ld make you
sorrowful too?"

"Never mind, I should like to know them. Are you not my father? Do you
suppose you have me as a son for nothing?"

"Well then, if that's true and you wish it, listen to my story.

"My name, as I have already told you, is Mogarzea; I am a prince, and
set out to go to the Sweet-milk Lake, which is not far from here, to
marry a fairy. I had heard that three fairies lived there. But Fortune
did not smile upon me; wicked elves attacked me and took away my soul.
Since that time I have settled here to dwell with my sheep on this
little patch of land, without being able to take pleasure in any
thing, without having a moment's happiness, or even once enjoying a
laugh.

"The abominable elves are so quarrelsome that they let no one who
crosses their frontiers go unpunished. That's why I advise you to be
on your guard, lest something should happen to you also."

"All right, all right, just let me alone, father," replied the youth,
and they went to rest.

When day dawned, the lad rose and set off with the flock. I don't know
how or why, but he could not feel content to gaze at the elves'
beautiful meadows, while the sheep were grazing on Mogarzea's barren
ground.

On the third day, when he was standing in the shade of a tree playing
on the flute, for he was, as it were, a master of the art of flute
playing, one of the sheep strayed away into the flowery meadows,
others followed, then others, till, when the youth noticed them, a
number of the animals had crossed the boundaries.

Still playing on his flute, he went to drive back the sheep which had
left the flock, but he suddenly saw before him three merry maidens,
who stopped him and began to dance around him. When the lad
discovered the state of affairs, he summoned up his courage and blew
with all his might. They danced until the evening.

"Let me go now," he said, "poor Mogarzea will be hungry; to-morrow, if
you wish, I'll play still better."

"We will let you go," they replied, "but you know that if you don't
come you will not escape our punishment."

So they agreed that he was to come directly to them the next morning,
sheep and all, then each went home. Mogarzea wondered why the milk had
increased so much, and was not satisfied until the lad assured him
that he had not crossed the boundaries. They ate their supper and went
to rest.

The youth did not wait till it had become perfectly light, but at the
first streak of dawn set off wi