WASSA’S THEFT. 39

elves in chorus. “Ket us sat ‘once to
Wassa’s hut and pay her for this naughty
trick!”

“Comrades mine,” said Toto the Slim, his
tiny face brimful of mischief, “I, for one, do
not believe in turning the other cheek, but
in giving a good slap back. So, I say, let us
at once repay this trick tenfold. Come on!”
And Toto laughed gleefully as he gave a twirl
to his mustache.

Before, however, Toto and his comrades
bounded away, Pippi the Just, the oldest and
wisest of the band, raised his hand with an
authoritative gesture and spoke these words :—

“ Toto, my friend, thou art young as yet, but
thou wilt gain wisdom when thou art older.
Those who take what is not their own should
be made to make amends, and I counsel this,
— that we look at the rover’s nets, and if there
should be two fishes in them, they go, by
rights, to the hunter’s nets. This, friend Toto,
is just and right, and thou wilt find it works
better than thy rule. Come, then, comrades,
leet sE ross

Away over bush and stone went the nimble
elves, nor halted until they stood on the shore