and the wheel
from swinging, said she. It was always the same monotonous, gliding
melody; Ditte thought she had composed it herself, because it was
short or long according to her mood.

The schoolmaster always closed the school with a song, and the first
time Ditte heard the full chorus, she burst into tears with emotion.
She put her head on the desk, and howled. The schoolmaster stopped
the singing and came down to her.

"She must have been frightened," said the girls nearest to her.

He comforted her, and she stopped crying. "Have you never heard
singing before, child?" he asked wonderingly, when she had calmed
down.

"Yes, the spinning-song," sniffed Ditte.

"Who sang it to you then?"

"Granny----" Ditte suddenly stopped and began to choke again, the
thought of Granny was too much for her. "Granny used to sing it when
she was spinning," she managed at last to say.

"That must be a good old Granny, you have. Do you love her?"

Ditte did not answer, but the face she turned to him was like
sunshine after the storm.

"Will you sing us the spinning-song?"

Ditte looked from the one to the other; the whole class gazed
breathlessly at her; she felt something was expected of her. She
threw a hasty glance at the schoolmaster's face; then fixed her eyes
on her desk and began singing in a delicate little voice, which
vibrated with conflicting feelings; shyness, the solemnity of the
occasion, and sorrow at the thought of Granny, who might now sit
longing for her. Unconsciously she moved one foot up and down as she
sang, as one who spins. One or two attempted to giggle, but one look
from the master silenced them.

Now we spin for Ditte for stockings and for vest,
Spin, spin away, Oh, and spin, spin away!
Some shall be of silver and golden all the rest,
Fal-de-ray, fal-de-ray, de-ray, ray, ray!

Ditte went awalking, so soft and round and red,
Spin, spin away, Oh, and spin, spin away,
Met a little princeling who doff'd his cap and said,
Fal-de-ray, fal-de-ray, de-ray, ray, ray!

Oh, come with me, fair maiden, to father's castle fine,
Spin, spin away, Oh, and spin, spin away!
We'll play the livelong day and have a lovely time,
Fal-de-ray, fal-de-ray, de-ray, ray, ray!

Alas, dear little prince, your question makes me grieve,
Spin, spin away, Oh, and spin, spin away!
There's Granny waits at home for me, and her I cannot leave,
Fal-de