134
FAIRY BOOK.
tempted in all these particulars, yet proves true. My poor soldiers, you may return whence you came, for the alder-tree will never rustle its silver leaves in the mountain-garden of Loki."
Then the men disappeared, not sorry that the good boy had escaped his threatened doom.
Thule, looking at the beautiful elf so lately a tree, could hardly trust his own eyes; and I fancy that many a boy, even at the present day, would have felt rather bewildered under the circumstances.
"Shining child!" said he: "you look vastly like the wonderful little being who led me out of the forest yesterday."
"That may well be," replied the elf of light; "for she is my sister. The brown dwarf who pointed out to you the alder-tree