We sat gazing into the fire on the hearth.
Presently, we heard something rustling outside the door: it flew open, and a beautiful little girl three or four years old, richly dressed, stood on the threshold smiling at us.

We were quite dumb with astonishment, and I knew not at first whether it were a vision or a reality.

But I saw the water dripping from her golden hair and rich garments, and I perceived that the pretty child had been lying in the water, and needed help.

'Wife,' said I, 'no one has been able to save our dear child; yet let us at any rate do for others what would have made us so blessed.' We undressed the little one, put her to bed, and gave her something warm; at all this she spoke not a word, and only fixed her eyes, that reflected the blue of the lake and of the sky, smilingly upon us.

Next morning we quickly perceived that she had taken no harm from her wetting, and I now inquired about her parents, and how she had come here.