"well,everyonefliesinhisownfashion,"saidthepapastork."theswansflyinanobliqueline;thecranes,intheformofatriangle;andtheplovers,inacurvedlinelikeasnake."

"don'ttalkaboutsnakeswhileweareflyinguphere,"saidstork-mamma."itputsideasintothechildren'sheadsthatcannotberealized."

"arethosethehighmountainsihaveheardspokenof?"askedhelga,intheswan'splumage.

"theyarestorm-cloudsdrivingalongbeneathus,"repliedhermother.

"whatareyonderwhitecloudsthatrisesohigh?"againinquiredhelga.

"thosearemountainscoveredwithperpetualsnows,thatyouseeyonder,"saidhermother.andthentheyflewacrossthealpstowardsthebluemediterranean.

"africa'sland!egyptia'sstrand!"sangthedaughterofthenile,inherswan'splumage,asfromtheupperairshecaughtsightofhernativeland,anarrow,golden,wavystripontheshoresofthenile;theotherbirdsespieditalsoandhastenedtheirflight.

"icansmellthenilemudandthewetfrogs,"saidthestork-mamma,"andibegintofeelquitehungry.yes,nowyoushalltastesomethingnice,andyouwillseethemaraboutbird,andtheibis,andthecrane.theyallbelongtoourfamily,buttheyarenotnearlysohandsomeasweare.theygivethemselvesgreatairs,especiallytheibis.theegyptianshavespoilthim.theymakeamummyofhim,andstuffhimwithspices.iwouldratherbestuffedwithlivefrogs,andsowouldyou,andsoyoushall.betterhavesomethinginyourinsidewhileyouarealive,thantobemadeaparadeofafteryouaredead.thatismyopinion,andiamalwaysright."

"thestorksarecome,"wassaidinthegreathouseonthebanksofthenile,wherethelordlayinthehallonhisdownycushions,coveredwithaleopardskin,scarcelyalive,yetnotdead,waitingandhopingforthelotus-flowerfromthedeepmoorlandinthefarnorth.relativesandservantswerestandingbyhiscouch,whenthetwobeautifulswanswhohadcomewiththestorksflewintotheythrewofftheirsoftwhiteplumage,andtwolovelyfemaleformsapproachedthepale,sickoldman,andthrewbacktheirlonghair,andwhenhelgabentoverhergrandfather,rednesscamebacktohischeeks,hiseyesbrightened,andlifereturnedtohisbenumbedlimbs.theoldmanroseupwithhealthandenergyrenewed;daughterandgrandchildwelcomedhimasjoyfullyasifwithamorninggreetingafteralongandtroubleddream.

joyreignedthroughthewholehouse,aswellasinthestork'snest;althoughtherethechiefcausewasreallythegoodfood,especiallythequantitiesoffrogs,whichseemedtospringoutofthegroundinswarms.

thenthelearnedmenhastenedtonotedown,inflyingcharacters,thestoryofthetwoprincesses,andspokeofthearrivalofthehealth-givingflowerasamightyevent,whichhadbeenablessingtothehouseandtheland.meanwhile,thestork-papatoldthestorytohisfamilyinhisownway;butnottilltheyhadeatenandweresatisfied;otherwisetheywouldhavehadsomethingelsetodothantolistentostories.

"well,"saidthestork-mamma,whenshehadheardit,"youwillbemadesomethingofatlast;isupposetheycandonothingless."

"whatcouldibemade?"saidstork-papa;"whathaveidone?-justnothing."

"youhavedonemorethanalltherest,"shereplied."butforyouandtheyoungstersthetwoyoungprincesseswouldneverhaveseenegyptagain,andtherecoveryoftheoldmanwouldnothavebeeneffected.youwillbecomesomething.theymustcertainlygiveyouadoctor'shood,andouryoungoneswillinheritit,andtheirchildrenafterthem,andsoon.youalreadylooklikeanegyptiandoctor,atleastinmyeyes."

"icannotquiterememberthewordsiheardwhenilistenedontheroof,"saidstork-papa,whilerelatingthestorytohisfamily;"alliknowis,thatwhatthewisemensaidwassocomplicatedandsolearned,thattheyreceivednotonlyrank,butpresents;eventheheadcookatthegreathousewashonoredwithamarkofdistinction,mostlikelyforthesoup."

"andwhatdidyoureceive?"