She, wondering also, whether fairies have teeth to chew, told him to
take soft dough next time. Then, perhaps, the strange lady would come
again.
Not much sleep did the boy get that night, and, before the sun was up,
he was down by the lake side holding out his dough.
There, hour after hour, neglecting the cows, he looked eagerly over
the water, but nothing appeared, except ripples started by the breeze.
Again and again, he gazed in hope, only to be disappointed.
[Illustration: IN A MOMENT HE FORGOT EVERY WORD HE MEANT TO SAY]
Meanwhile he thought out a pretty speech to make to her, but he kept
his dough and went hungry.
It was late in the afternoon, when the trees on the hills were casting
long shadows westward, that he gave up watching, for he supposed she
would come no more.
But just as he started to go back to his mother's cabin, he turned his
head and there was the same lady, looking more beautiful than ever. In
a moment, he forgot every word he meant to say to her. His tongue
seemed to leave him, and he only held out his hand, with the dough in
it.
But the lake lady, shaking her head, only laughed and said:
Thou of the soft bread
I will not have thee
Though she dived under the water and left him sad and lonely, she
smiled so sweetly, as she vanished, that, though again disappointed,
he thought she would come again and she might yet accept his gift.
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