III.
"It isn't the town, you see," said the Magpie; "there's not a house near, and there's nothing but country, country everywhere."
"Oh, it's lovely!" said Lilla, clasping her hands; and then suddenly remembering the silver box, she said—
"Shall I shake it?"
The Magpie nodded, and repeated these words—
"Ay, shake away; ay, shake away;
You p'r'aps must shake for many a day,
Before the end comes to our play.
But shake away, 'twill make us gay,
And help to cheer us on our way."
"The box?" exclaimed Lilla.
"No, what's in it. It's a magic spell, and when you can spell it out the spell will be accomplished." As "accomplished" was a long word for the Magpie to say, he said it twice or thrice, whilst Lilla kept shaking the box, for she was very impatient to know what the end would be.
The Magpie fluttered his wings, and put his head on one side, muttering—
"Not yet, not yet."