'Do not be afraid!' the lady hastened to say; 'we do not want
your blood for any bad purpose, but rather to give you freedom
and happiness.'

Then she took a tiny golden needle, pricked Elsa in the arm, and
gave the needle to the old man, who stuck it into the heart of
the doll. When this was done he placed the figure in the basket,
promising that the next day they should all see what a beautiful
piece of work he had finished.

When Elsa awoke the next morning in her silken bed, with its soft
white pillows, she saw a beautiful dress lying over the back of a
chair, ready for her to put on. A maid came in to comb out her
long hair, and brought the finest linen for her use; but nothing
gave Elsa so much joy as the little pair of embroidered shoes
that she held in her hand, for the girl had hitherto been forced
to run about barefoot by her cruel stepmother. In her excitement
she never gave a thought to the rough clothes she had worn the
day before, which had disappeared as if by magic during the
night. Who could have taken them? Well, she was to know that
by-and-by. But WE can guess that the doll had been dressed in
them, which was to go back to the village in her stead. By the
time the sun rose the doll had attained her full size, and no one
could have told one girl from the other. Elsa started back when
she met herself as she looked only yesterday.

'You must not be frightened,' said the lady, when she noticed her
terror; 'this clay figure can do you no harm. It is for your
stepmother, that she may beat it instead of you. Let her flog it