Page:Popular tales from the Norse (1912).djvu/375

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
THE LASSIE AND HER GODMOTHER.
189

stand if they had to pay the fees; and though he begged and prayed, he could get no help. And again, as he went home towards evening, the same lovely lady met him, who looked so sweet and good, and she made him the same offer. So he told his wife again how he had fared, and this time she said, if he couldn't get any one to stand for his babe next day, they must just let the lady have her way, since she seemed so kind and good.

The third day the man went about, but he couldn't get any one to stand; and so when, towards evening, he met the kind lady again, he gave his word she should have the babe if she would only get it christened at the font. So next morning she came to the place where the man lived, followed by two men to stand godfathers, took the babe and carried it to church, and there it was christened. After that she took it to her own house, and there the little girl lived with her several years, and her foster-mother was always kind and friendly to her.

Now when the lassie had grown to be big enough to know right and wrong, her foster-mother got ready to go on a journey.

"You have my leave," she said, "to go all over the house, except those rooms which I show you;" and when she had said that, away she went.

But the lassie could not forbear just to open one of the doors a little bit, when Pop! out flew a Star.

When her foster-mother came back, she was very vexed to find that the star had flown out, and she got very angry with her foster-daughter, and threatened to send her away; but the child cried and begged so hard that she got leave to stay.