Page 88 - Adventures in shadow-land

dren’s hands, and the birds were so wise that they

could talk, and tell the most interesting stories,
which you never grew tired of hearing. A little

brook ran sparkling through the valley, and groups
of beautiful children were playing on its banks,

among whom Eva looked—but looked m vain—
for Aster*

The children gathered around her, asking where
she came from, if she was the Queen who was to

reign over them, and if she was not going to live
always with them. And when Eva tried to explain

how she had come, and asked them if they knew
where Aster was, they joined hands and danced in

a circle around her to their own singing, and then
one of them gave her the leaves of a flower to eat.

Now the leaves of this flower were delicious, and
as sweet as honey to the taste, and one never

wearied of eating them ; and as Eva ate them, all
memory of Shadow-Land and of Aster faded from

her mind, and she was content to remain in the
valley with the children.
It was a pleasant life that she led in this peace­

ful valley, surrounded, as it was, and shut in by

high, insurmountable, and steep rocks, over which