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childhood she had slept； and as she sat there on the brink of the precipice；
the late summer sun threw its red lustre upon her and upon the fogs that
came drifting up from the deep。 With her eyes she followed the drifting
masses of fog； and wondered； as they rose higher and higher； when they
would reach her； in her fancy she saw herself dancing over the wide
expanse of heaven； clad in the sun…gilded evening fogs； and Saint Olaf； the
great and holy king； came riding to meet her； mounted on a flaming steed
made of the glory of a thousand sunsets； then Saint Olaf took her hand and
lifted her up； and she sat with him on the flaming steed： but the fog
lingered in the deep below； and as it rose it spread like a thin； half…
invisible gauze over the forests and the fields； and at last vanished into the
infinite space。 But hark！ a huge stone rolls down over the mountain…side；
then another； and another； the noise grows； the birches down there in the
gorge tremble and shake。 Aasa leaned out over the brink of the ravine；
and； as far as she could distinguish anything from her dizzying height；
thought she saw something gray creeping slowly up the neck…breaking
mountain path； she watched it for a while； but as it seemed to advance no
farther she again took refuge in her reveries。 An hour might have passed；
or perhaps more； when suddenly she heard a noise only a few feet distant；
and； again stooping out over the brink； saw the figure of a man strug… gling
desperately to climb the last great ledge of the rock。 With both his hands
he clung to a little birch…tree which stretched its slender arms down over
the black wall； but with every moment that passed seemed less likely to
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accomplish the feat。 The girl for a while stood watching him with
unfeigned curiosity； then； suddenly reminding herself that the situation to
him must be a dangerous one； seized hold of a tree that grew near the
brink； and leaned out over the rock to give him her assistance。 He
eagerly grasped her extended hand； and with a vigorous pull she flung him
up on the grassy level； where he remained lying for a minute or two；
apparently utterly unable to account for his sudden ascent； and gazing
around him with a half…frightened； half…bewildered look。 Aasa； to whom
his appearance was no less strange than his demeanor； unluckily hit upon
the idea that perhaps her rather violent treatment had momentarily stunned
him； and when； as answer to her sympathizing question if he was hurt； the
stranger abruptly rose to his feet and towered up before her to the
formidable height of six feet four or five； she could no longer master her
mirth； but burst out into a most vehement fit of laughter。 He stood calm
and silent； and looked at her with a timid but strangely bitter smile。 He
was so very different from any man she had ever seen before； therefore
she laughed； not necessarily because he amused her； but because his whole
person was a surprise to her； and there he stood； tall and gaunt and timid；
and said not a word； only gazed and gazed。 His dress was not the
national costume of the valley； neither was it like anything that Aasa had
ever known。 On his head he wore a cap that hung all on one side； and
was decorated with a long； heavy silk tassel。 A threadbare coat； which
seemed to be made expressly not to fit him； hung loosely on his sloping
shoulders； and a pair of gray pantaloons； which were narrow where they
ought to have been wide； and wide where it was their duty to be narrow；
extended their service to a little more than the upper half of the limb； and；
by a kind of compromise with the tops of the boots； managed to protect
also the lower half。 His features were delicate； and would have been
called handsome had they belonged to a proportionately delicate body； in
his eyes hovered a dreamy vagueness which seemed to come and vanish；
and to flit from one feature to another； suggesting the idea of remoteness；
and a feeling of hopeless strangeness to the world and all its concerns。
〃Do I inconvenience you； madam？〃 were the first words he uttered； as
Aasa in her usual abrupt manner stayed her laughter； turned her back on
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him； and hastily started for the house。
〃Inconvenience？〃 said she； surprised； and again slowly turned on her
heel； 〃no； not that I know。〃
〃Then tell me if there are people living here in the neighborhood； or if
the light deceived me； which I saw from the other side of the river。〃
〃Follow me；〃 answered Aasa； and she navely reached him her
hand； 〃my father's name is Lage Ulfson Kvaerk； he lives in the large house
you see straight before you； there on the hill； and my mother lives there
too。〃
And hand in hand they walked together； where a path had been made
between two adjoining rye…fields； his serious smile seemed to grow milder
and happier； the longer he lingered at her side； and her eye caught a ray of
more human intelligence； as it rested on him。
〃What do you do up here in the long winter？〃 asked he； after a pause。
〃We sing；〃 answered she； as it were at ran… dom； because the word
came into her mind； 〃and what do you do； where you come from？〃
〃I gather song。〃
〃Have you ever heard the forest sing？〃 asked she； curiously。
〃That is why I came here。〃
And again they walked on in silence。
It was near midnight when they entered the large hall at Kvaerk。
Aasa went before； still leading the young man by the hand。 In the
twilight which filled the house； the space between the black； smoky rafters
opened a vague vista into the region of the fabulous； and every object in
the room loomed forth from the dusk with exaggerated form and
dimensions。 The room appeared at first to be but the haunt of the spirits
of the past； no human voice； no human footstep； was heard； and the
stranger instinctively pressed the hand he held more tightly； for he was not
sure but that he was standing on the boundary of dream…land； and some
elfin maiden had reached him her hand to lure him into her mountain；
where he should live with her forever。 But the illusion was of brief
duration； for Aasa's thoughts had taken a widely different course； it was
but seldom she had found herself under the necessity of making a decision；
and now it evidently devolved upon her to find the stranger a place of rest
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for the night； so instead of an elf…maid's kiss and a silver palace； he soon
found himself huddled into a dark little alcove in the wall； where he was
told to go to sleep； while Aasa wandered over to the empty cow…stables；
and threw herself down in the hay by the side of two sleeping milkmaids。
III。
There was not a little astonishment manifested among the servant…
maids at Kvaerk the next morning； when the huge； gaunt figure of a man
was seen to launch forth from Aasa's alcove； and the strangest of all was；
that Aasa herself appeared to be as much astonished as the rest。 And
there they stood； all gazing at the bewildered traveler； who indeed was no
less startled than they； and as utterly unable to account for his own sudden
apparition。 After a long pause； he summoned all his courage； fixed his
eyes intently on the group of the girls； and with a few rapid steps advanced
toward Aasa； whom he seized by the hand and asked； 〃Are you not my
maiden of yester…eve？〃
She met his gaze firmly； and laid her hand on her forehead as if to
clear her thoughts； as the memory of the night flashed through her mind； a
bright smile lit up her features； and she answered； 〃You are the man who
gathers song。 Forgive me； I was not sure but it was all a dream； for I
dream so much。〃
Then one of the maids ran o