Page 566 - Child's own book

an old woman, with a basket full of berries. The old woman
gave her some to eat, and Elise asked her if she had not seen
eleven princes riding through the forest.
u N o/’ said the old woman; Ubut yesterday I saw eleven
swans, with gold crowns on their heads, swimming down the
river hereabouts/’

She then led Elisc a little further, towards a slope at
the foot of which ran a winding rivulet. The trees on its
banks stretched forth their long, leafy branches, till they
met, and wherever their growth wonld not hare diowed
them to mingle their foliage, the roots had broken loose
from the soil, and hurg entwined with the branches across
the water.
Elisc then bid the old dame farewell, and followed the rivu­
let till it flowed towards a wide, open shore.