They hastened after me, and when they came up,—
“I would not take you to her house if I did not believe her good,” I said.
“We know you would not,” they answered.
“If I were to do something that frightened you—what would you say?”
“The beasts frightened us sometimes at first, but they never hurt us!” answered one.
“That was before we knew them!” added another.
“Just so!” I answered. “When you see the woman in that cottage, you will know that she is good. You may wonder at what she does, but she will always be good. I know her better than you know me. She will not hurt you,—or if she does,——”
“Ah, you are not sure about it, king dear! You think she MAY hurt us!”
“I am sure she will never be unkind to you, even if she do hurt you!”
They were silent for a while.