cantheydoanythingmorethandanceandthrowabouttheirlegs,andmakeawhirlwind?"

"youshallsoonseewhattheycando,"saidtheelfking.andthenhecalledhisyoungestdaughtertohim.shewasslenderandfairasmoonlight,andthemostgracefulofallthesisters.shetookawhitechipinhermouth,andvanishedinstantly;thiswasheraccomplishment.buttheoldgoblinsaidheshouldnotlikehiswifetohavesuchanaccomplishment,andthoughthisboyswouldhavethesameobjection.anotherdaughtercouldmakeafigurelikeherselffollowher,asifshehadashadow,whichnoneofthegoblinfolkeverhad.thethirdwasofquiteadifferentsort;shehadlearntinthebrew-houseofthemoorwitchhowtolardelfinpuddingswithglow-worms.

"shewillmakeagoodhousewife,"saidtheoldgoblin,andthensalutedherwithhiseyesinsteadofdrinkingherhealth;forhedidnotdrinkmuch.

nowcamethefourthdaughter,withalargeharptoplayupon;andwhenshestruckthefirstchord,everyonelifteduptheleftleg(forthegoblinsareleft-legged),andatthesecondchordtheyfoundtheymustalldojustwhatshewanted.

"thatisadangerouswoman,"saidtheoldgoblin;andthetwosonswalkedoutofthehill;theyhadhadenoughofit."andwhatcanthenextdaughterdo?"askedtheoldgoblin.

"ihavelearnteverythingthatisnorwegian,"saidshe;"andiwillnevermarry,unlessicangotonorway."

thenheryoungestsisterwhisperedtotheoldgoblin,"thatisonlybecauseshehasheard,inanorwegiansong,thatwhentheworldshalldecay,thecliffsofnorwaywillremainstandinglikemonuments;andshewantstogetthere,thatshemaybesafe;forsheissoafraidofsinking."

"ho!ho!"saidtheoldgoblin,"isthatwhatshemeans?well,whatcantheseventhandlastdo?"

"thesixthcomesbeforetheseventh,"saidtheelfking,forhecouldreckon;butthesixthwouldnotcomeforward.

"icanonlytellpeoplethetruth,"saidshe."noonecaresforme,nortroubleshimselfaboutme;andihaveenoughtodotosewmygraveclothes."

sotheseventhandlastcame;andwhatcouldshedo?why,shecouldtellstories,asmanyasyouliked,onanysubject.

"herearemyfivefingers,"saidtheoldgoblin;"nowtellmeastoryforeachofthem."

soshetookhimbythewrist,andhelaughedtillhenearlychoked;andwhenshecametothefourthfinger,therewasagoldringonit,asifitknewtherewastobeabetrothal.thentheoldgoblinsaid,"holdfastwhatyouhave:thishandisyours;foriwillhaveyouforawifemyself."

thentheelfingirlsaidthatthestoriesaboutthering-fingerandlittlepeterplaymanhadnotyetbeentold.

"wewillheartheminthewinter,"saidtheoldgoblin,"andalsoaboutthefirandthebirch-trees,andtheghoststories,andofthetinglingfrost.youshalltellyourtales,fornooneovertherecandoitsowell;andwewillsitinthestonerooms,wherethepinelogsareburning,anddrinkmeadoutofthegoldendrinking-hornoftheoldnorwegiankings.thewater-godhasgivenmetwo;andwhenwesitthere,nixcomestopayusavisit,andwillsingyouallthesongsofthemountainshepherdesses.howmerryweshallbe!thesalmonwillbeleapinginthewaterfalls,anddashingagainstthestonewalls,buthewillnotbeabletocomein.itisindeedverypleasanttoliveinoldnorway.butwherearethelads?"

whereindeedwerethey?why,runningaboutthefields,andblowingoutthewill-o'-the-wisps,whosogood-naturedlycameandbroughttheirtorches.

"whattrickshaveyoubeenplaying?"