As soon as ever she began to beg, one of them walked over her; till at last in dismay, and in growing horror of the senseless creatures, she had run away to look for somebody to help her.

I asked her what they were like.

She said, like great men, made of wood, without knee-or elbow-joints, and without any noses or mouths or eyes in their faces.

I laughed at the little maiden, thinking she was making child's game of me; but, although she burst out laughing too, she persisted in asserting the truth of her story." "'Only come, knight, come and see; I will lead you.' "So I armed myself, to be ready for anything that might happen, and followed the child; for, though I could make nothing of her story, I could see she was a little human being in need of some help or other.

As she walked before me, I looked attentively at her.