Page 576 - Child's own book

woke. They implored, they threatened, the guard appeared,
and at last the king himself came out to inquire what was the
matter—but just then the sun rose,and no more prince were to
be seen, and nothing but eleven swans flow over the palace.
The whale population flowed out through the gates of the
town, to see the witch burnt. An old, sorry-looking hack drew
the cart on which she sat; she was dressed in a sackcloth
kirt]e,and her heaiitiful hair was hanging loose on her shoulders ;
her chocks were as pale as death, and her lips moved slightly,
while her fingers continued hraiding the green flax. Even on
her way to death, she wouid not inter nipt the work she had
undertaken ■ the ten coats of mail lay at her first, and she was
finishing the eleventh, The people scoffed at her,
lt Look how the witch is muttering ! She has no psalm-book
in her hand—no ! she is busy wiih her hateful juggling—lets
tear her work to pieces.'*
And they all rushed forward, and wero (joing to tear the coats
of mail; when eleven wild swans darted down, and placing
(hemselves round her in the cart, flapped their large wings.
The croud now gave way in alarm,
11 'Tis a sign from Heaven! She is surely innocent!”
whispered the multitude ; hut they did not dare to say so aloud.
ThecKeentioner now took hold of her, but she hastily threw
the eleven coals of mail over the swans, when eleven handsome
princes instantly stnnd before her. Only the Youngest had a
swan's wing instead of an arm, because a sleeve was wanting to
complete his coat of mail, for she had not been able to finish it,
“ Now,, I may speak ! ** said she; “ I am innocent!”
And the moh, on seeing what had taken place, now bowed
before her, as if she had been a saint; hut she sank fainting
into her brothers arms, exhausted by the intense anxiety and
grief she had suffered.