A FEW large lizards were running nimbly about in the　

　　clefts of an old tree; they could understand one another very　

　　well, for they spoke the lizard language.　

　　"What a buzzing and a rumbling there is in the elfin　

　　hill," said one of the lizards; "I have not been able to close　

　　my eyes for two nights on account of the noise; I might just　

　　as well have had the toothache, for that always keeps me　

　　awake."　

　　"There is something going on within there," said the other　

　　lizard; "they propped up the top of the hill with four red　

　　posts, till cock-crow this morning, so that it is thoroughly　

　　aired, and the elfin girls have learnt new dances; there is　

　　something."　

　　"I spoke about it to an earth-worm of my acquaintance,"　

　　said a third lizard; "the earth-worm had just come from the　

　　elfin hill, where he has been groping about in the earth day　

　　and night. He has heard a great deal; although he cannot see,　

　　poor miserable creature, yet he understands very well how to　

　　wriggle and lurk about. They expect friends in the elfin hill,　

　　grand company, too; but who they are the earth-worm would not　

　　say, or, perhaps, he really did not know. All the　

　　will-o”-the-wisps are ordered to be there to hold a torch　

　　dance, as it is called. The silver and gold which is plentiful　

　　in the hill will be polished and placed out in the moonlight."　

　　"Who can the strangers be?" asked the lizards; "what can　

　　the matter be? Hark, what a buzzing and humming there is!"　

　　Just at this moment the elfin hill opened, and an old　

　　elfin maiden, hollow behind, came tripping out; she was the　

　　old elf king”s housekeeper, and a distant relative of the　

　　family; therefore she wore an amber heart on the middle of her　

　　forehead. Her feet moved very fast, "trip, trip;" good　

　　gracious, how she could trip right down to the sea to the　

　　night-raven.　

　　"You are invited to the elf hill for this evening," said　

　　she; "but will you do me a great favor and undertake the　

　　invitations? you ought to do something, for you have no　

　　housekeeping to attend to as I have. We are going to have some　

　　very grand people, conjurors, who have always something to　

　　say; and therefore the old elf king wishes to make a great　

　　display."　

　　"Who is to be invited?" asked the raven.　

　　"All the world may come to the great ball, even human　

　　beings, if they can only talk in their sleep, or do something　

　　after our fashion. But for the feast the company must be　

　　carefully selected; we can only admit persons of high rank; I　

　　have had a dispute myself with the elf king, as he thought we　

　　could not admit ghosts. The merman and his daughter must be　

　　invited first, although it may not be agreeable to them to　

　　remain so long on dry land, but they shall have a wet stone to　

　　sit on, or perhaps something better; so I think they will not　

　　refuse this time. We must have all the old demons of the first　

　　class, with tails, and the hobgoblins and imps; and then I　

　　think we ought not to leave out the death-horse, or the　

　　grave-pig, or even the church dwarf, although they do belong　

　　to the clergy, and are not reckoned among our people; but that　

　　is merely their office, they are nearly related to us, and　

　　visit us very frequently."　

　　"Croak," said the night-raven as he flew away with the　

　　invitations.　

　　The elfin maidens we”re already dancing on the elf hill,　

　　and they danced in shawls woven from moonshine and mist, which　

　　look very pretty to those who like such things. The large hall　

　　within the elf hill was splendidly decorated; the floor had　

　　been washed with moonshine, and the walls had been rubbed with　

　　magic ointment, so that they glowed like tulip-leaves in the　

　&n

作者：上華鎮 空格