mments upon the quick metamorphosis, but self-love
kept them quiet; for every man already licked his lips in anticipation
of the marriage-feast that awaited all.

"The preparations for the wedding were busily pushed on. Joiners and
carpenters were closing windows, and fastening tottering beams from
morning till night. Walls were broken down, and kitchens built up.
Nothing had been seen like it by 'the oldest inhabitant.'

"Well, time ran on, and the banns were three times called; there was the
spousal at the parsonage, the fetching of the bride by the bridegroom,
with an escort of musicians, and at length there was the marriage
ceremony itself--all happily got through. The guests, men and women,
were numerous, and amongst them not a few who, for a sennight, had lived
on half-allowance, the better and more steadily to devour at Klaus's
marriage.

"In due time, orders were given to take the three largest waggons to the
Dwarf's well, to drive slowly round this thrice, and then to push back
at a gallop. The servants did not dare to refuse their master's bidding;
but they shook their heads significantly when they received their
strange commission, and suspected, firm and fast, that Klaus, in his
excessive joy, had already drunk a cup or two beyond his thirst.

"The pastor, sitting at the right hand of the bride, had said grace, and
the schoolmaster and the marriage-entreater were about commencing the
distribution of the enormous masses of carp, beneath which the tables
fairly groaned, when the rattle of the three returning waggons made
known to Klaus the arrival of his subterranean guests. His heart beat
violently, for at the same instant a well-known whispering and humming
met his ear. In obedience to command, he secured the yew-leaf in his
left ear, and prepared himself for what might follow. He expected much,
but what he saw almost threw him from his seat with astonishment.

"Wherever there was an aperture, a split, or a rent in walls, windows,
doors, there came in the dwarfs by hundreds: so as that in a few minutes
the whole space was swarming with the little ones. They were most
smartly dressed, just as Klaus had previously seen them, only that now,
instead of the top boots, they wore those delicate dancing-pumps, upon
which the young husbandman had at first caught them at work.

"Klaus attentively noted whether any of his guests had a suspicion of
the apparition of these earth mannikins, but there was not a sign o