isatinthesoftmoss,andheldmysausageskewertight.themoonthrewitsbeamsparticularlyononespotwherestoodatreecoveredwithexceedinglyfinemoss.imayalmostventuretosaythatitwasasfineandsoftasthefurofthemouse-king,butitwasgreen,whichisacolorveryagreeabletotheeye.allatonceisawthemostcharminglittlepeoplemarchingtowardsme.theydidnotreachhigherthanmyknee;theylookedlikehumanbeings,butwerebetterproportioned,andtheycalledthemselveselves.theirclotheswereverydelicateandfine,fortheyweremadeoftheleavesofflowers,trimmedwiththewingsoffliesandgnats,whichhadnotabadeffect.bytheirmanner,itappearedasiftheywereseekingforsomething.iknewnotwhat,tillatlastoneofthemespiedmeandcametowardsme,andtheforemostpointedtomysausageskewer,andsaid,'there,thatisjustwhatwewant;see,itispointedatthetop;isitnotcapital?'andthelongerhelookedatmypilgrim'sstaff,themoredelightedhebecame.'iwilllendittoyou,'saidi,'butnottokeep.'

"'ohno,wewon'tkeepit!'theyallcried;andthentheyseizedtheskewer,whichigaveuptothem,anddancedwithittothespotwherethedelicatemossgrew,andsetitupinthemiddleofthegreen.theywantedamaypole,andtheonetheynowhadseemedcutoutonpurposeforthem.thentheydecorateditsobeautifullythatitwasquitedazzlingtolookat.littlespidersspungoldenthreadsaroundit,andthenitwashungwithflutteringveilsandflagssodelicatelywhitethattheyglitteredlikesnowinthemoonshine.afterthattheytookcolorsfromthebutterfly'swing,andsprinkledthemoverthewhitedrapery"whichgleamedasifcoveredwithflowersanddiamonds,sothaticouldnotrecognizemysausageskeweratall.suchamaypolehadneverbeenseeninalltheworldasthis.thencameagreatcompanyofrealelves.nothingcouldbefinerthantheirclothes,andtheyinvitedmetobepresentatthefeast;butiwastokeepatacertaindistance,becauseiwastoolargeforcommencedsuchmusicthatitsoundedlikeathousandglassbells,andwassofullandstrongthatithoughtitmustbethesongoftheswans.ifanciedalsothatiheardthevoicesofthecuckooandtheblack-bird,anditseemedatlastasifthewholeforestsentforthgloriousmelodies-thevoicesofchildren,thetinklingofbells,andthesongsofthebirds;andallthiswonderfulmelodycamefromtheelfinmaypole.mysausagepegwasacompletepealofbells.icouldscarcelybelievethatsomuchcouldhavebeenproducedfromit,tillirememberedintowhathandsithadfallen.iwassomuchaffectedthatiwepttearssuchasalittlemousecanweep,buttheyweretearsofjoy.thenightwasfartooshortforme;therearenolongnightsthereinsummer,asweoftenhaveinthispartoftheworld.whenthemorningdawned,andthegentlebreezerippledtheglassymirroroftheforestlake,allthedelicateveilsandflagsflutteredawayintothinair;thewavinggarlandsofthespider'sweb,thehangingbridgesandgalleries,orwhateverelsetheymaybecalled,vanishedawayasiftheyhadneverbeen.sixelvesbroughtmebackmysausageskewer,andatthesametimeaskedmetomakeanyrequest,whichtheywouldgrantifintheirpower;soibeggedthem,iftheycould,totellmehowtomakesoupfromasausageskewer.

"'howdowemakeit?'saidthechiefoftheelveswithasmile.'whyyouhavejustseenit;youscarcelyknewyoursausageskeweragain,iamsure.'

"theythinkthemselvesverywise,thoughtitomyself.thenitoldthemallaboutit,andwhyihadtravelledsofar,andalsowhatpromisehadbeenmadeathometotheonewhoshoulddiscoverthemethodofpreparingthissoup.'whatusewillitbe,'iasked,'tothemouse-kingortoourwholemightykingdomthatihaveseenallthesebeautifulthings?