askedib.

"yes,thereisagoldencarriage,withtwogoldenhorses,"repliedthewoman.

"thengivemethatnut,"saidchristina;soibgaveittoher,andthestrangewomantiedupthenutforherinherhandkerchief.

ibheldupanothernut."isthere,inthisnut,aprettylittleneckerchiefliketheonechristinahasonherneck?"askedib.

"therearetenneckerchiefsinit,"shereplied,"aswellasbeautifuldresses,stockings,andahatandveil."

"theniwillhavethatonealso,"saidchristina;"anditisaprettyonetoo.andthenibgaveherthesecondnut.

thethirdwasalittleblackthing."youmaykeepthatone,"saidchristina;"itisquiteaspretty."

"whatisinit?"askedib.

"thebestofallthingsforyou,"repliedthegypsy.soibheldthenutverytight.

thenthewomanpromisedtoleadthechildrentotherightpath,thattheymightfindtheirwayhome:andtheywentforwardcertainlyinquiteanotherdirectiontotheonetheymeanttotake;thereforenooneoughttospeakagainstthewoman,andsaythatshewantedtostealthechildren.inthewildwood-paththeymetaforesterwhoknewib,and,byhishelp,ibandchristinareachedhome,wheretheyfoundeveryonehadbeenveryanxiousaboutthem.theywerepardonedandforgiven,althoughtheyreallyhadbothdonewrong,anddeservedtogetintotrouble;first,becausetheyhadletthesucking-pigfallintothewater;and,secondly,becausetheyhadrunaway.christinawastakenbacktoherfather'shouseontheheath,andibremainedinthefarm-houseonthebordersofthewood,nearthegreatlandridge.

thefirstthingibdidthateveningwastotakeoutofhispocketthelittleblacknut,inwhichthebestthingofallwassaidtobeenclosed.helaiditcarefullybetweenthedoorandthedoor-post,andthenshutthedoorsothatthenutcrackeddirectly.buttherewasnotmuchkerneltobeseen;itwaswhatweshouldcallholloworworm-eaten,andlookedasifithadbeenfilledwithtobaccoorrichblackearth."itisjustwhatiexpected!"exclaimedib."howshouldthereberoominalittlenutlikethisforthebestthingofall?christinawillfindhertwonutsjustthesame;therewillbeneitherfineclothesoragoldencarriageinthem."

wintercame;andthenewyear,andindeedmanyyearspassedaway;untilibwasoldenoughtobeconfirmed,and,therefore,hewentduringawholewintertotheclergymanofthenearestvillagetobeprepared.

oneday,aboutthistime,theboatmanpaidavisittoib'sparents,andtoldthemthatchristinawasgoingtoservice,andthatshehadbeenremarkablyfortunateinobtainingagoodplace,withmostrespectablepeople."onlythink,"hesaid,"sheisgoingtotherichinnkeeper's,atthehotelinherning,manymileswestfromhere.sheistoassistthelandladyinthehousekeeping;and,ifafterwardsshebehaveswellandremainstobeconfirmed,thepeoplewilltreatherastheirowndaughter."

soibandchristinatookleaveofeachother.peoplealreadycalledthem"thebetrothed,"andatpartingthegirlshowedibthetwonuts,whichshehadtakencareofeversincethetimethattheylostthemselvesinthewood;andshetoldhimalsothatthelittlewoodenshoesheoncecarvedforherwhenhewasaboy,andgaveherasapresent,hadbeencarefullykeptinadrawereversince.andsotheyparted.

afterib'sconfirmation,heremainedathomewithhismother,forhehadbecomeaclevershoemaker,andinsummermanagedthefarmforherquitealone.hisfatherhadbeendeadsometime,andhismotherkeptnofarmservants.sometimes,butveryseldom,heheardofchristina,throughapostillionoreel-sellerwhowaspassing.butshewaswelloffwiththerichinnkeeper;andafterbeingconfirmedshewrotealettertoherfather,inwhichwasakindmessagetoibandhismother.inthisletter,shementionedthathermasterandmistresshadmadeherapresentofabeautifulnewdress,andsomeniceunder-clothes.thiswas,ofcourse,pleasantnews.

oneday,inthefollowingspring,therecameaknockatthedoorofthehousewhereib'soldmotherlived;andwhentheyopenedit,loandbehold,insteppedtheboatmanandchristina.shehadcometopaythemavisit,andtospendtheday.acarriagehadtocomefromtheherninghoteltothenextvillage,andshehadtakentheopportunitytoseeherfriendsoncemore.shelookedaselegantasareallady,andworeaprettydress,beautifullymadeonpurposeforher.thereshestood,infulldress,whileibworeonlyhisworkingclothes.hecouldnotutteraword;hecouldonlyseizeherhandandholditfastinhisown,buthefelttoohappyandgladtoopenhislips.christina,however,wasquiteatherease;shetalkedandtalked,andkissedhiminthemostfriendlymanner.evenafterwards,whentheywereleftalone,andsheasked,"didyouknowmeagain,ib?"