'

"'wewanttoflame;wewillflame-flame!'criedthenew-bornwill-o'the-wisps.

"andthustheaffairwassettled.

"andnowaballwasgiven,aminutelong;itcouldnotwellbeshorter.thelittleelf-maidenswhirledroundthreetimeswiththerest,thattheymightnotappearproud,buttheypreferreddancingwithoneanother.

"andnowthesponsors'giftswerepresented,andpresentswerethrownthem.thesepresentsflewlikepebblesacrossthesea-oftheelf-maidensgavealittlepieceofherveil.

"'takethat,'theysaid,'andthenyou'llknowthehigherdance,themostdifficultturnsandtwists-thatistosay,ifyoushouldfindthemnecessary.you'llknowtheproperdeportment,andthenyoucanshowyourselfintheverypickofsociety.'

"thenightraventaughteachoftheyoungwill-o'-the-wispstosay,'goo-goo-good,'andtosayitintherightplace;andthat'sagreatgiftwhichbringsitsownreward.

"theowlandthestork-buttheysaiditwasnotworthmentioning,andsowewon'tmentionit.

"kingwaldemar'swildchasewasjustthenrushingoverthemoor,andwhenthegreatlordsheardofthefestivitiesthatweregoingon,theysentacoupleofhandsomedogs,whichhuntonthespoorofthewind,asapresent;andthesemightcarrytwoorthreeofthewill-o'-the-wisps.acoupleofoldalpas,spiritswhooccupythemselveswithalp-pressing,werealsoatthefeast;andfromthesetheyoungwill-o'-the-wispslearnedtheartofslippingthrougheverykey-hole,asifthedoorstoodopenbeforethem.thesealpasofferedtocarrytheyoungsterstothetown,withwhichtheywerewellacquainted.theyusuallyrodethroughtheatmosphereontheirownbackhair,whichisfastenedintoaknot,fortheyloveahardseat;butnowtheysatsidewaysonthewildhuntingdogs,tooktheyoungwill-o'-the-wispsintheirlaps,whowantedtogointothetowntomisleadandenticemortals,and,whisk!awaytheywere.now,thisiswhathappenedlastnight.to-daythewill-o'-the-wispsareinthetown,andhavetakenthematterinhand-butwhereandhow?ah,canyoutellmethat?still,i'vealightningconductorinmygreattoe,andthatwillalwaystellmesomething."

"why,thisisacompletestory,"exclaimedtheman.

"yes,butitisonlythebeginning,"repliedthewoman."canyoutellmehowthewill-o'-the-wispsdeportthemselves,andhowtheybehave?andinwhatshapestheyhaveaforetimeappearedandledpeopleintocrookedpaths?"

"ibelieve,"repliedtheman,"thatonecouldtellquitearomanceaboutthewill-o'-the-wisps,intwelveparts;or,betterstill,onemightmakequiteapopularplayofthem."

"youmightwritethat,"saidthewoman,"butit'sbestletalone."

"yes,that'sbetterandmoreagreeable,"themanreplied,"forthenweshallescapefromthenewspapers,andnotbetiedupbythem,whichisjustasuncomfortableasforawill-o'-the-wisptolieindecayingwood,tohavetogleam,andnottobeabletostir."

"idon'tcareaboutiteitherway,"criedthewoman."lettherestwrite,thosewhocan,andthosewhocannotlikewise.i'llgrantyouanoldbungfrommycaskthatwillopenthecupboardwherepoetry'skeptinbottles,andyoumaytakefromthatwhatevermaybewanting.butyou,mygoodman,seemtohaveblottedyourhandssufficientlywithink,andtohavecometothatageofsatietythatyouneednotberunningabouteveryyearforstories,especiallyastherearemuchmoreimportantthingstobedone.youmusthaveunderstoodwhatisgoingon?"