LITTLE MAJA. 551

weave for her day and night. The mole came to see her every
evening, and was always observing that when the summer
would be over, the sun would then lose its warmth ; and that
at present it burnt the ground, and made it as hard as a stone ;
and when the summer was just over, then his wedding with
Maja should take place. But she was not pleased, for she
could not bear the tiresome mole, Every morning at sunrise,
and every evening at sunset, did she steal out to the door, and
when the wind blew the ears of corn aside, so that she could see
the blue sky, she thought how bright and beautiful it was
abroad, and longed to sce her dear swaliow again, But he
would never come again, for he had assuredly flown away to
the lovely green forest. By the time it was autumn, Maja’s
outfit was quite re: “In four weeks’ time the wedding
shall take pla id the ficldmouse to her; but Maja wept,
and said she would not have the tiresome mole. “ That’s all
twaddle!” quoth the fieldmouse ; “don’t be obstinate, or I
shall bite you with my white teeth! he is a very well-formed
man! The queen herself has not such a fine black fur pelisse ;
his kitchen and cellar are full, so thank Providence for what is
sent you.”

So the wedding was to take place. The mole had already
come to fetch Maja, and she was to live with him deep under-
ground, and never to come out to greet the warm sun, because
he could not bear it. ‘The poor girl was so sad to think she
must bid farewell to the beautiful sun, which she had at least
been allowed to look at from the door, when she lived with the
fieldmouse. “ Farewell, bright sun!" said she, stretching
out her arms and going a few steps from the ficldmouse’s
dwelling, for the harvest was now over, and nothing left but
the dry stubble. “ Farewell! farewell!” she said, flinging
her arms round a little red flower that stood near; “greet