saidthemother.

"isitmyselfthatiseerepresentedonawhiteshield?"criedthedaughter.

thentheycamenearertoeachotherinafondembrace.themother'sheartbeatquickly,andsheunderstoodthequickenedpulses."mychild!"sheexclaimed,"theflowerofmyheart-mylotusflowerofthedeepwater!"andsheembracedherchildagainandwept,andthetearswereasabaptismofnewlifeandloveforhelga."inswan'splumageicamehere,"saidthemother,"andhereithrewoffmyfeatherdress.thenisankdownthroughthewaveringground,deepintothemarshbeneath,whichclosedlikeawallaroundme;ifoundmyselfafterawhileinfresherwater;stillapowerdrewmedowndeeperanddeeper.ifelttheweightofsleepuponmyeyelids.thenislept,anddreamshoveredroundme.itseemedtomeasifiwereagaininthepyramidsofegypt,andyetthewavingeldertrunkthathadfrightenedmeonthemoorstoodeverbeforeme.iobservedthecleftsandwrinklesinthestem;theyshoneforthinstrangecolors,andtooktheformofhieroglyphics.itwasthemummycaseonwhichigazed.atlastitburst,andforthsteppedthethousandyears'oldking,themummyform,blackaspitch,blackastheshiningwood-snail,ortheslimymudoftheswamp.whetheritwasreallythemummyorthemarshkingiknownot.heseizedmeinhisarms,andifeltasifimustdie.whenirecoveredmyself,ifoundinmybosomalittlebird,flappingitswings,twitteringandbirdflewawayfrommybosom,upwardstowardsthedark,heavycanopyaboveme,butalong,greenbandkeptitfastenedtome.iheardandunderstoodthetenorofitslongings.freedom!sunlight!tomyfather!thenithoughtofmyfather,andthesunnylandofmybirth,mylife,andmylove.theniloosenedtheband,andletthebirdflyawaytoitshome-toafather.sincethathourihaveceasedtodream;mysleephasbeenlongandheavy,tillinthisveryhour,harmonyandfragranceawokeme,andsetmefree."

thegreenbandwhichfastenedthewingsofthebirdtothemother'sheart,wherediditflutternow?whitherhaditbeenwafted?thestorkonlyhadseenit.thebandwasthegreenstalk,thecupoftheflowerthecradleinwhichlaythechild,thatnowinbloomingbeautyhadbeenfoldedtothemother'sheart.

andwhilethetwowererestingineachother'sarms,theoldstorkflewroundandroundtheminnarrowingcircles,tillatlengthheflewawayswiftlytohisnest,andfetchedawaythetwosuitsofswan'sfeathers,whichhehadpreservedthereformanyyears.thenhereturnedtothemotheranddaughter,andthrewtheswan'splumageoverthem;thefeathersimmediatelyclosedaroundthem,andtheyroseupfromtheearthintheformoftwowhiteswans.

"andnowwecanconversewithpleasure,"saidthestork-papa;"wecanunderstandoneanother,althoughthebeaksofbirdsaresodifferentinshape.itisveryfortunatethatyoucameto--morrowweshouldhavebeengone.themother,myselfandthelittleones,we'reabouttoflytothesouth.lookatmenow:iamanoldfriendfromthenile,andamother'sheartcontainsmorethanherbeak.shealwayssaidthattheprincesswouldknowhowtohelpherself.iandtheyoungonescarriedtheswan'sfeathersoverhere,andiamgladofitnow,andhowluckyitisthatiamherethedaydawnsweshallstartwithagreatcompanyofotherstorks.we'llflyfirst,andyoucanfollowinourtrack,sothatyoucannotmissyourway.iandtheyoungoneswillhaveaneyeuponyou."

"andthelotus-flowerwhichiwastotakewithme,"saidtheegyptianprincess,"isflyingherebymyside,clothedinswan'sfeathers.theflowerofmyheartwilltravelwithme;andsotheriddleissolved.nowforhome!