“Mercy!”
But the spirits paid no heed, and both went fluttering, legs in air, head down, turning and circling like feathers in the winter winds, while the spirits said:
“Glory to the manlings male and female, let them dance like us!”
The flower-maidens, wishing to sever Nele from Ulenspiegel, smote her and would have killed her, had not King Springtide, staying the dance with a gesture, cried out:
“Let these two lice be brought before me!”
And they were separated one from the other; and each flower-maiden said, endeavouring to take Ulenspiegel from her rivals:
“Thyl, wouldst thou not die for me?”
“I will do so in a moment,” said Ulenspiegel.
And the dwarf wood sprites that were carrying Nele said:
“Why art thou not a spirit like us, that we might take thee to us!”