The Will-o-the Wisp Is in the Town, Says the Moor Woman · page 21 2 3101Give the little boy a cigar, and the little girl a new crinoline; they like that much better.102To listen to stories!103No, indeed, there are more important things to be done here, and other things to notice!"104"What do you mean by that?" asked the man, "and what do you know of the world?105You don't see anything but frogs and Will-o'-the-Wisps!"106"Yes, beware of the Will-o'-the-Wisps," said the Moor-woman, "for they're out--they're let loose--that's what we must talk about!107Come to me in the moor, where my presence is necessary, and I will tell you all about it; but you must make haste, and come while your seven four-leaved shamrocks, for which one has six leaves, are still fresh, and the moon stands high!"108And the Moor-woman was gone.109It struck twelve in the town, and before the last stroke had died away, the man was out in the yard, out in the garden, and stood in the meadow.110The mist had vanished, and the Moor-woman stopped her brewing.111"You've been a long time coming!" said the Moor-woman. "112Witches get forward faster than men, and I'm glad that I belong to the witch folk!"113"What have you to say to me now?" asked the man. "114Is it anything about the Story?"115"Can you never get beyond asking about that?" retorted the woman.116"Can you tell me anything about the poetry of the future?" resumed the man.117"Don't get on your stilts," said the crone, "and I'll answer you.118You think of nothing but poetry, and only ask about that Story, as if she were the lady of the whole troop.119She's the oldest of us all, but she takes precedence of the youngest.120I know her well.121I've been young, too, and she's no chicken now.122I was once quite a pretty elf-maiden, and have danced in my time with the others in the moonlight, and have heard the nightingale, and have gone into the forest and met the Story-maiden, who was always to be found out there, running about.123Sometimes she took up her night's lodging in a half-blown tulip, or in a field flower; sometimes she would slip into the church, and wrap herself in the mourning crape that hung down from the candles on the altar."124"You are capitally well-informed," said the man.125"I ought at least to know as much as you," answered the Moor-woman. "126Stories and poetry--yes, they're like two yards of the same piece of stuff; they can go and lie down where they like, and one can brew all their prattle, and have it all the better and cheaper.127You shall have it from me for nothing.128I have a whole cupboard-full of poetry in bottles.129It makes essences; and that's the best of it--bitter and sweet herbs.130I have everything that people want of poetry, in bottles, so that I can put a little on my handkerchief, on holidays, to smell."131"Why, these are wonderful things that you're telling!" said the man. "132You have poetry in bottles?"133"More than you can require," said the woman. "134I suppose you know the history of 'the Girl who Trod on the Loaf, so that she might not soil her shoes'?135That has been written, and printed too."136"I told that story myself," said the man.137"Yes, then you must know it; and you must know also that the girl sank into the earth directly, to the Moor-woman, just as Old Bogey's grandmother was paying her morning visit to inspect the brewery.138She saw the girl gliding down, and asked to have her as a remembrance of her visit, and got her too; while I received a present that's of no use to me--a travelling druggist's shop--a whole cupboard-full of poetry in bottles.139Grandmother told me where the cupboard was to be placed, and there it's standing still.140Just look!141You've your seven four-leaved shamrocks in your pocket, one of which is a six-leaved one, and so you will be able to see it."142And really in the midst of the moor lay something like a great knotted block of alder, and that was the old grandmother's cupboard.143The Moor-woman said that this was always open to her and to every one in the land, if they only knew where the cupboard stood.144It could be opened either at the front or at the back, and at every side and corner--a perfect work of art, and yet only an old alder stump in appearance.145The poets of all lands, and especially those of our own country, had been arranged here; the spirit of them had been extracted, refined, criticised and renovated, and then stored up in bottles.146With what may be called great aptitude, if it was not genius the grandmother had taken as it were the flavor of this and of that poet, and had added a little devilry, and then corked up the bottles for use during all future times.147"Pray let me see," said the man.148"Yes, but there are more important things to hear," replied the Moor-woman.149"But now we are at the cupboard!" said the man.150And he looked in. "151Here are bottles of all sizes.152What is in this one? and what in that one yonder?"153"Here is what they call may-balm," replied the woman. "154I have not tried it myself.155But I have not yet told you the 'more important' thing you were to hear.156THE WILL-O'-THE-WISP'S IN THE TOWN!157That's of much more consequence than poetry and stories.158I ought, indeed, to hold my tongue; but there must be a necessity--a fate--a something that sticks in my throat, and