Page 567 - Child's own book

The sea now lay befoi'e the young maiden, in all its
splendour, but not a sail was to be seen, and not as much as a
hoat could be descried. H ow was she to proceed further ?
She looked at the conntlcss little pehbles on the shore, which
the water had worn till they were quite smooth — glass, iron,
stones* everything in short that lay there and had been washed
by the waves^ had assumed the shape of water, though it was
softer still than her delicate hand, 44 It rolls along indefatigably,
and wears away the hardest substances — I will be equally in­
defatigable. Thanks for the lesson you give me, ye clear roll­
ing waves j My heart tells me you will bear me to my dear
brothers."
Just at sunset, EJise saw eleven wild swans, with gold crowns
on their heads, flying towards the shore, o n e behind the other,
like a long white ribbon. Elise then went up the slope, and hid
herself belli nil a bush; the swans came down close to her, and
flapped their large white wings.
The sun had no sooner sunk iuto the water, than their swan 3
plumage full off, and Eiise's brothers stood there a&eleven hand­
some princes. She uttered a loud scream ; for, changed as they
were, she knew and felt it must he they. She flung herself into
their arms, calling them by their names; and the princes were
<jnite happy on recognising their little sister, and finding how
beautiful she had grown. They laughed and cried all m a
breath, aud they had soon related to each other how wicked
their stepmother had been to them all,
li YYc brothers,” eaid the eldest, “ fly about, as wild swans, as
long as the sun stands in the heavens; but no sooner has it
sunk down, than we recover our human shape. Therefore,
must we always provide a resting-place for our feet towards
sunset - for were we flying in the clouds at this hour, we should
fall into the sea on resuming our natural form. We do not