FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN
  THE　ELFIN　HILL
  by　Hans　Christian　Andersen
  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　light。　In　the　kitchen　were
  frogs　roasting　on　the　spit；　and　dishes　preparing　of　snail　skins；
  with　children's　fingers　in　them；　salad　of　mushroom　seed；　hemlock；
  noses　and　marrow　of　mice；　beer　from　the　marsh　woman's　brewery；　and
  sparkling　salt…petre　wine　from　the　grave　cellars。　These　were　all
  substantial　food。　Rusty　nails　and　church…window　glass　formed　the
  dessert。　The　old　elf　king　had　his　gold　crown　polished　up　with　powdered
  slate…pencil；　it　was　like　that　used　by　the　first　form；　and　very
  difficult　for　an　elf　king　to　obtain。　In　the　bedrooms；　curtains　were
  hung　up　and　fastened　with　the　slime　of　snails；　there　was；　indeed；　a
  buzzing　and　humming　everywhere。
  〃Now　we　must　fumigate　the　place　with　burnt　horse…hair　and　pig's
  bristles；　and　then　I　think　I　shall　have　done　my　part；〃　said　the　elf
  man…servant。
  〃Father；　dear；〃　said　the　youngest　daughter；　〃may　I　now　hear　who
  our　high…born　visitors　are？〃
  〃Well；　I　suppose　I　must　tell　you　now；〃　he　replied；　〃two　of　my
  daughters　must　prepare　themselves　to　be　married；　for　the　marriages
  certainly　will　take　place。　The　old　goblin　from　Norway；　who　lives　in
  the　ancient　Dovre　mountains；　and　who　possesses　many　castles　built　of
  rock　and　freestone；　besides　a　gold　mine；　which　is　better　than　all；
  so　it　is　thought；　is　coming　with　his　two　sons；　who　are　both　seeking
  a　wife。　The　old　goblin　is　a　true…hearted；　honest；　old　Norwegian
  graybeard；　cheerful　and　straightforward。　I　knew　him　formerly；　when
  we　used　to　drink　together　to　our　good　fellowship：　he　came　here　once　to
  fetch　his　wife；　she　is　dead　now。　She　was　the　daughter　of　the　king　of
  the　chalk…hills　at　Moen。　They　say　he　took　his　wife　from　chalk；　I　shall
  be　delighted　to　see　him　again。　It　is　said　that　the　boys　are
  ill…bred；　forward　lads；　but　perhaps　that　is　not　quite　correct；　and
  they　will　become　better　as　they　grow　older。　Let　me　see　that　you　know
  how　to　teach　them　good　manners。〃
  〃And　when　are　they　coming？〃　asked　the　daughter。
  〃That　depends　upon　wind　and　weather；〃　said　the　elf　king；　〃they
  travel　economically。　They　will　come　when　there　is　the　chance　of　a
  ship。　I　wanted　them　to　come　over　to　Sweden；　but　the　old　man　was　not
  inclined　to　take　my　advice。　He　does　not　go　forward　with　the　times；　and
  that　I　do　not　like。〃
  Two　will…o'…the…wisps　came　jumping　in；　one　quicker　than　the　other；
  so　of　course；　one　arrived　first。　〃They　are　coming！　they　are　coming！〃
  he　cried。
  〃Give　me　my　crown；〃　said　the　elf　king；　〃and　let　me　stand　in　the
  moonshine。〃
  The　daughters　drew　on　their　shawls　and　bowed　down　to　the　ground。
  There　stood　the　old　goblin　from　the　Dovre　mountains；　with　his　crown　of
  hardened　ice　and　polished　fir…cones。　Besides　this；　he　wore　a
  bear…skin；　and　great；　warm　boots；　while　his　sons　went　with　their
  throats　bare　and　wore　no　braces；　for　they　were　strong　men。
  〃Is　that　a　hill？〃　said　the　youngest　of　the　boys；　pointing　to　the
  elf　hill；　〃we　should　call　it　a　hole　in　Norway。〃
  〃Boys；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃a　hole　goes　in；　and　a　hill　stands
  out；　have　you　no　eyes　in　your　heads？〃
  Another　thing　they　wondered　at　was；　that　they　were　able　without
  trouble　to　understand　the　language。
  〃Take　care；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃or　people　will　think　you　have
  not　been　well　brought　up。〃
  Then　they　entered　the　elfin　hill；　where　the　select　and　grand
  company　were　assembled；　and　so　quickly　had　they　appeared　that　they
  seemed　to　have　been　blown　together。　But　for　each　guest　the　neatest　and
  pleasantest　arrangement　had　been　made。　The　sea　folks　sat　at　table　in
  great　water…tubs；　and　they　said　it　was　just　like　being　at　home。　All
  behaved　themselves　properly　excepting　the　two　young　northern　goblins；
  they　put　their　legs　on　the　table　and　thought　they　were　all　right。
  〃Feet　off　the　table…cloth！〃　said　the　old　goblin。　They　obeyed；
  but　not　immediately。　Then　they　tickled　the　ladies　who　waited　at　table；
  with　the　fir…cones；　which　they　carried　in　their　pockets。　They　took　off
  their　boots；　that　they　might　be　more　at　ease；　and　gave　them　to　the
  ladies　to　hold。　But　their　father；　the　old　goblin；　was　very
  different；　he　talked　pleasantly　about　the　stately　Norwegian　rocks；　and
  told　fine　tales　of　the　waterfalls　which　dashed　over　them　with　a
  clattering　noise　like　thunder　or　the　sound　of　an　organ；　spreading
  their　white　foam　on　every　side。　He　told　of　the　salmon　that　leaps　in
  the　rushing　waters；　while　the　water…god　plays　on　his　golden　harp。　He
  spoke　of　the　bright　winter　nights；　when　the　sledge　bells　are
  ringing；　and　the　boys　run　with　burning　torches　across　the　smooth
  ice；　which　is　so　transparent　that　they　can　see　the　fishes　dart　forward
  beneath　their　feet。　He　described　everything　so　clearly；　that　those　who
  listened　could　see　it　all；　they　could　see　the　saw…mills　going；　the
  men…servants　and　the　maidens　singing　songs；　and　dancing　a　rattling
  dance；…　when　all　at　once　the　old　goblin　gave　the　old　elfin　maiden　a
  kiss；　such　a　tremendous　kiss；　and　yet　they　were　almost　strangers　to
  each　other。
  Then　the　elfin　girls　had　to　dance；　first　in　the　usual　way；　and
  then　with　stamping　feet；　which　they　performed　very　well；　then　followed
  the　artistic　and　solo　dance。　Dear　me；　how　they　did　throw　their　legs
  about！　No　one　could　tell　where　the　dance　begun；　or　where　it　ended；　nor
  indeed　which　were　legs　and　which　were　arms；　for　they　were　all　flying
  about　together；　like　t