THE LOVERS. — 181

 

 

leap when it touched the earth, and that was done either from its
longing to mount up again, or because it had a Spanish cork in
its body. But the ninth time the little Ball remained absent, and
did not come back again ; and the boy sought and sought, but
it was gone.

“I know very well where it is!” sighed the Top. “It is in the
swallow’s nest, and has married the swallow!”

The more the Top thought of this, the more it longed for the
Ball, Just because it could not get the Ball, its love increased ;
and the fact that the Ball had chosen another formed a peculiar
feature in the case, So the Top danced round and hummed, but