retorted stork-mamma; "it willneither bring you a fair wind, nor a good meal."
  "The little nightingale, who is singing yonder in the tamarindgrove, will soon be going north, too." Helga said she had oftenheard her singing on the wild moor, so she determined to send amessage by her. While flying in the swan's plumage she had learntthe bird language; she had often conversed with the stork and theswallow, and she knew that the nightingale would understand. So shebegged the nightingale to fly to the beechwood, on the peninsula ofJutland, where a mound of stone and twigs had been raised to formthe grave, and she begged the nightingale to persuade all the otherlittle birds to build their nests round the place, so that evermoreshould resound over that grave music and song. And the nightingaleflew away, and time flew away also.
  In the autumn, an eagle, standing upon a pyramid, saw a statelytrain of richly laden camels, and men attired in armor on foamingArabian steeds, whose glossy skins shone like silver, their nostrilswere pink, and their thick, flowing manes hung almost to their slenderlegs. A royal prince of Arabia, handsome as a prince should be, andaccompanied by distinguished guests, was on his way to the statelyhouse, on the roof of which the storks' empty nests might be seen.They were away now in the far north, but expected to return very soon.And, indeed, they returned on a day that was rich in joy and gladness.
  A marriage was being celebrated, in which the beautiful Helga,glittering in silk and jewels, was the bride, and the bridegroom theyoung Arab prince. Bride and bridegroom sat at the upper end of thetable, between the bride's mother and grandfather. But her gaze wasnot on the bridegroom, with his manly, sunburnt face, round whichcurled a black beard, and whose dark fiery eyes were fixed upon her;but away from him, at a twinkling star, that shone down upon herfrom the sky. Then was heard the sound of rushing wings beating theair. The storks were coming home; and the old stork pair, althoughtired with the journey and requiring rest, did not fail to fly down atonce to the balustrades of the verandah, for they knew already whatfeast was being celebrated. They had heard of it on the borders of theland, and also that Helga had caused their figures to be representedon the walls, for they belonged to her history.
  "I call that very sensible and pretty," said stork-papa.
  "Yes, but it is very little," said mamma stork; "they could notpossibly have done less."
  But, when Helga saw them, she rose and went out into theverandah to stroke the backs of the storks. The old stork pair bowedtheir heads, and curved their necks, and even the youngest among theyoung ones felt honored by this reception.
  Helga continued to gaze upon the glittering star, which seemedto glow brighter and purer in its light; then between herself andthe star floated a form, purer than the air, and visible through it.It floated quite near to her, and she saw that it was the deadChristian priest, who also was coming to her wedding feast- comingfrom the heavenly kingdom.
  "The glory and brightness, yonder, outshines all that is knownon earth," said he.
  Then Helga the fair prayed more gently, and more earnestly, thanshe had ever prayed in her life before, that she might be permitted togaze, if only for a single moment, at the glory and brightness ofthe heavenly kingdom. Then she felt herself lifted up, as it were,above the earth, through a sea of sound and thought; not only aroundher, but within her, was there light and song, such as words cannotexpress.
  "Now we must return;" he said; "you will be missed."
  "Only one more look," she begged; "but one short moment more."
  "We must return to earth; the guests will have all departed.Only one more look!