But they were met by Undine,
clapping her hands merrily. "What will you give me if I get you some
wine? But, indeed, I want no reward for it," she added; "I shall be
satisfied if you will but look brighter, and find more to say than you
have done all these tedious mornings. Come along; the floods have
washed a barrel ashore, and I will engage to sleep a whole week
through if it is not a barrel of wine!"
The men both followed her to a shady creek, and there found a barrel,
which did look as if it contained the generous liquor which they
longed for. They rolled it toward the hut as fast as they could, for a
heavy storm seemed stalking across the sky, and there was light enough
left to show them the waves of the lake tossing up their foaming
heads, as if looking out for the rain which would soon pour down upon
them. Undine lent a hand in the work, and presently, when the shower
threatened to break instantly over their heads, she spoke to the big
clouds in playful defiance: "You, you there! mind you do not give us a
drenching; we are some way from home yet." The old man admonished her
that this was sinful presumption, but she laughed slyly to herself,
and no harm came of it. Beyond their hopes, they all three reached the
comfortable fireside with their prize, unhurt; and it was not till
they had opened the barrel, and found it to contain excellent wine,
that the rain broke from the heavy clouds in torrents, and they heard
the storm roaring among the trees, and over the lake's heaving
billows.
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