"No, no; my wings are not strong enough for that, and if I should fall we would all three break our necks."
"Then what shall we do?"
"I have a rope," said the little old woman timidly. "While I have been up here alone I spent my time making it, and now I think it is long enough. I often thought I would try to lower myself to the earth by it, but I was afraid."
Ellen looked at the gander. "That might do," he said. "Bring it here, and bring a basket, too; the biggest one you have."
The little old woman hastened away, and in a short time returned with the rope and a basket.
"Now tie them together," said the gander.
Ellen and the old woman did this, seeing to it that the knots were tight.
Then the white gander made Ellen twist the rope around a tree, so that the basket would hang down just over the cloudy edge of the sky country.