“It is ‘Sea’ among men; ‘Level’ among the Heroes; ‘Wave’ among the Wanes; ‘Sound-ham’ among the Giants; the Elfs call it ‘Sea-blink,’ and the Dwarfs call it ‘Deep.’”
“Tell me, Allwise, for methinks thou, Dwarf, knowest the whole history of mankind, how is ‘Fire’ that burns before the sons of men called by all the beings that are?”
“It is ‘Fire’ among men; and ‘Fire’ among the Heroes; the Wanes call it ‘Wavy;’ ‘Greedy’ the Giants; ‘Furnace fire’ the Dwarfs; and in Hell they call it ‘Destroyer.’”
“Tell me, Allwise, for methinks thou, Dwarf, knowest the whole history of mankind, how is the Wood that grows before the sons of men called by all the beings that are?”
“It is ‘Wood’ among men; ‘Wield-fire’ among the Heroes; in Hell it is ‘Cliff-wrack’; Giants call it ‘Firewood’; the Elfs ‘Fair-foliage’; and the Wanes call it ‘Wand.’”
“Tell me, Allwise, for methinks thou, Dwarf, knowest the whole history of mankind, how is Night, Norwis’ daughter, called by all the beings that are?”
“‘Night’ among men; ‘Newl’ among the Heroes; ‘Unlight’ the Giants; ‘Sleep-joy’ the Elfs; and the Dwarfs call it ‘Sleep-fairy.’”
“Tell me, Allwise, for methinks thou, Dwarf, knowest the whole history of mankind, how is the Seed that the sons of men sow called by all the beings that are?”
“‘Bigg’ among men; ‘Barley’ among the Heroes; the Wanes call it ‘Waxth’; ‘Oat’ the Giants; the Elfs ‘Lees-staff’; in Hell it is ‘Blight.’”
“Tell me, Allwise, for methinks thou, Dwarf, knowest the whole history of mankind, how is the Ale the sons of men drink called by all the beings that are?”
“‘Ale’ among men; ‘Beer’ among the Heroes; the Wanes call it ‘Draught’; ‘Clear-lees’ the Giants; in Hell it is ‘Mead’; while the Dwarfs call it ‘Good cheer!’”
“Now,” said Thor, “I never on one man’s tongue saw more of the olden words, but with great wiles, oh, Allwise,hast thou been beguiled, for the Day is upon thee, Dwarf; the hall is full of sunshine.”
It was even as Thor said the day had come, and with it the Dwarf who had been kept in close talk without guessing why was suddenly turned into a figure of stone, and the Heroes were relieved of their rash promise to send the beautiful Freya from Asgard as wife of the dark-loving Allwise.
The Scandinavian Dwarf having resumed his place, Oberon turned to his Queen and said that her Nymphidia had given them all a very pretty little song, perhaps some of her attendants had stories they would like to tell.
“Of course they have,” replied Titania, and turned to the fairies immediately about her throne, saying, “now who shall it be?”
Quick, as befitted her name, was the first to respond with, “If a very short story will do I can tell one,” and Pink almost in the same breath said “I can tell one if a very short one will do.”
Titania stopped the others who would have offered also, and said, “Quick and Pink shall tell them, then.”
At once Quick took her place, and when all the fairy kingdom was attentive began to tell about