THE WILD SWANS. 413

they were bound. There arose the most glorious blue mountains,
with cedar forests, cities, and palaces. Long before the sun went
down she sat on the rock, in front of a great cave overgrown with
delicate green trailing plants looking like embroidered carpets.

‘“ Now we shall see what you will dream of here to-night,” said
the youngest brother; and he showed her to her bed-chamber.

_“ Heaven grant that I may dream of a way to release you,” she
replied.

And this thought possessed her mightily, and she prayed ar-
dently for help; yes, even in her sleep she continued to pray.
Then it seemed to her as if she were flying high in the air to the
cloudy palace of Fata Morgana; and the fairy came out to meet
her, beautiful and radiant ; and yet the fairy was quite like the
old woman who had given her the berries in the wood, and had
told her of the swans with golden crowns on their heads.

“Your brothers can be released,” said she. “ But have you

-courage and perseverance? Certainly, water is softer than your
delicate hands, and yet it changes the shape of stones; but it
feels not the pain that your fingers will feel; it hasno heart, and
cannot suffer the agony and torment you will have to endure.
Do you see the stinging-nettle which I hold in my hand? Many
of the same kind grow around the cave in which you sleep : those
only, and those that grow upon churchyard graves, are service-
able, remember that. Those you must pluck, though they will
burn your hands into blisters. Break these nettles to pieces with
your feet, and you will have flax; of this you must plait and
weave eleven shirts of mail with long sleeves: throw these over
the eleven swans, and the charm will be broken. But recollect
well, from the moment you begin this work until it is finished,
even though it should take. years to accomplish, you must not
speak. The first word you utter will pierce your brothers’ hearts
like a deadly dagger. Their lives hang on your tongue. Remem-
ber all this!”

And she touched her hand with the nettle; it was likea burn-
ing fire, and Eliza woke with the smart. It was broad daylight ;
and close by the spot where she had slept lay a nettle like the
one she had seen in her dream. She fell upon her knees and
prayed gratefully, and went forth from the cave to begin her
work. ’ :

With her delicate hands she groped among the ugly nettles.
These stung like fire, burning great blisters on her arms and
hands;-but she thought she would ‘bear it gladly if she could
only release her dear brothers. Then she bruised every nettle
with her bare feet and plaited the green flax.

When the sun had set her brothers came, and they were
frightened when they found her dumb. They thought it was
some new sorcery of their wicked stepmother’s+ but when they
saw her hands, they understood what she was doing for their sake,