66 THE MAGIC OAK TREE

and echoed from the hillside, the words that
the crow had taught him:

‘The enchantress is killed ; with courage be thrilled ;
O break from her spells, and be free !’

The effect was immediate. Hardly had
the sound of the word ‘free’ died away,
when the frogs ceased from croaking, and
the sixteen brown and wrinkled little
creatures began to grow bigger, and change
their shape and colour.

You may imagine how joyful was Hurly-
Burly when his brothers and sisters at last
appeared before him just as they were before
the wicked fairy had enchanted them.

The children were still kissing one
another when a gruff voice said, ‘And now,
I suppose, I may have my milk,’ and Hurly-
Burly saw that the hedgehog was speaking.

‘So you shall, noble sir,’ he cried; and,
at that moment, the nurse was seen trudging
along with a big can in her hand, which
was full of milk.

‘Here. you are, Mr. Hedge-Pig,’ she said,
and immediately set the can before him.
It was lucky that she did this before seeing
the children, or she would certainly have