Page 45 - The Green Beaubird

mother and told her he had once more seen
the youths with the stars on their foreheads.
Again the queen-mother was greatly
perplexed, and again she bade them summon
the midwife, to whom she secretly told all she
had heard, and at the same time begged her to
find a way out of the danger. The gossip bade
her take courage, for she would so plan this

time that they would be seen no more. The
midwife went again to seek Serena, whom she
found alone, and asked her whether she had
got any of the dancing water. 'I have it,' the
girl replied,' but the winning of it nearly
caused the death of my brothers.' 'The water is
fair enough,' said the woman, 'but you ought

to have like wise the singing apple. You never
saw fruit so fair to look upon, or listened to
music so sweet as that which it discourses.'
'But how shall I get it? 'said Serena; 'for my
brothers will never go in search of it, seeing
that in their last venture they were more in
peril of death than in hope of life.' 'But they
won the dancing water for you,' said the
woman, 'and they are still alive; they will get

for you the singing apple just as harmlessly;'
and, having spoken, she went her

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