ura could
have seen them. They are such an odd crew; but it is as well not to
interfere with them while they are at work, for sometimes they are very
troublesome; they have a spiteful way of scattering weed seed, right
plump into a bed of roses or violets, that is very provoking. But they
were too busy to take much notice of me, and when I had gained the
permission I wanted, and was about to leave them, I thought I heard a
child's cry. It attracted me at once, for, you know, my lady, we have an
especial interest in children.

"I listened, and again heard the cry; but the elves did not seem to hear
it at all. Concluding that it was best not to attract their attention to
it, for they are very teasing to little children, and often give them a
pinch which is supposed to come from a mosquito, and fearing that the
cry might come from some little unhappy victim of their malevolence, I
followed the sound until I came to a small house which looked as if it
might be a forester's--a forester, Lady Laura, you know, is one who
plants and trims the trees, and sees that the brushwood is cut properly,
and in every way keeps the forest in order. Well, as I said, the cry
came from this little cottage, and I made bold to enter invisibly. All
alone on a little bed of straw was lying a young child; it looked to me
as if it were a cripple, for its little feet were all drawn up and its
legs were bent. By its side was a stool on which had been some bread,
for I saw the crumbs; a tin cup was there also, but no milk, no water.
'Crying from hunger,' said I to myself; and, pulling out my luncheon, I
laid a bit of bread beside the little creature. He did not see it at
once, and kept on his sad little cry; but when he did notice the food,
his eager grasp of it assured me I was right in my supposition. Ah, my
Lady Laura, it is a dreadful thing to be hungry--to feel that gnawing in
one's stomach, as if one could almost swallow stones to stop it. Well,
the child ceased crying a moment and turned its little white, pinched
face towards me; it was a pitiful sight, it looked so old, so wan, so
wizened; but while I looked at it a bright smile came over it, just as
you see a gleam of sunshine lighten up a cold, dark little pool of
water, so this smile danced over the child's features. I was vain enough
for an instant to think myself the cause of the little creature's
pleasure, but, remembering I was invisible, I turned at some slight
sound and saw that anoth