criedthemotherstork."oh,tellmeallaboutit;youknowicannotbeartobekeptwaitingatatimewheniamhatchingeggs."

"well,yousee,mother,"hereplied,"shebelievedwhatthedoctorssaid,andwhatihaveheardyoustatealso,thatthemoor-flowerswhichgrowaboutherewouldhealhersickfather;andshehasflowntothenorthinswan'splumage,incompanywithsomeotherswan-princesses,whocometothesepartseveryyeartorenewtheiryouth.shecame,andwhereisshenow!"

"youenterintoparticularstoomuch,"saidthemammastork,"andtheeggsmaytakecold;icannotbearsuchsuspenseasthis."

"well,"saidhe,"ihavekeptwatch;andthiseveningiwentamongtherusheswhereithoughtthemarshygroundwouldbearme,andwhileiwastherethreeswanscame.somethingintheirmannerofflyingseemedtosaytome,'lookcarefullynow;thereisonenotallswan,onlyswan'sfeathers.'youknow,mother,youhavethesameintuitivefeelingthatihave;youknowwhetherathingisrightornotimmediately."

"yes,ofcourse,"saidshe;"buttellmeabouttheprincess;iamtiredofhearingabouttheswan'sfeathers."

"well,youknowthatinthemiddleofthemoorthereissomethinglikealake,"saidthestork-papa."youcanseetheedgeofitifyouraiseyourselfalittle.justthere,bythereedsandthegreenbanks,laythetrunkofanelder-tree;uponthisthethreeswansstoodflappingtheirwings,andlookingaboutthem;oneofthemthrewoffherplumage,andiimmediatelyrecognizedherasoneoftheprincessesofourhomeinegypt.thereshesat,withoutanycoveringbutherlong,blackhair.iheardhertellthetwootherstotakegreatcareoftheswan'splumage,whileshedippeddownintothewatertoplucktheflowerswhichshefanciedshesawthere.theothersnodded,andpickedupthefeatherdress,andtookpossessionofit.iwonderwhatwillbecomeofit?thoughti,andshemostlikelyaskedherselfthesamequestion.ifso,shereceivedananswer,averypracticalone;forthetwoswansroseupandflewawaywithherswan'splumage.'divedownnow!'theycried;'thoushaltnevermoreflyintheswan'splumage,thoushaltneveragainseeegypt;here,onthemoor,thouwiltremain.'sosaying,theytoretheswan'splumageintoathousandpieces,thefeathersdriftedaboutlikeasnow-shower,andthenthetwodeceitfulprincessesflewaway."

"why,thatisterrible,"saidthestork-mamma;"ifeelasificouldhardlybeartohearanymore,butyoumusttellmewhathappenednext."

"theprincessweptandlamentedaloud;hertearsmoistenedtheelderstump,whichwasreallynotanelderstumpbutthemarshkinghimself,hewhoinmarshygroundlivesandrules.isawmyselfhowthestumpofthetreeturnedround,andwasatreenomore,whilelong,clammybrancheslikearms,wereextendedfromit.thenthepoorchildwasterriblyfrightened,andstarteduptorunaway.shehastenedtocrossthegreen,slimyground;butitwillnotbearanyweight,muchlesshers.shequicklysank,andtheelderstumpdivedimmediatelyafterher;infact,itwashewhodrewherdown.greatblackbubblesroseupoutofthemoor-slime,andwiththeseeverytraceofthetwovanished.andnowtheprincessisburiedinthewildmarsh,shewillnevernowcarryflowerstoegypttocureherfather.itwouldhavebrokenyourheart,mother,hadyouseenit."

"yououghtnottohavetoldme,"saidshe,"atsuchatimeasthis;theeggsmightsuffer.butithinktheprincesswillsoonfindhelp;someonewillriseuptohelpher.ah!