"There were three beautiful sisters,fair and delicate. The dress of one was red, of the second blue, andof the third pure white. Hand in hand they danced in the brightmoonlight, by the calm lake; but they were human beings, not fairyelves. The sweet fragrance attracted them, and they disappeared in thewood; here the fragrance became stronger. Three coffins, in whichlay the three beautiful maidens, glided from the thickest part ofthe forest across the lake. The fire-flies flew lightly over them,like little floating torches. Do the dancing maidens sleep, or arethey dead? The scent of the flower says that they are corpses. Theevening bell tolls their knell."
  "You make me quite sorrowful," said little Gerda; "your perfume isso strong, you make me think of the dead maidens. Ah! is little Kayreally dead then? The roses have been in the earth, and they say no."
  "Cling, clang," tolled the hyacinth bells. "We are not tolling forlittle Kay; we do not know him. We sing our song, the only one weknow."
  Then Gerda went to the buttercups that were glittering amongst thebright green leaves.
  "You are little bright suns," said Gerda; "tell me if you knowwhere I can find my play-fellow."
  And the buttercups sparkled gayly, and looked again at Gerda. Whatsong could the buttercups sing? It was not about Kay.
  "The bright warm sun shone on a little court, on the first warmday of spring. His bright beams rested on the white walls of theneighboring house; and close by bloomed the first yellow flower of theseason, glittering like gold in the sun's warm ray. An old woman satin her arm chair at the house door, and her granddaughter, a poorand pretty servant-maid came to see her for a short visit. When shekissed her grandmother there was gold everywhere: the gold of theheart in that holy kiss; it was a golden morning; there was gold inthe beaming sunlight, gold in the leaves of the lowly flower, and onthe lips of the maiden. There, that is my story," said the buttercup.
  "My poor old grandmother!" sighed Gerda; "she is longing to seeme, and grieving for me as she did for little Kay; but I shall soon gohome now, and take little Kay with me. It is no use asking theflowers; they know only their own songs, and can give me noinformation."
  And then she tucked up her little dress, that she might runfaster, but the narcissus caught her by the leg as she was jumpingover it; so she stopped and looked at the tall yellow flower, andsaid, "Perhaps you may know something."
  Then she stooped down quite close to the flower, and listened; andwhat did he say?
  "I can see myself, I can see myself," said the narcissus. "Oh, howsweet is my perfume! Up in a little room with a bow window, stands alittle dancing girl, half undressed; she stands sometimes on oneleg, and sometimes on both, and looks as if she would tread thewhole world under her feet. She is nothing but a delusion. She ispouring water out of a tea-pot on a piece of stuff which she holdsin her hand; it is her bodice. 'Cleanliness is a good thing,' shesays. Her white dress hangs on a peg; it has also been washed in thetea-pot, and dried on the roof. She puts it on, and ties asaffron-colored handkerchief round her neck, which makes the dresslook whiter. See how she stretches out her legs, as if she wereshowing off on a stem. I can see myself, I can see myself."
  "What do I care for all that," said Gerda, "you need not tell mesuch stuff." And then she ran to the other end of the garden. The doorwas fastened, but she pressed against the rusty latch, and it gaveway. The door sprang open, and little Gerda ran out with bare feetinto the wide world. She looked back three times, but no one seemed tobe following her. At last she could run no longer, so she sat downto rest on a great stone, and when she looked round she saw that thesummer was over, and autumn very far advanced. She had known nothingof this in the beautiful garden, where the sun shone and the flowersgrew all the year round.
  "Oh, how I have wasted my time?"