The Elves and the Servant Girl
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The industrious servant-girl finds a mysterious invitation on the sweepings heap.
There was once a poor servant-girl, who was industrious and cleanly, and swept the house every day, and emptied her sweepings on the great heap in front of the door.
One morning when she was just going back to her work, she found a letter on this heap, and as she could not read, she put her broom in the corner, and took the letter to her master and mistress, and behold it was an invitation from the elves, who asked the girl to hold a child for them at its christening.
The girl accepts the invitation and is led to the elegant hollow mountain of the elves.
The girl did not know what to do, but at length, after much persuasion, and as they told her that it was not right to refuse an invitation of this kind, she consented.
Then three elves came and conducted her to a hollow mountain, where the little folks lived. Everything there was small, but more elegant and beautiful than can be described.
In the exquisite chambers, the girl attends the christening and is entreated to stay.
The baby's mother lay in a bed of black ebony ornamented with pearls, the coverlids were embroidered with gold, the cradle was of ivory, the bath of gold.
The girl stood as godmother, and then wanted to go home again, but the little elves urgently entreated her to stay three days with them.
The girl enjoys her stay and finally departs with pockets full of money.
So she stayed, and passed the time in pleasure and gaiety, and the little folks did all they could to make her happy.
At last she set out on her way home. Then first they filled her pockets quite full of money, and after that they led her out of the mountain again.
Returning home, she is shocked to find that seven years have passed in the human world.
When she got home, she wanted to begin her work, and took the broom, which was still standing in the corner, in her hand and began to sweep.
Then some strangers came out of the house, who asked her who she was, and what business she had there? And she had not, as she thought, been three days with the little men in the mountains, but seven years, and in the meantime her former masters had died.
