my head how you can go down to the other lake, and will not need any
money either."

Rico paused suddenly and gazed at his companion, awaiting what was
coming next.

"Don't you see," she said earnestly, "now you have a fiddle, and you
know a song. You can go and play your song, and sing before the
taverns; then the people will give you something to eat and to drink,
and let you sleep there, for they will see that you are not a beggar.
So you can go on until you reach the lake; and, coming home, you can do
the same thing again."

Rico reflected over these words, but Stineli would give him no time for
dreaming: she wanted to go on with the song.

They made so much noise themselves, that they did not hear the
prayer-bell at all; and did not notice what time it was until reminded
by the growing darkness, and perceived the grandmother looking about
anxiously for them before they reached the houses.

But Stineli was too much excited to be subdued by any thing. She ran on
towards her grandmother, and said, "You have no idea how beautifully
Rico can fiddle; and we have made a song of our own, for ourselves only.
We will sing it to you this very moment."

And before there was time to answer, they began and sang it all through;
and the good grandmother listened with real pleasure to their sweet,
clear voices.