THE　NIXY＇15＇
  ＇15＇　From　the　German。　　Kletke。
  There　was　once　upon　a　time　a　miller　who　was　very　well　off；　and
  had　as　much　money　and　as　many　goods　as　he　knew　what　to　do　with。
  But　sorrow　comes　in　the　night；　and　the　miller　all　of　a　sudden
  became　so　poor　that　at　last　he　could　hardly　call　the　mill　in
  which　he　sat　his　own。　　He　wandered　about　all　day　full　of　despair
  and　misery；　and　when　he　lay　down　at　night　he　could　get　no　rest；
  but　lay　awake　all　night　sunk　in　sorrowful　thoughts。
  One　morning　he　rose　up　before　dawn　and　went　outside；　for　he
  thought　his　heart　would　be　lighter　in　the　open　air。　　As　he
  wandered　up　and　down　on　the　banks　of　the　mill…pond　he　heard　a
  rustling　in　the　water；　and　when　he　looked　near　he　saw　a　white
  woman　rising　up　from　the　waves。
  He　realised　at　once　that　this　could　be　none　other　than　the　nixy
  of　the　mill…pond；　and　in　his　terror　he　didn't　know　if　he　should
  fly　away　or　remain　where　he　was。　　While　he　hesitated　the　nixy
  spoke；　called　him　by　his　name；　and　asked　him　why　he　was　so　sad。
  When　the　miller　heard　how　friendly　her　tone　was；　he　plucked　up
  heart　and　told　her　how　rich　and　prosperous　he　had　been　all　his
  life　up　till　now；　when　he　didn't　know　what　he　was　to　do　for　want
  and　misery。
  Then　the　nixy　spoke　comforting　words　to　him；　and　promised　that
  she　would　make　him　richer　and　more　prosperous　than　he　had　ever
  been　in　his　life　before；　if　he　would　give　her　in　return　the
  youngest　thing　in　his　house。
  The　miller　thought　she　must　mean　one　of　his　puppies　or　kittens；
  so　promised　the　nixy　at　once　what　she　asked；　and　returned　to　his
  mill　full　of　hope。　　On　the　threshold　he　was　greeted　by　a　servant
  with　the　news　that　his　wife　had　just　given　birth　to　a　boy。
  The　poor　miller　was　much　horrified　by　these　tidings；　and　went　in
  to　his　wife　with　a　heavy　heart　to　tell　her　and　his　relations　of
  the　　fatal　bargain　he　had　just　struck　with　the　nixy。　　'I　would
  gladly　give　up　all　the　good　fortune　she　promised　me；'　he　said；
  'if　I　could　only　save　my　child。'　　But　no　one　could　think　of　any
  advice　to　give　him；　beyond　taking　care　that　the　child　never　went
  near　the　mill…pond。
  So　the　boy　throve　and　grew　big；　and　in　the　meantime　all　prospered
  with　the　miller；　and　in　a　few　years　he　was　richer　than　he　had
  ever　been　before。　　But　all　the　same　he　did　not　enjoy　his　good
  fortune；　for　he　could　not　forget　his　compact　with　the　nixy；　and
  he　knew　that　sooner　or　later　she　would　demand　his　fulfilment　of
  it。　　But　year　after　year　went　by；　and　the　boy　grew　up　and　became
  a　great　hunter；　and　the　lord　of　the　land　took　him　into　his
  service；　for　he　was　as　smart　and　bold　a　hunter　as　you　would　wish
  to　see。　　In　a　short　time　he　married　a　pretty　young　wife；　and
  lived　with　her　in　great　peace　and　happiness。
  One　day　when　he　was　out　hunting　a　hare　sprang　up　at　his　feet；　and
  ran　for　some　way　in　front　of　him　in　the　open　field。　　The　hunter
  pursued　it　hotly　for　some　time；　and　at　last　shot　it　dead。　　Then
  he　proceeded　to　skin　it；　never　noticing　that　he　was　close　to　the
  mill…pond；　which　from　childhood　up　he　had　been　taught　to　avoid。
  He　soon　finished　the　skinning；　and　went　to　the　water　to　wash　the
  blood　off　his　hands。　　He　had　hardly　dipped　them　in　the　pond　when
  the　nixy　rose　up　in　the　water；　and　seizing　him　in　her　wet　arms
  she　dragged　him　down　with　her　under　the　waves。
  When　the　hunter　did　not　come　home　in　the　evening　his　wife　grew
  very　anxious；　and　when　his　game　bag　was　found　close　to　the
  mill…pond　she　guessed　at　once　what　had　befallen　him。　　She　was
  nearly　beside　herself　with　grief；　and　roamed　round　and　round　the
  pond　calling　on　her　husband　without　ceasing。　　At　last；　worn　out
  with　sorrow　and　fatigue；　she　fell　asleep　and　dreamt　that　she　was
  wandering　along　a　flowery　meadow；　when　she　came　to　a　hut　where
  she　found　an　old　witch；　who　promised　to　restore　her　husband　to
  her。
  When　she　awoke　next　morning　she　determined　to　set　out　and　find
  the　witch；　so　she　wandered　on　for　many　a　day；　and　at　last　she
  reached　the　flowery　meadow　and　found　the　hut　where　the　old　witch
  lived。　　The　poor　wife　told　her　all　that　had　happened　and　how　she
  had　been　told　in　a　dream　of　the　witch's　power　to　help　her。
  The　witch　counselled　her　to　go　to　the　pond　the　first　time　there
  was　a　full　moon；　and　to　comb　her　black　hair　with　a　golden　comb；