that wants to come out.159Take care, you mortals!"160"I don't understand a word of all this!" cried the man.161"Be kind enough to seat yourself on that cupboard," she retorted, "but take care you don't fall through and break the bottles--you know what's inside of them.162I must tell of the great event.163It occurred no longer ago than the day before yesterday.164It did not happen earlier.165It has now three hundred and sixty-three days to run about.166I suppose you know how many days there are in a year?"167And this is what the Moor-woman told:168"There was a great commotion yesterday out here in the marsh!169There was a christening feast!170A little Will-o'-the-Wisp was born here--in fact, twelve of them were born all together; and they have permission, if they choose to use it, to go abroad among men, and to move about and command among them, just as if they were born mortals.171That was a great event in the marsh, and accordingly all the Will-o'-the-Wisps, male and female, went dancing like little lights across the moor.172There are some of them of the dog species, but those are not worth mentioning.173I sat there on the cupboard, and had all the twelve little new-born Will-o'-the-Wisps upon my lap.174They shone like glow-worms; they already began to hop, and increased in size every moment, so that before a quarter of an hour had elapsed, each of them looked just as large as his father or his uncle.175Now, it's an old-established regulation and favor, that when the moon stands just as it did yesterday, and the wind blows just as it blew then, it is allowed and accorded to all Will-o'-the-Wisps--that is, to all those who are born at that minute of time--to become mortals, and individually to exert their power for the space of one year.176"The Will-o'-the-Wisp may run about in the country and through the world, if it is not afraid of falling into the sea, or of being blown out by a heavy storm.177It can enter into a person and speak for him, and make all the movements it pleases.178The Will-o'-the-Wisp may take whatever form he likes, of man or woman, and can act in their spirit and in their disguise in such a way that he can effect whatever he wishes to do.179But he must manage, in the course of the year, to lead three hundred and sixty-five people into a bad way, and in a grand style, too.180To lead them away from the right and the truth; and then he reaches the highest point.181Such a Will-o'-the-Wisp can attain to the honor of being a runner before the devil's state coach; and then he'll wear clothes of fiery yellow, and breathe forth flames out of his throat.182That's enough to make a simple Will-o'-the-Wisp smack his lips.183But there's some danger in this, and a great deal of work for a Will-o'-the-Wisp who aspires to play so distinguished a part.184If the eyes of the man are opened to what he is, and if the man can then blow him away, it's all over with him, and he must come back into the marsh; or if, before the year is up, the Will-o'-the-Wisp is seized with a longing to see his family, and so returns to it and gives the matter up, it is over with him likewise, and he can no longer burn clear, and soon becomes extinguished, and cannot be lit up again; and when the year has elapsed, and he has not led three hundred and sixty-five people away from the truth and from all that is grand and noble, he is condemned to be imprisoned in decayed wood, and to lie glimmering there, without being able to move; and that's the most terrible punishment that can be inflicted on a lively Will-o'-the-Wisp.185"Now, all this I know, and all this I told to the twelve little Will-o'-the-Wisps whom I had on my lap, and who seemed quite crazy with joy.checked by a teacher186"I told them that the safest and most convenient course was to give up the honor, and do nothing at all; but the little flames would not agree to this, and already fancied themselves clad in fiery yellow clothes, breathing flames from their throats.187"'Stay with us,' said some of the older ones.188"'Carry on your sport with mortals,' said the others.189"'The mortals are drying up our meadows; they've taken to draining.190What will our successors do?'191"'We want to flame; we will flame--flame!' cried the new-born Will-o'the-Wisps.192"And thus the affair was settled.193"And now a ball was given, a minute long; it could not well be shorter.194The little elf-maidens whirled round three times with the rest, that they might not appear proud, but they preferred dancing with one another.195"And now the sponsors' gifts were presented, and presents were thrown them.196These presents flew like pebbles across the sea-water.197Each of the elf-maidens gave a little piece of her veil.198"'Take that,' they said, 'and then you'll know the higher dance, the most difficult turns and twists--that is to say, if you should find them necessary.199You'll know the proper deportment, and then you can show yourself in the very pick of society.'200"The night raven taught each of the young Will-o'-the-Wisps to say, 'Goo-goo-good,' and to say it in the right place; and that's a great gift which brings its own reward.1 2 3← previousThe Wild Swans, part 3next →The Story of the Wind↑ back to Fairy Tales of Hans Christian AndersenThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/211/page/2/