flowers, and tales of the joy of earth and of the songs of
birds.

One day she brought him a litter of withered birch-leaves to soften his
bed and make it warmer for the approaching season of cold; and all the
winter he lay on it, and sighed. Little Sister had never seen him so sad
before.

In the spring, when the songs of the pairing birds began, his sorrow
only grew greater. "Let me go out, let me go out," he cried; "only a
little way into the bright world before I die!" She kissed his feet, and
took him up in her arms and carried him. But she could only go a very
little way with her burden; presently she had to return and lay him down
again on his bed of leaves.

"Have I seen all the bright world?" he asked. "Is it such a little
place?"

To hide her sorrow from him, Little Sister ran out into the woods, and
as she went, wondering how to comfort his grief, she could not help
weeping.

All at once at the foot of a tree she saw the figure of a woman seated.
It was strange, for she had never before seen anybody else in the wood
but themselves. The woman said to her, "Why is it that you weep so?"

"The heart of Fair Brother is breaking," replied Little Sister. "It is
because of that that I am weeping."

"Why is his heart breaking?" inquired the other. "I do not know,"
answered Little Sister. "Ever since last autumn fell it has been so.
Always, before, he has been happy; he has no reason not to be, only he
is lame."

She had come close to the seated figure; and looking, she saw a woman
with a very white skin, in a robe and hood of deep grey. Grey eyes
looked back at her with just a soft touch in them of the green that
comes with the young leaves of spring.

"You are beautiful," said Little Sister, drawing in her breath. "Yes, I
am beautiful," answered the other. "Why is Fair Brother lame? Has he no
feet?"

"Oh, beautiful feet!" said Little Sister. "But they are like still
water; they cannot run."

"If you want him to run," said the other, "I can tell you what to do.
What will you give me in exchange?"

"Whatever you like to ask," answered Little Sister; "but I am poor."

"You have beautiful hair," said the woman; "will you let that go?"

Little Sister stooped down her head, and let the other cut off' her
hair. The wind went out of it with a sigh as it fell into the grey
woman's lap. She hid it away under her robe, and said, "Listen, Little
Sister, and I will tell you! To-night is the new moon. If you ca