  and　then　to　place　the　comb　on　the　bank。　　The　hunter's　wife　gave
  the　witch　a　handsome　present；　thanked　her　heartily；　and　returned
  home。
  Time　dragged　heavily　till　the　time　of　the　full　moon；　but　it
  passed　at　last；　and　as　soon　as　it　rose　the　young　wife　went　to　the
  pond；　combed　her　black　hair　with　a　golden　comb；　and　when　she　had
  finished；　placed　the　comb　on　the　bank；　then　she　watched　the　water
  impatiently。　　Soon　she　heard　a　rushing　sound；　and　a　big　wave　rose
  suddenly　and　swept　the　comb　off　the　bank；　and　a　minute　after　the
  head　of　her　husband　rose　from　the　pond　and　gazed　sadly　at　her。
  But　immediately　another　wave　came；　and　the　head　sank　back　into
  the　water　without　having　said　a　word。　　The　pond　lay　still　and
  motionless；　glittering　in　the　moonshine；　and　the　hunter's　wife
  was　not　a　bit　better　off　than　she　had　been　before。
  In　despair　she　wandered　about　for　days　and　nights；　and　at　last；
  worn　out　by　fatigue；　she　sank　once　more　into　a　deep　sleep；　and
  dreamt　exactly　the　same　dream　about　the　old　witch。　　So　next
  morning　she　went　again　to　the　flowery　meadow　and　sought　the　witch
  in　her　hut；　and　told　her　of　her　grief。　　The　old　woman　counselled
  her　to　go　to　the　mill…pond　the　next　full　moon　and　play　upon　a
  golden　flute；　and　then　to　lay　the　flute　on　the　bank。
  As　soon　as　the　next　moon　was　full　the　hunter's　wife　went　to　the
  mill…pond；　played　on　a　golden　flute；　and　when　she　had　finished
  placed　it　on　the　bank。　　Then　a　rushing　sound　was　heard；　and　a
  wave　swept　the　flute　off　the　bank；　and　soon　the　head　of　the
  hunter　appeared　and　rose　up　higher　and　higher　till　he　was　half
  out　of　the　water。　　Then　he　gazed　sadly　at　his　wife　and　stretched
  out　his　arms　towards　her。　　But　another　rushing　wave　arose　and
  dragged　him　under　once　more。　　The　hunter's　wife；　who　had　stood　on
  the　bank　full　of　joy　and　hope；　sank　into　despair　when　she　saw　her
  husband　snatched　away　again　before　her　eyes。
  But　for　her　comfort　she　dreamt　the　same　dream　a　third　time；　and
  betook　herself　once　more　to　the　old　witch's　hut　in　the　flowery
  meadow。　　This　time　the　old　woman　told　her　to　go　the　next　full
  moon　to　the　mill…pond；　and　to　spin　there　with　a　golden　spinning…
  wheel；　and　then　to　leave　the　spinning…wheel　on　the　bank。
  The　hunter's　wife　did　as　she　was　advised；　and　the　first　night　the
  moon　was　full　she　sat　and　spun　with　a　golden　spinning…wheel；　and
  then　left　the　wheel　on　the　bank。　　In　a　few　minutes　a　rushing
  sound　was　heard　in　the　waters；　and　a　wave　swept　the
  spinning…wheel　from　the　bank。　　Immediately　the　head　of　the　hunter
  rose　up　from　the　pond；　getting　higher　and　higher　each　moment；
  till　at　length　he　stepped　on　to　the　bank　and　fell　on　his　wife's
  neck。
  But　the　waters　of　the　pond　rose　up　suddenly；　overflowed　the　bank
  where　the　couple　stood；　and　dragged　them　under　the　flood。　　In　her
  despair　the　young　wife　called　on　the　old　witch　to　help　her；　and
  in　a　moment　the　hunter　was　turned　into　a　frog　and　his　wife　into　a
  toad。　　But　they　were　not　able　to　remain　together；　for　the　water
  tore　them　apart；　and　when　the　flood　was　over　they　both　resumed
  their　own　shapes　again；　but　the　hunter　and　the　hunter's　wife
  found　themselves　each　in　a　strange　country；　and　neither　knew　what
  had　become　of　the　other。
  The　hunter　determined　to　become　a　shepherd；　and　his　wife　too
  became　a　shepherdess。　　So　they　herded　their　sheep　for　many　years
  in　solitude　and　sadness。
  Now　it　happened　once　that　the　shepherd　came　to　the　country　where
  the　shepherdess　lived。　　The　neighbourhood　pleased　him；　and　he　saw
  that　the　pasture　was　rich　and　suitable　for　his　flocks。　　So　he
  brought　his　sheep　there；　and　herded　them　as　before。　　The　shepherd
  and　shepherdess　became　great　friends；　but　they　did　not　recognise
  each　other　in　the　least。
  But　one　evening　when　the　moon　was　full　they　sat　together　watching
  their　flocks；　and　the　shepherd　played　upon　his　flute。　　Then　the
  shepherdess　thought　of　that　evening　when　she　had　sat　at　the　full
  moon　by　the　mill…pond　and　had　played　on　the　golden　flute；　the
  recollection　was　too　much　for　her；　and　she　burst　into　tears。　　The
  shepherd　asked　her　why　she　was　crying；　and　left　her　no　peace　till
  she　told　him　all　her　story。　　Then　the　scales　fell　from　the
  shepherd's　eyes；　and　he　recognised　his　wife；　and　she　him。　　So
  they　returned　joyfully　to　their　own　home；　and　lived　in　peace　and
  happiness　ever　after。