"No, no," exclaimed Paula, decidedly, "the cross must not be lost, on
any account. It came from my grandmother and is my greatest treasure."

Paula herself seized the ribbon, and tied two or three knots one after
the other, to make it hold fast. Suddenly she pricked up her ears:
"Listen, listen, Aunt, now something really lively is coming."

A merry song sounded from far above them; then came a long, shrill
yodel; then there was singing again.

The ladies looked upwards, but could see no living thing. The footpath
was very crooked, often passing between tall bushes and then between
projecting slopes, so that from below one could see up only a very short
distance. But now there suddenly appeared something alive on the slopes
above, in every place where the narrow path could be seen, and louder
and nearer sounded the singing.

"See, see, Aunt, there! Here! See there! See there!" exclaimed Paula
with great delight, and before the aunt was aware of it, three, four
goats came bounding down, and more and more of them, each wearing around
the neck a little bell so that the sound came from every direction. In
the midst of the flock came the goat-boy leaping along, and singing his
song to the very end:

"And in winter I am happy,
For weeping is in vain,
And, besides, the glad springtime
Will soon come again."