WASSA RETURNS TO FAIRYLAND. 143

CHAPTER XI.

WASSA RETURNS TO FAIRYLAND.

You may be sure that Wassa was well fright-
ened when she found herself before the little
gray man and saw all the huge giants about
her, but even that was preferable to remaining
all night in the cold, wet cranberry bog.

The giant Swiftstepper had placed Wassa
directly in front of the little man in gray, and
she could but look at him. His countenance
was very stern.

“ Wassa,” began the little man in gray, “thou
art well known to me. All the mischief thy
envy of the hunter’s little maid has caused thee
todo I know. Thou it was who took from
her nets the fishes, and my little elves, not she,
put the stones in thy net. Thou, too, it was
“who sought to hide the net at the bottom of
the pond, and thou again it was who enticed
the little maid up the hill, and tossed her pretty
cap where thou thought’st it never again would
be found; but the fairy-folk watch over all