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in the moonlight； which shone through the trees。 They were not
disturbed by his appearance； for they knew he was good and harmless
among men。 They are wicked people only who can never obtain a
glimpse of fairies。 Some of them were not taller than the breadth of a
finger； and they wore golden combs in their long； yellow hair。 They
were rocking themselves two together on the large dew…drops with which
the leaves and the high grass were sprinkled。 Sometimes the
dew…drops would roll away； and then they fell down between the stems
of the long grass； and caused a great deal of laughing and noise among
the other little people。 It was quite charming to watch them at
play。 Then they sang songs； and John remembered that he had learnt
those pretty songs when he was a little boy。 Large speckled spiders；
with silver crowns on their heads； were employed to spin suspension
bridges and palaces from one hedge to another； and when the tiny drops
fell upon them； they glittered in the moonlight like shining glass。
This continued till sunrise。 Then the little elves crept into the
flower…buds； and the wind seized the bridges and palaces； and
fluttered them in the air like cobwebs。
As John left the wood； a strong man's voice called after him；
〃Hallo； comrade； where are you travelling？〃
〃Into the wide world；〃 he replied； 〃I am only a poor lad； I have
neither father nor mother； but God will help me。〃
〃I am going into the wide world also；〃 replied the stranger；
〃shall we keep each other company？〃
〃With all my heart；〃 he said； and so they went on together。 Soon
they began to like each other very much； for they were both good；
but John found out that the stranger was much more clever than
himself。 He had travelled all over the world； and could describe
almost everything。 The sun was high in the heavens when they seated
themselves under a large tree to eat their breakfast； and at the
same moment an old woman came towards them。 She was very old and
almost bent double。 She leaned upon a stick and carried on her back
a bundle of firewood； which she had collected in the forest； her apron
was tied round it； and John saw three great stems of fern and some
willow twigs peeping out。 just as she came close up to them； her
foot slipped and she fell to the ground screaming loudly； poor old
woman； she had broken her leg！ John proposed directly that they should
carry the old woman home to her cottage； but the stranger opened his
knapsack and took out a box； in which he said he had a salve that
would quickly make her leg well and strong again； so that she would be
able to walk home herself； as if her leg had never been broken。 And
all that he would ask in return was the three fern stems which she
carried in her apron。
〃That is rather too high a price；〃 said the old woman； nodding her
head quite strangely。 She did not seem at all inclined to part with
the fern stems。 However； it was not very agreeable to lie there with a
broken leg； so she gave them to him； and such was the power of the
ointment； that no sooner had he rubbed her leg with it than the old
mother rose up and walked even better than she had done before。 But
then this wonderful ointment could not be bought at a chemist's。
〃What can you want with those three fern rods？〃 asked John of
his fellow…traveller。
〃Oh； they will make capital brooms；〃 said he； 〃and I like them
because I have strange whims sometimes。〃 Then they walked on
together for a long distance。
〃How dark the sky is becoming；〃 said John； 〃and look at those
thick； heavy clouds。〃
〃Those are not clouds；〃 replied his fellow…traveller； 〃they are
mountains… large lofty mountains… on the tops of which we should be
above the clouds； in the pure； free air。 Believe me； it is
delightful to ascend so high； tomorrow we shall be there。〃 But the
mountains were not so near as they appeared； they had to travel a
whole day before they reached them； and pass through black forests and
piles of rock as large as a town。 The journey had been so fatiguing
that John and his fellow…traveller stopped to rest at a roadside
inn； so that they might gain strength for their journey on the morrow。
In the large public room of the inn a great many persons were
assembled to see a comedy performed by dolls。 The showman had just
erected his little theatre； and the people were sitting round the room
to witness the performance。 Right in front； in the very best place；
sat a stout butcher； with a great bull…dog by his side who seemed very
much inclined to bite。 He sat staring with all his eyes； and so indeed
did every one else in the room。 And then the play began。 It was a
pretty piece； with a king and a queen in it； who sat on a beautiful
throne； and had gold crowns on their heads。 The trains to their
dresses were very long； according to the fashion； while the
prettiest of wooden dolls； with glass eyes and large mustaches；
stood at the doors； and opened and shut them； that the fresh air might
come into the room。 It was a very pleasant play； not at all
mournful； but just as the queen stood up and walked across the
stage； the great bull…dog； who should have been held back by his
master； made a spring forward； and caught the queen in the teeth by
the slender wrist； so that it snapped in two。 This was a very dreadful
disaster。 The poor man； who was exhibiting the dolls； was much
annoyed； and quite sad about his queen； she was the prettiest doll
he had； and the bull…dog had broken her head and shoulders off。 But
after all the people were gone away； the stranger； who came with John；
said that he could soon set her to rights。 And then he brought out his
box and rubbed the doll with some of the salve with which he had cured
the old woman when she broke her leg。 As soon as this was done the
doll's back became quite right again； her head and shoulders were
fixed on； and she could even move her limbs herself： there was now
no occasion to pull the wires； for the doll acted just like a living
creature； excepting that she could not speak。 The man to whom the show
belonged was quite delighted at having a doll who could dance of
herself without being pulled by the wires； none of the other dolls
could do this。
During the night； when all the people at the inn were gone to bed；
some one was heard to sigh so deeply and painfully； and the sighing
continued for so long a time； that every one got up to see what
could be the matter。 The showman went at once to his little theatre
and found that it proceeded from the dolls； who all lay on the floor
sighing piteously； and staring with their glass eyes； they all
wanted to be rubbed with the ointment； so that； like the queen； they
might be able to move of themselves。 The queen threw herself on her
knees； took off her beautiful crown； and； holding it in her hand；
cried； 〃Take this from me； but do rub my husband and his courtiers。〃
The poor man who owned the theatre could scarcely refrain from
weeping； he was so sorry that he could not help them。 Then he
immediately spoke to John's comrade； and promised him all the money he
might receive at the next evening's performance； if he would only
rub the ointment on four or five of his dolls。 But the
fellow…traveller said he did not require anything in return； excepting
the sword which the showman wore by his side。 As soon as he received
the sword he anointed six of the dolls with the ointment； and they
were able immediately to dance so gracefully that all the living girls
in the room could not help joining in the dance。 The coachman danced
with the cook； and the waiters with the chambermaids； and all the
strangers joined； even the tongs and the fire…shovel made an
attempt； but they fell down after the first jump。 So after all it
was a very merry night。 The next morning John and his companion left
the inn to continue their journey through the great pine…forests and
over the high mountains。 They arrived at last at such a great height
that towns and villages lay beneath them； and the church steeples
looked like little specks between the green trees。 They could see
for miles round； far away to places they had never visited； and John
saw more of the beautiful world than he had ever known before。 The sun
shone brightly in the blue firmament above； and through the clear
mountain air came the sound of the huntsman's horn； and the soft；
sweet notes brought tears into his eyes； and he could not help
exclaiming； 〃How good and loving God is to give us all this beauty and
loveliness in the world to make us happy！〃
His fellow…traveller stood by with folded hands； gazing on the
dark wood and the towns bathed in the warm sunshine。 At this moment
there sounded over their heads sweet music。 They looked up； and
discovered a large white swan hovering in the air； and singing as
never bird sang before。 But the song soon became weaker and weaker；
the bird's head drooped； and he sunk slowly down； and lay dead at
their feet。
〃It is a beautiful bird；〃 said the traveller； 〃and these large
white wings are worth a great deal of money。 I wil