Page 552 - Child's own book

and at last alighted on the leaf. Maja pleased him, and she
was glad of it; for now the toad could not possibly reach her,
and the country she sailed through was so beautiful, the sun,
too* was shining on the waters* making them sparkle like
liquid gold. She took off her sash and tied one end round the
butterfly,, while she fastened the other end to the leaf, which
now glided on much faster* and she with it* as she stood upon
its surface.
A large cockchafer* who happened to pass, no sooner saw her
than he }H>unced upon her delicate form with his claws* and
flew away with her to a tree; the green leaf floated down the
stream, and the butterfly with it* for he was bound fast to the
loaf, and could not disentangle himself. Oh I how frightened
was poor Maja when the cockchafer flew off with her to the
tree* but she was principally grieved on account of the white
butterfly, whom she had fastened to the leaf, and who would
die of hunger if unable to loosen his bonds. But the cock­
chafer did not trouble himself about that, IJe sat down by
her side on the largest green leaf of the tree* gave her some
houey from the flowers to eat, and told her that she was very
pretty, though so unlike a cockchafer. After a while all the
cockchafers that inhabited the tree came to pay them a visit.
After staring at Maja the cockchafer misses turned up their
feelers contemptuously, saying, 44 She has only two legs; how
pitiful to be sure I” 44 She has no feelers*1’ observed another.
l' She is so thin in the waist—-faugh! she is like a human
being." 4i How ugly she is ! " said all the female cockchafers,
although Maja was so remarkably pretty. The cockchafer
who had run away with her had at first appreciated her
beauty* but when all his female friends pronounced her to bo
30 h® finished by thinking so, and declared he would not
Iiave her, and that she might go whenever she Liked. So they
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