'I am very busy watching a little bird, so you
must go away and play with little Niebla down by the river.'
"Then the cat ran away among the weeds and left her. The dogs also
refused to play when she went to them; for they had to watch the house
and bark at strangers. Then they also told her to go and play with
little Niebla down by the river. Then Alma ran out and caught a little
duckling, a soft little thing that looked like a ball of yellow cotton,
and said:
"'Now, little duck, let us talk and play.'
"But the duckling only struggled to get away and screamed, 'Oh, mamma,
mamma, come and take me away from Alma!'
"Then the old duck came rushing up, and said:
"'Alma, let my child alone: and if you want to play, go and play with
Niebla down by the river. A nice thing to catch my duckie in your
hands--what next, I wonder!'
"So she let the duckling go, and at last she said, 'Yes, I will go and
play with Niebla down by the river.'
"She waited till she saw the white mist, and then ran all the way to
the Yi, and stood still on the green bank close by the water with the
white mist all round her. By and by she saw a beautiful little child
come flying towards her in the white mist. The child came and stood
on the green bank and looked at Alma. Very, very pretty she was; and
she wore a white dress--whiter than milk, whiter than foam, and all
embroidered with purple flowers; she had also white silk stockings,
and scarlet shoes, bright as scarlet verbenas.
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