“Mercy me!” the man exclaimed as he caught sight of the strange little coach that was rolling along beside Veikko. “What’s that?”
He stooped down and looked and then with a loud laugh he put out his foot and pushed the coach, the little mouse, her servants, and her five prancing steeds—all off the bridge and into the water below.
“What have you done! What have you done!” Veikko cried. “You’ve drowned my poor little sweetheart!”
The man thinking Veikko was crazy hurried away.
Veikko with tears in his eyes looked down into the water.
She beckoned to Veikko
“You poor little mouse!” he said. “How sorry I am [!-- original location of Beckoned illustration --] [!-- blank page --] that you are drowned! You were a faithful loving sweetheart and now that you are gone I know how much I loved you!”
As he spoke he saw a beautiful coach of gold drawn by five glossy horses go up the far bank of the river. A coachman in gold lace held the reins and a footman in pointed cap sat up stiffly behind. The most beautiful girl in the world was seated in the coach. Her skin was as red as a berry and as white as snow, her long golden hair gleamed with jewels, and she was dressed in pearly velvet. She beckoned to Veikko and when he came close she said: