longer obliged to spin and weave, for the old woman was locked up in the
kitchen, and could not interfere with them. That day they amused
themselves by showing their guest all over the house, and all the
treasure-chambers, but they blushed and dropped their eyes whenever he
looked at themselves.

Presently they passed through a stone door into a stone gallery,
likewise paved with stone, and after passing through it for some little
distance, arrived at a room in which the walls and furniture were wholly
of iron. "This," said the eldest sister, "is the room of old Sarvik,
where his men-servants assemble and work or amuse themselves, and where
they are sometimes tortured in all sorts of ways."

They left this room through an iron archway which opened into a gallery
of iron, which they followed for some distance till they reached a
second room, entirely of copper, and with copper furniture. "This," said
the eldest sister again, "is old Sarvik's room, where the maids assemble
to work or amuse themselves, and where, too, they are punished and
tormented."

From this room they passed through a copper archway into a copper
gallery, which led them presently to a third room of silver, with silver
furniture and fittings, and the chests in the corners were filled with
silver coins. Then said the second sister, "This is old Sarvik's room,
where he spends most of his time, and where he sleeps and refreshes
himself."

They passed from this room into a silver gallery, which led them into a
room of gold, with gold fittings and furniture, and the chests in the
corners were filled with gold coins. "This," said the second sister
again, "is old Sarvik's room, where he feasts and amuses himself. I was
busy yesterday for hours sweeping this room and polishing up all the
gold."

From this room they went through a golden gallery to a fifth chamber,
which was of silk, and everything in it was silk. The walls were hung
with silken raiment, and the chests in the corners were filled with
silken stuffs. "This," said the youngest sister, "is the maidens' room,
where they deck themselves out in silk on gala days."

They passed through a silken gallery into a chamber of satin, of which
she gave a similar explanation. From this they passed to a lace chamber,
where the little girls decked themselves out.

The lace gallery from this room led them out into the enclosure, which
was paved with silver coins instead of grass.

Round the court stood