oncemoreinthesameyearthevikingwentforth,thoughthestormsofautumnhadalreadycommencedtoroar.hewentwithhiswarriorstothecoastofbritain;hesaidthatitwasbutanexcursionofpleasureacrossthewater,sohiswiferemainedathomewiththelittlegirl.afterawhile,itisquitecertainthefoster-motherbegantolovethepoorfrog,withitsgentleeyesanditsdeepsighs,evenbetterthanthelittlebeautywhobitandfoughtwithallaroundher.

theheavy,dampmistsofautumn,whichdestroytheleavesofthewood,hadalreadyfallenuponforestandheath.feathersofpluckedbirds,astheycallthesnow,flewaboutinthickshowers,andwinterwascoming.thesparrowstookpossessionofthestork'snest,andconversedabouttheabsentownersintheirownfashion;andthey,thestorkpairandalltheiryoungones,whereweretheystayingnow?thestorksmighthavebeenfoundinthelandofegypt,wherethesun'sraysshoneforthbrightandwarm,asitdoeshereatmidsummer.tamarindsandacaciaswereinfullbloomalloverthecountry,thecrescentofmahometglitteredbrightlyfromthecupolasofthemosques,andontheslenderpinnaclessatmanyofthestorks,restingaftertheirlongjourney.swarmsofthemtookdividedpossessionofthenests-nestswhichlayclosetoeachotherbetweenthevenerablecolumns,andcrowdedthearchesoftemplesinforgottencities.thedateandthepalmliftedthemselvesasascreenorasasun-shadeoverthem.thegraypyramidslookedlikebrokenshadowsintheclearairandthefar-offdesert,wheretheostrichwheelshisrapidflight,andthelion,withhissubtleeyes,gazesatthemarblesphinxwhichlieshalfburiedinsand.thewatersofthenilehadretreated,andthewholebedoftheriverwascoveredwithfrogs,whichwasamostacceptableprospectforthestorkfamilies.theyoungstorksthoughttheireyesdeceivedthem,everythingaroundappearedsobeautiful.

"itisalwayslikethishere,andthisishowweliveinourwarmcountry,"saidthestork-mamma;andthethoughtmadetheyoungonesalmostbesidethemselveswithpleasure.

"isthereanythingmoretosee?"theyasked;"arewegoingfartherintothecountry?"

"thereisnothingfurtherforustosee,"answeredthestork-mamma."beyondthisdelightfulregionthereareimmenseforests,wherethebranchesofthetreesentwineroundeachother,whileprickly,creepingplantscoverthepaths,andonlyanelephantcouldforceapassageforhimselfwithhisgreatfeet.thesnakesaretoolarge,andthelizardstoolivelyforustocatch.thenthereisthedesert;ifyouwentthere,youreyeswouldsoonbefullofsandwiththelightestbreeze,andifitshouldblowgreatguns,youwouldmostlikelyfindyourselfinasand-drift.hereisthebestplaceforyou,wheretherearefrogsandlocusts;hereishallremain,andsomustyou."andsotheystayed.

theparentssatinthenestontheslenderminaret,andrested,yetstillwerebusilyemployedincleaningandsmoothingtheirfeathers,andinsharpeningtheirbeaksagainsttheirredstockings;thentheywouldstretchouttheirnecks,saluteeachother,andgravelyraisetheirheadswiththehigh-polishedforehead,andsoft,smoothfeathers,whiletheirbrowneyesshonewithintelligence.thefemaleyoungonesstruttedaboutamidthemoistrushes,glancingattheotheryoungstorksandmakingacquaintances,andswallowingafrogateverythirdstep,ortossingalittlesnakeaboutwiththeirbeaks,inawaytheyconsideredverybecoming,andbesidesittastedverygood.theyoungmalestorkssoonbegantoquarrel;theystruckateachotherwiththeirwings,andpeckedwiththeirbeakstillthebloodcame.andinthismannermanyoftheyoungladiesandgentlemenwerebetrothedtoeachother:itwas,ofcourse,whattheywanted,andindeedwhattheylivedfor.thentheyreturnedtoanest,andtherethequarrellingbeganafresh;forinhotcountriespeoplearealmostallviolentandpassionate.butforallthatitwaspleasant,especiallyfortheoldpeople,whowatchedthemwithgreatjoy:allthattheiryoungonesdidsuitedthem.everydayheretherewassunshine,plentytoeat,andnothingtothinkofbutpleasure.butintherichcastleoftheiregyptianhost,astheycalledhim,pleasurewasnottobefound.therichandmightylordofthecastlelayonhiscouch,inthemidstofthegreathall,withitsmanycoloredwallslookinglikethecentreofagreattulip;buthewasstiffandpowerlessinallhislimbs,andlaystretchedoutlikeamummy.hisfamilyandservantsstoodroundhim;hewasnotdead,althoughhecouldscarcelybesaidtolive.thehealingmoor-flowerfromthenorth,whichwastohavebeenfoundandbroughttohimbyherwholovedhimsowell,hadnotarrived.hisyoungandbeautifuldaughterwho,inswan'splumage,hadflownoverlandandseastothedistantnorth,hadneverreturned.sheisdead,sothetwoswan-maidenshadsaidwhentheycamehome;andtheymadeupquiteastoryabouther,andthisiswhattheytold,-

"wethreeflewawaytogetherthroughtheair,"saidthey:"ahuntercaughtsightofus,andshotatuswithanarrow.thearrowstruckouryoungfriendandsister,andslowlysingingherfarewellsongshesankdown,adyingswan,intotheforestlake.ontheshoresofthelake,underaspreadingbirch-tree,welaidherinthecoldearth.wehadourrevenge;weboundfireunderthewingsofaswallow,whohadanestonthethatchedroofofthehuntsman.thehousetookfire,andburstintoflames;thehunterwasburntwiththehouse,andthelightwasreflectedovertheseaasfarasthespreadingbirch,beneathwhichwelaidhersleepingdust.shewillneverreturntothelandofegypt."andthentheybothwept.andstork-papa,whoheardthestory,snappedwithhisbeaksothatitmightbeheardalongwayoff.

'deceitandlies!"