Lilla became nervous, and spoke in disjointed sentences.
"Oh no, no, no! I cannot go. I quake, I shake; I will not take a single step. The box will break. Oh, how I quake!"
But the Magpie perched on her shoulder again, saying, "Do not be foolish. Rollo will not let them hurt us;" and he gave Lilla a gentle peck, which made her start forward, and when once she had made a move she found that she could not stop herself: her feet carried her along until she paused in front of Rollo.
And as she paused the lid of the box flew open, and the words jumped out, and arranged themselves on the ground in the following order.
"Earth, air, and sea
All know of me,
And so will you
If you go through."
"Why, it's quite easy to read!" exclaimed Lilla in surprise. "I wonder I never thought of it all this time."
"And it's just as I told you: four four's sixteen, four in each line and four lines. However you count it, you will find it all fours," said the Magpie.
"And it's about me," said Rollo, "for earth, air, and sea all know of me; and brought me here and gave me the Multiphobus. And it's about you also, for you have come through the board to come and see me. The Multiphobus was talking about it when we were flying through the air."
"Was he?" said Lilla; "and he wasn't angry?"
"Angry! No, he is very glad for me to have a playfellow, for I am rather lonely sometimes. And now we can play in the woods all day, and gather strawberries and cherries and plums; and there's a little stove in one of the caves, and I dare say you can make cakes?"