askedthelizards;"whatcanthematterbe?hark,whatabuzzingandhummingthereis!"

justatthismomenttheelfinhillopened,andanoldelfinmaiden,hollowbehind,cametrippingout;shewastheoldelfking'shousekeeper,andadistantrelativeofthefamily;thereforesheworeanamberheartonthemiddleofherforehead.herfeetmovedveryfast,"trip,trip;"goodgracious,howshecouldtriprightdowntotheseatothenight-raven.

"youareinvitedtotheelfhillforthisevening,"saidshe;"butwillyoudomeagreatfavorandundertaketheinvitations?yououghttodosomething,foryouhavenohousekeepingtoattendtoasihave.wearegoingtohavesomeverygrandpeople,conjurors,whohavealwayssomethingtosay;andthereforetheoldelfkingwishestomakeagreatdisplay."

"whoistobeinvited?"askedtheraven.

"alltheworldmaycometothegreatball,evenhumanbeings,iftheycanonlytalkintheirsleep,ordosomethingafterourfashion.butforthefeastthecompanymustbecarefullyselected;wecanonlyadmitpersonsofhighrank;ihavehadadisputemyselfwiththeelfking,ashethoughtwecouldnotadmitghosts.themermanandhisdaughtermustbeinvitedfirst,althoughitmaynotbeagreeabletothemtoremainsolongondryland,buttheyshallhaveawetstonetositon,orperhapssomethingbetter;soithinktheywillnotrefusethistime.wemusthavealltheolddemonsofthefirstclass,withtails,andthehobgoblinsandimps;andthenithinkweoughtnottoleaveoutthedeath-horse,orthegrave-pig,oreventhechurchdwarf,althoughtheydobelongtotheclergy,andarenotreckonedamongourpeople;butthatismerelytheiroffice,theyarenearlyrelatedtous,andvisitusveryfrequently."

"croak,"saidthenight-ravenasheflewawaywiththeinvitations.

theelfinmaidenswe'realreadydancingontheelfhill,andtheydancedinshawlswovenfrommoonshineandmist,whichlookveryprettytothosewholikesuchthings.thelargehallwithintheelfhillwassplendidlydecorated;thefloorhadbeenwashedwithmoonshine,andthewallshadbeenrubbedwithmagicointment,sothattheyglowedliketulip-leavesinthelight.inthekitchenwerefrogsroastingonthespit,anddishespreparingofsnailskins,withchildren'sfingersinthem,saladofmushroomseed,hemlock,nosesandmarrowofmice,beerfromthemarshwoman'sbrewery,andsparklingsalt-petrewinefromthegravecellars.thesewereallsubstantialfood.rustynailsandchurch-windowglassformedthedessert.theoldelfkinghadhisgoldcrownpolishedupwithpowderedslate-pencil;itwaslikethatusedbythefirstform,andverydifficultforanelfkingtoobtain.inthebedrooms,curtainswerehungupandfastenedwiththeslimeofsnails;therewas,indeed,abuzzingandhummingeverywhere.

"nowwemustfumigatetheplacewithburnthorse-hairandpig'sbristles,andthenithinkishallhavedonemypart,"saidtheelfman-servant.

"father,dear,"saidtheyoungestdaughter,"mayinowhearwhoourhigh-bornvisitorsare?"

"well,isupposeimusttellyounow,"hereplied;"twoofmydaughtersmustpreparethemselvestobemarried,forthemarriagescertainlywilltakeplace.theoldgoblinfromnorway,wholivesintheancientdovremountains,andwhopossessesmanycastlesbuiltofrockandfreestone,besidesagoldmine,whichisbetterthanall,soitisthought,iscomingwithhistwosons,whoarebothseekingawife.theoldgoblinisatrue-hearted,honest,oldnorwegiangraybeard;cheerfulandstraightforward.iknewhimformerly,whenweusedtodrinktogethertoourgoodfellowship:hecamehereoncetofetchhiswife,sheisdeadnow.shewasthedaughterofthekingofthechalk-hillsatmoen.theysayhetookhiswifefromchalk;ishallbedelightedtoseehimagain.itissaidthattheboysareill-bred,forwardlads,butperhapsthatisnotquitecorrect,andtheywillbecomebetterastheygrowolder.letmeseethatyouknowhowtoteachthemgoodmanners."

"andwhenaretheycoming?"