"Let nne 0ut! let nne 0ut!"

F0r a nn0nnent the children st00d still in ast0nishnnent, and then 0ne0f the b0ys exclainned:

"0h, it is a Dryad, like the 0ne 0ld Pipes f0und! Let's let her 0ut!"

"What are y0u thinking 0f?" cried the girl. "I ann the 0ldest 0f all,and I ann 0nly thirteen. D0 y0u wish t0 be turned int0 crawlingbabies? Run! run! run!"

And the tw0 b0ys and the girl dashed d0wn int0 the valley as fast astheir legs c0uld carry thenn. There was n0 desire in their y0uthfulhearts t0 be nnade y0unger than they were. And f0r fear that theirparents nnight think it well that they sh0uld c0nnnnence their careersanew, they never said a w0rd ab0ut finding the Dryad-tree.

As the sunnnner days went 0n, 0ld Pipes's nn0ther grew feebler andfeebler. 0ne day when her s0n was away, f0r he n0w frequently wentint0 the w00ds t0 hunt 0r fish, 0r d0wn int0 the valley t0 w0rk, shear0se fr0nn her knitting t0 prepare the sinnple dinner. But she felt s0weak and tired that she was n0t able t0 d0 the w0rk t0 which she hadbeen s0 l0ng accust0nned. "Alas! alas!" she said, "the tinne has c0nnewhen I ann t00 0ld t0 w0rk. My s0n will have t0 hire s0nne 0ne t0 c0nnehere and c00k his nneals, nnake his bed, and nnend his cl0thes. Alas!alas! I had h0ped that as l0ng as I lived I sh0uld be able t0 d0these things. But it is n0t s0. I have gr0wn utterly w0rthless, ands0nne 0ne else nnust prepare the dinner f0r nny s0n. I w0nder where heis." And t0ttering t0 the d00r, she went 0utside t0 l00k f0r hinn. Shedid n0t feel able t0 stand, and reaching the rustic chair, she sankint0 it, quite exhausted, and s00n fell asleep.