t itself over the moat.

From a narrow lane one day sounded the clang of horns and the trampling
of horses. The little girl who kept the geese hastened to drive them
away from the bridge before the hunting party came galloping up to it.
They came, however, with such haste that the girl was obliged to climb
up and seat herself on the parapet of the bridge, lest they should ride
over her. She was scarcely more than a child, with a pretty, delicate
figure, a gentle expression of face, and two bright blue eyes--all of
which the baron took no note of; but as he galloped past, he reversed
the whip held in his hand, and in rough play gave the little
goose-watcher such a push with the butt end that she fell backward into
the ditch.

"Everything in its right place," cried he. "Into the puddle with you!"
and then he laughed aloud at what he called his own wit, and the rest
joined with him. The whole party shouted and screamed, and the dogs
barked loudly.

Fortunately for herself, the poor girl in falling caught hold of one of
the overhanging branches of the willow tree, by which she was able to
keep herself from falling into the muddy pool. As soon as the baron,
with his company and his dogs, had disappeared through the castle gate,
she tried to raise herself by her own exertions; but the bough broke off
at the top, and she would have fallen backwards among the reeds if a
strong hand had not at that moment seized her from above. It was the
hand of a peddler, who, at a short distance, had witnessed the whole
affair and hastened up to give assistance.

"Everything in its right place," he said, imitating the noble baron, as
he drew the little maiden up on dry ground. He would have restored the
bough to the place from which it had been broken off, but "everything in
its right place" is not always so easy to arrange, so he stuck the bough
in the soft earth. "Grow and prosper as much as you can," said he, "till
you produce a good flute for some of them over there. With the
permission of the noble baron and his family, I should like them to hear
my challenge."

So he betook himself to the castle, but not into the noble hall; he was
too humble for that. He went to the servants' apartments, and the men
and maids examined and turned over his stock of goods, while from above,
where the company were at table, came sounds of screaming and shouting
which they called singing--and indeed they did their best. Loud
laughter, mingled with the