fail to come down at
once to the balustrades of the verandah; for they knew what feast was
being celebrated. Already on the frontier of the land they had heard
that Helga had caused their figures to be painted on the wall--for did
they not belong to her history?

"That's very pretty and suggestive," said stork-papa.

"But it's very little," observed stork-mamma. "They could not possibly
have done less."

And when Helga saw them, she rose and came on to the verandah, to
stroke the backs of the storks. The old pair waved their heads and
bowed their necks, and even the youngest among the young ones felt
highly honoured by the reception.

And Helga looked up to the gleaming star, which seemed to glow purer
and purer; and between the star and herself there floated a form,
purer than the air, and visible through it: it floated quite close to
her. It was the spirit of the dead Christian priest; he too was coming
to her wedding feast--coming from heaven.

"The glory and brightness yonder outshines everything that is known on
earth!" he said.

And fair Helga begged so fervently, so beseechingly, as she had never
yet prayed, that it might be permitted her to gaze in there for one
single moment, that she might be allowed to cast but a single glance
into the brightness that beamed in the kingdom.

Then he bore her up amid splendour and glory. Not only around her, but
within her, sounded voices and beamed a brightness that words cannot
express.

"Now we must go back; thou wilt be missed," he said.

"Only one more look!" she begged. "But one short minute more!"

"We must go back to the earth. The guests will all depart."

"Only one more look--the last."

And Helga stood again in the verandah; but the marriage lights without
had vanished, and the lamps in the hall were extinguished, and the
storks were gone--nowhere a guest to be seen--no bridegroom--all
seemed to have been swept away in those few short minutes!

Then a great dread came upon her. Alone she went through the empty
great hall into the next chamber. Strange warriors slept yonder. She
opened a side door which led into her own chamber; and, as she thought
to step in there, she suddenly found herself in the garden; but yet it
had not looked thus here before--the sky gleamed red--the morning dawn
was come.

Three minutes only in heaven and a whole night on earth had passed
away!

Then she saw the storks again. She called to them, spoke their
language; and