There was once a poor servant-girl who was industrious and cleanlyand swept the house every day, and emptied her sweepings on thegreat heap in front of the door. One morning when she was justgoing back to her work, she found a letter on this heap, and asshe could not read, she put her broom in the corner, and took theletter to her employers, and behold it was an invitation fromthe elves, who asked the girl to hold a child for them at itschristening. The girl did not know what to do, but, at length,after much persuasion, and as they told her that it was notright to refuse an invitation of this kind, she consented.Then three elves came and conducted her to a hollow mountain,where the little folks lived. Everything there was small, butmore elegant and beautiful than can be described. The baby'smother lay in a bed of black ebony ornamented with pearls, thecovers were embroidered with gold, the cradle was of ivory, thebath-tub of gold. The girl stood as godmother, and then wantedto go home again, but the little elves urgently entreated her tostay three days with them. So she stayed, and passed the time inpleasure and gaiety, and the little folks did all they could tomake her happy. At last she set out on her way home. But firstthey filled her pockets quite full of money, and then they ledher out of the mountain again. When she got home, she wanted toto begin her work, and took the broom, which was still standingin the corner, in her hand and began to sweep. Then somestrangers came out of the house, who asked her who she was, andwhat business she had there. And she had not, as she thought,been three days with the little men in the mountains, butseven years, and in the meantime her former masters had died.A certain mother had her child taken out of its cradle by theelves, and a changeling with a large head and staring eyes,which would do nothing but eat and drink, lay in its place.In her trouble she went to her neighbor, and asked her advice.The neighbour said that she was to carry the changeling into thekitchen, set it down on the hearth, light a fire, and boilsome water in two egg-shells, which would make the changelinglaugh, and if he laughed, all would be over with him. Thewoman did everything that her neighbor bade her. When she putthe egg-shells with water on the fire, goggle-eyes said, I am asold now as the wester forest, but never yet have I seen anyoneboil anything in an egg-shell. And he began to laugh at it.Whilst he was laughing, suddenly came a host of little elves, whobrought the right child, set it down on the hearth, and took thechangeling away with them.
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Big Book of Ancient Gabanian Fables
SpiritualOften regarded as the most sacred of text from the planet of Gaban, once forbidden to foreigners, translators and the ability to print on text. This is the first translated Copy of the Holy Scriptures from Athenaism, the dominant religion of the pla...
