of the invisible high-priest.

Only from one corner came the sound of suppressed laughter. It was
difficult to recognize Anjuta again. Her pale face had become
sunburnt, her eyes glowed, and her mouth smiled continually. Just now
the smile would have turned into loud laughter, had not the child feared
to awaken Grandfather. The latter had found for himself a cool spot by
the edge of the stream and was sleeping with his cap under his head,
like an old wolf, after a full meal. Anjuta had just been throwing
flowers at him. A tiny beetle had crawled out of one, and the child held
her breath as she watched its movements. The beetle balanced itself
skilfully on one of the longer hairs of Ivan's beard, then fell among
the grey stubble, worked its way laboriously out with its slender wings,
and finally settled on the old man's nose. Then the little girl could no
longer contain herself; she laughed outright and clapped her hands.

"Good-for-nothing brat!" growled Ivan, awaking. "Can't you be quiet?" He
shook off the flowers and tried to seize her.

Anjuta sprang with a joyous shriek among the reeds, rustled about among
them, and presently her voice was heard calling from the opposite bank
of the stream, "Catch me, Grandfather! Catch me!"

"That beats everything. Go and play with the squirrels! They are just
such wind-bags as you are!"

"But I want to play with you."

"Well, you will have to wait long for that," and he crept quietly nearer
to her.

"Grandfather, where are you?" she cried in an anxious tone.
"Grandfather, I am frightened."

"There, I have caught you," he exclaimed suddenly and held the
struggling child fast. "How wet you are, a regular frog!"

The child flung her puny arms round his brown sinewy neck and coaxed
him. "Grandfather, listen, Grandfather! Now you be the wolf!"

"You are always wanting something," he grumbled discontentedly.

"Please! Please! You can do it so beautifully. I will be the little
hare. Little hare with the long ears."

"Then I must eat you, stupid!" And the old man took the trouble to roll
his eyes and growl fiercely.

But it was very difficult to satisfy Anjuta. "But you don't do it
properly. Please, please come!" She stooped down and looked pleadingly
into his eyes overhung by their shaggy brows.

"Very well, little one! Here goes!"

He placed the child carefully on the ground and crept among the reeds
and bushes. The thorns scratched his face and hands, but he had
som