Destined to be

chapter 33

Previously ;

Farewell , little Hulda ; guard well the bracelet ; I must to my ruined temple again . Happy for me will be the day when you see my enemy ( if that day ever comes ) ; the bird will warn you of his neighborhood by pecking your hand .

" One moment stay , dear fairy , " said Hulda . " Where am I most likely to see the gnome ? "

" In the south , " replied the fairy , " for they love hot sunshine . I can stay no longer . Farewell . " So saying , the fairy again became a moth and fluttered to the window . Little Hulda opened it , the brown moth settled for a moment upon her lips as if it wished to kiss her , and then it flew out into the sunshine , away and away . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Little Hulda watched her till her pretty wings were lost in the blue distance ; then she turned and took her bracelet , and put it on her wrist , where , from that day forward , she always wore it night and day . Hulda now grew tall , and became a fair young maiden , and she often wished for the day when she might go down to the south , that she might have a better chance of seeing the cruel gnome , and as she sat at work in her room alone she often asked the bird to sing to her , but he never sang any other songs than the two she had heard at first .

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Hulda now grew tall , and became a fair young maiden , and she often wished for the day when she might go down to the south , that she might have a better chance of seeing the cruel gnome , and as she sat at work in her room alone she often asked the bird to sing to her , but he never sang any other songs than the two she had heard at first . And now two full years had passed away , and it was again the height of the Norway summer , but the fairy had not made her appearance . . . . . . . . . . .

As the days began to shorten , Hulda's cheeks lost their bright color , and her steps their merry lightness ; she became pale and wan . Her parents were grieved to see her change so fast , but they hoped , as the weary winter came on , that the cheerful fire and gay company would revive her ; but she grew worse and worse , till she could scarcely walk alone through the rooms where she had played so happily , and all the physicians shook their heads and said , " Alas ! alas ! the lord and lady of the castle may well look sad : nothing can save their fair daughter , and before the spring comes she will sink into an early grave . " The first yellow leaves now began to drop , and showed that winter was near at hand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

" My sweet Hulda , " said her mother to her one day , as she was lying upon a couch looking out into the sunshine , " is there anything you can think of that would do you good , or any place we can go to that you think might revive you ? "

" I had only one wish , " replied Hulda , " but that , dear mother , I cannot have . "

" Why not , dear child ? " said her father . " Let us hear what your wish was ."

" I wished that before I died I might be able to go into the south and see that wicked pedlar , that if possible I might repair the mischief I had done to the fairy by restoring her the wand . "

" Does she wish to go into the south ? " said the physicians .

" Then it will be as well to indulge her , but nothing can save her life ; and if she leaves her native country she will return to it no more . "

" I am willing to go , " said Hulda , " for the fairy's sake . " So they put her on a pillion , and took her slowly on to the south by short distances , as she could bear it . And as she left the old castle , the wind tossed some yellow leaves against her , and then whirled them away across the heath to the forest . Hulda said : " Yellow leaves , yellow leaves , Whither away ? Through the long wood paths How fast do ye stray ! "

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The yellow leaves answered : " We go to lie down Where the spring snowdrops grow , Their young roots to cherish Through frost and through snow . " Then Hulda said again to the leaves : " Yellow leaves , yellow leaves , Faded and few , What will the spring flowers Matter to you ? " And the leaves said : " We shall not see them , When gaily they bloom , But sure they will love us For guarding their tomb . " Then Hulda said : " The yellow leaves are like me : I am going away from my place for the sake of the poor fairy , who now lies hidden in the dark Egyptian ruin ; but if I am so happy as to recover her wand by my care , she will come back glad and white , like the snowdrops when winter is over , and she will love my memory when I am laid asleep in my tomb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ." So they set out on their journey , and every day went a little distance toward the south , till at last , on Christmas Eve , they came to an ancient city at the foot of a range of mountains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . " What a strange Christmas this is ! " said Hulda , when she looked out the next morning . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

" Let us stay here , mother , for we are far enough to the south . Look how the red berries hang on yonder tree , and these myrtles on the porch are fresh and green , and a few roses bloom still on the sunny side of the window . "

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