with fragrance—for the ground was covered with those fairy flowers, the lilies of the valley—their ivory bells bowed the slight stalks by thousands, and their snow was like frost-work—as if winter had given her only loveliness to summer.
As he approached the village, the wild cherry-trees surrounded it like an orchard, the boughs covered with crimson profusion, and the cottage where he stopped was crowned with flowers; for here the turf-sods, which form the roof, are the nursery of numberless blossoming plants, all fair, and most of them fragrant. The door opened, a bright hearth was glowing with its wood fire of the odoriferous young pine-branches; and the hostess was quite pretty enough to make the short scarlet petticoat, and red handkerchief which gathered up her profusion of light tresses, seem the most becoming of costumes.
The game had the perfection of wild-heath flavour; and the rich peach brandy was most exhilarating to the wet and weary. After supper they gathered round the hearth. Many a tale was told of wood and water spirit, with all the eloquent earnestness of belief. The national song Gaule Norgé was sung, as people
