“It is dark down here,” murmured Cis, as they stepped on the bank where high fern-trees and thick bushes shaded the gully.
Turning round, Santa Claus placed in Hal’s hand the wand whereon so brightly shone the star of Love. “Take that,” he said, “it will give you light in the darkest places;” and, as the light from the star fell around, the black waters danced and gleamed, and the dark mosses shone.
“Please do stop a little while, here, Mr. Santa Claus,” begged Hal, “I want so much to have a look at that big carp I saw the other day in the pool,” and, as he spoke, the fish, his gold and silver scales glittering in the light, came near, and amid the rippling of the waters the children heard a little voice singing:—
The Song of the Carp.
“Here in the cool waters
Who will catch me now?
Come, ye children, twine ye
Green weeds round your brow.