Pagina 34 de 626

Jorindel could not move; he stood fixed as a stone, and could

neither weep, nor speak, nor stir hand or foot. And now the sun

went quite down; the gloomy night came; the owl flew into a bush;

and a moment after the old fairy came forth pale and meagre, with

staring eyes, and a nose and chin that almost met one another.

She mumbled something to herself, seized the nightingale, and

went away with it in her hand. Poor Jorindel saw the nightingale

was gone--but what could he do? He could not speak, he could not

move from the spot where he stood. At last the fairy came back

and sang with a hoarse voice:

'Till the prisoner is fast, And her doom is cast, There stay! Oh,

stay! When the charm is around her, And the spell has bound her,

Hie away! away!'

On a sudden Jorindel found himself free. Then he fell on his

knees before the fairy, and prayed her to give him back his dear

Jorinda: but she laughed at him, and said he should never see her

again; then she went her way.