could　feel　no　pain；　the　blows　that　were　showered　on　her　night　and
day　made　no　difference。　　If　the　father　ever　tried　to　come　to　his
daughter's　help；　his　wife　turned　upon　him；　and　things　were　rather
worse　than　before。

One　day　the　stepmother　had　given　the　girl　a　frightful　beating；
and　then　threatened　to　kill　her　outright。　　Mad　with　rage；　she
seized　the　figure　by　the　throat　with　both　hands；　when　out　came　a
black　snake　from　her　mouth　and　stung　the　woman's　tongue；　and　she
fell　dead　without　a　sound。　　At　night；　when　the　husband　came　home；
he　found　his　wife　lying　dead　upon　the　ground；　her　body　all
swollen　and　disfigured；　but　the　girl　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。　　His
screams　brought　the　neighbours　from　their　cottages；　but　they　were
unable　to　explain　how　it　had　all　come　about。　　It　was　true；　they
said；　that　about　mid…day　they　had　heard　a　great　noise；　but　as
that　was　a　matter　of　daily　occurrence　they　did　not　think　much　of
it。　　The　rest　of　the　day　all　was　still；　but　no　one　had　seen
anything　of　the　daughter。　　The　body　of　the　dead　woman　was　then
prepared　for　burial；　and　her　tired　husband　went　to　bed；　rejoicing
in　his　heart　that　he　had　been　delivered　from　the　firebrand　who
had　made　his　home　unpleasant。　　On　the　table　he　saw　a　slice　of
bread　lying；　and；　being　hungry；　he　ate　it　before　going　to　sleep。

In　the　morning　he　too　was　found　dead；　and　as　swollen　as　his　wife；
for　the　bread　had　been　placed　in　the　body　of　the　figure　by　the
old　man　who　made　it。　　A　few　days　later　he　was　placed　in　the　grave
beside　his　wife；　but　nothing　more　was　ever　heard　of　their
daughter。

All　night　long　after　her　talk　with　the　lady　Elsa　had　wept　and
wailed　her　hard　fate　in　being　cast　out　from　her　home　which　she
loved。

Next　morning；　when　she　got　up；　the　lady　placed　a　gold　seal　ring
on　her　finger；　strung　a　little　golden　box　on　a　ribbon；　and　placed
it　round　her　neck；　then　she　called　the　old　man；　and；　forcing　back
her　tears；　took　leave　of　Elsa。　　The　girl　tried　to　speak；　but
before　she　could　sob　out　her　thanks　the　old　man　had　touched　her
softly　on　the　head　three　times　with　his　silver　staff。　　In　an
instant　Elsa　knew　that　she　was　turning　into　a　bird：　　wings　sprang
from　beneath　her　arms；　her　feet　were　the　feet　of　eagles；　with
long　claws；　her　nose　curved　itself　into　a　sharp　beak；　and
feathers　covered　her　body。　　Then　she　soared　high　in　the　air；　and
floated　up　towards　the　clouds；　as　if　she　had　really　been　hatched
an　eagle。

For　several　days　she　flew　steadily　south；　resting　from　time　to
time　when　her　wings　grew　tired；　for　hunger　she　never　felt。　　And
so　it　happened　that　one　day　she　was　flying　over　a　dense　forest；
and　below　hounds　were　barking　fiercely；　because；　not　having　wings
themselves；　she　was　out　of　their　reach。　　Suddenly　a　sharp　pain
quivered　through　her　body；　and　she　fell　to　the　ground；　pierced　by
an　arrow。

When　Elsa　recovered　her　senses；　she　found　herself　lying　under　a
bush　in　her　own　proper　form。　　What　had　befallen　her；　and　how　she
got　there；　lay　behind　her　like　a　bad　dream。

As　she　was　wondering　what　she　should　do　next　the　king's　son　came
riding　by；　and；　seeing　Elsa；　sprang　from　his　horse；　and　took　her
by　the　hand；　sawing；　'Ah！　　it　was　a　happy　chance　that　brought　me
here　this　morning。　　Every　night；　for　half　a　year；　have　I　dreamed；
dear　lady；　that　I　should　one　day　find　you　in　this　wood。　　And
although　I　have　passed　through　it　hundreds　of　times　in　vain；　I
have　never　given　up　hope。　　To…day　I　was　going　in　search　of　a
large　eagle　that　I　had　shot；　and　instead　of　the　eagle　I　have
foundyou。'　　Then　he　took　Elsa　on　his　horse；　and　rode　with　her
to　the　town；　where　the　old　king　received　her　graciously。

A　few　days　later　the　wedding　took　place；　and　as　Elsa　was
arranging　the　veil　upon　her　hair　fifty　carts　arrived　laden　with
beautiful　things　which　the　lady　of　the　Tontlawald　had　sent　to
Elsa。　　And　after　the　king's　death　Elsa　became　queen；　and　when　she
was　old　she　told　this　story。　　But　that　was　the　last　that　was　ever
heard　of　the　Tontlawald。

＇From　Ehstnische　Marchen。＇