“Wisp,” she said, “gentle wisp, come tell me what news do you bring from the land of souls? What rule do they live by down there? Do they eat and drink, having no mouths? For you have none, my sweet! Or wait they, perhaps, till they come to blessed Paradise ere taking upon themselves a human form?”
“Why waste time in talking to a peevish little flame that has no ears to hear with, no mouth wherewith to answer?” said Ulenspiegel.
But paying no attention to him, Nele went on:
“Wisp of mine, answer me now by dancing. For I am going to question you thrice. Once in the name of God, once in the name of Our Lady, and once in the name of the Elemental Spirits who are the messengers between God and men.”
And this she did, and three times did the elf dance in answer.
Then Nele said to Ulenspiegel:
“Take off your clothes, and I will do the same. See, here is the silver box which holds the balm of vision.”
“Be it as you wish,” answered Ulenspiegel.
When they had undressed and anointed themselves with the balm of vision, they lay down naked as they were beside one another on the grass.
The sea-gulls screamed; the thunder growled and rumbled, and in the darkness the lightning flashed. Between two clouds the moon scarcely showed her crescent’s golden horns; and the will-o’-the-wisps departed from Nele and Ulenspiegel to go off dancing with their comrades in the fields.