askedthedaughter.

"thatdependsuponwindandweather,"saidtheelfking;"theytraveleconomically.theywillcomewhenthereisthechanceofaship.iwantedthemtocomeovertosweden,buttheoldmanwasnotinclinedtotakemyadvice.hedoesnotgoforwardwiththetimes,andthatidonotlike."

twowill-o'-the-wispscamejumpingin,onequickerthantheother,soofcourse,onearrivedfirst."theyarecoming!theyarecoming!"hecried.

"givememycrown,"saidtheelfking,"andletmestandinthemoonshine."

thedaughtersdrewontheirshawlsandboweddowntotherestoodtheoldgoblinfromthedovremountains,withhiscrownofhardenediceandpolishedfir-cones.besidesthis,heworeabear-skin,andgreat,warmboots,whilehissonswentwiththeirthroatsbareandworenobraces,fortheywerestrongmen.

"isthatahill?"saidtheyoungestoftheboys,pointingtotheelfhill,"weshouldcallitaholeinnorway."

"boys,"saidtheoldman,"aholegoesin,andahillstandsout;haveyounoeyesinyourheads?"

anotherthingtheywonderedatwas,thattheywereablewithouttroubletounderstandthelanguage.

"takecare,"saidtheoldman,"orpeoplewillthinkyouhavenotbeenwellbroughtup."

thentheyenteredtheelfinhill,wheretheselectandgrandcompanywereassembled,andsoquicklyhadtheyappearedthattheyseemedtohavebeenblowntogether.butforeachguesttheneatestandpleasantestarrangementhadbeenmade.theseafolkssatattableingreatwater-tubs,andtheysaiditwasjustlikebeingathome.allbehavedthemselvesproperlyexceptingthetwoyoungnortherngoblins;theyputtheirlegsonthetableandthoughttheywereallright.

"feetoffthetable-cloth!"saidtheoldgoblin.theyobeyed,butnotimmediately.thentheytickledtheladieswhowaitedattable,withthefir-cones,whichtheycarriedintheirpockets.theytookofftheirboots,thattheymightbemoreatease,andgavethemtotheladiestohold.buttheirfather,theoldgoblin,wasverydifferent;hetalkedpleasantlyaboutthestatelynorwegianrocks,andtoldfinetalesofthewaterfallswhichdashedoverthemwithaclatteringnoiselikethunderorthesoundofanorgan,spreadingtheirwhitefoamoneveryside.hetoldofthesalmonthatleapsintherushingwaters,whilethewater-godplaysonhisgoldenharp.hespokeofthebrightwinternights,whenthesledgebellsareringing,andtheboysrunwithburningtorchesacrossthesmoothice,whichissotransparentthattheycanseethefishesdartforwardbeneaththeirfeet.hedescribedeverythingsoclearly,thatthosewholistenedcouldseeitall;theycouldseethesaw-millsgoing,themen-servantsandthemaidenssingingsongs,anddancingarattlingdance,-whenallatoncetheoldgoblingavetheoldelfinmaidenakiss,suchatremendouskiss,andyettheywerealmoststrangerstoeachother.

thentheelfingirlshadtodance,firstintheusualway,andthenwithstampingfeet,whichtheyperformedverywell;thenfollowedtheartisticandsolodance.dearme,howtheydidthrowtheirlegsabout!noonecouldtellwherethedancebegun,orwhereitended,norindeedwhichwerelegsandwhichwerearms,fortheywereallflyingabouttogether,liketheshavingsinasaw-pit!andthentheyspunroundsoquicklythatthedeath-horseandthegrave-pigbecamesickandgiddy,andwereobligedtoleavethetable.

"stop!"criedtheoldgoblin,"isthattheonlyhouse-keepingtheycanperform?