When the old woman awoke, all was quiet and dark in the room. The candles on the tree had quite burned out, the cuckoo in the clock called twelve, and from the village, came the sound of bells, ringing the glad tidings of Christmas Day. Across the brook, she could see the lanterns flickering in the village square and the people gathering for church. But she did not feel strong enough to go to the midnight service. Then she thought, with a smile, of what she had seen on Christmas Eve, but she said to herself with a sigh, »It was only a dream«, and took herself off to bed.
In the morning she milked Speckle and, as she drank the good, warm milk, she laughed to herself over her dream. But it would not leave her mind and, presently, she went to the hearth to see whence the procession of gnomes had come. She found nothing but a hole in the floor, large enough for a cat to pass through; but she thought to herself, »Why should I not go to the well by the chapel?«
Over her shoulders she threw a warm sheepskin coat, with the wool inside and flowers embroidered on the outside, such as the country people wear, and, taking a hoe and a lantern, went to the chapel.
There had been a keen frost and the fields were covered with snow, which sparkled in the sun. The snow was also away up to the eaves of the chapel, while from the blackberry stalks over the well, hung transparent icicles. The herb woman pushed aside the bushes and, crawling into the well, dug away the rubbish until she had uncovered the fifth circle of stones with which the well was lined.
She laughed at herself to think that she should believe in dreams; but her heart was beating rapidly as she lighted her lantern and, digging away the gravel, looked at one stone after the other. »When I do not find the stone with the horseshoe,« she thought, »I will be convinced that it was only a dream.« But as she touched the damp moss on one stone, she felt a little depression and, when she had cleaned it, there was the horseshoe.
The stone was large and heavy and her hands trembled as she set her hoe into the fissure; but lo! the stone was not cemented like the rest and was easily loosened. When she had pulled it out, from behind the stone, came shining gold pieces, as bright and clean as if they had been minted only the day before. Off came her apron, in which she tied up the money; but the bundle was so heavy that she could hardly lift it.
She would have liked to look still further into the realm of the gnomes, for behind the stone was a hole running deep into the ground; but she thought of the old king's request and, setting the stone in its place, hurried back home with her treasure.
Now, she was rid of all worry as to how she should keep herself when she should grow very old. In her heart, she thanked the little gnomes for their care of her and decided to remain in her little hut as long as she lived.
