"But, my dear, it couldn't have been anything but a dream."
"Well, wait. I'm going to go down and tell grandmamma about it; and if it's the same story, then you know it _must_ be true."
"Very well; only go down quietly, for she may not have wakened from her nap yet."
When Ellen peeped in through her grandmother's door, however, she saw the old lady sitting over in her rocking-chair near the window, knitting.
"Yes, yes, come in, little Clara. I was just wondering where you and all the other children were."
The child drew up a little stool and sat down by her grandmother's knee. "Granny," she said, trying to speak quietly, "I think I know what happened to little Goldenhair now. Shall I tell you the story?"
So Ellen told her grandmother the story of Goldenhair.
The grandmother listened, smiling and nodding her head. After a while she grew so interested that she pushed her glasses up on top of her cap.
"Yes, yes, that is it. I didn't know anybody remembered that story any more, but that is the way I heard it when I was a child."
"Then it's true," cried the child triumphantly; "and I really did find the Queerbodies' house, and see them making stories."
"Ah, yes, I knew a Queerbody once, and she used to make stories;--verses, too. She was a lovely girl. It was long ago."
"And did she tell you all about the Queerbodies' house and the golden jars?"
But the grandmother shook her head. "It is a long time ago, and I forget. I am so old--so old, little Clara."
"I knew it was n't a dream," murmured the child; and as she sat there by her grandmother's knee she felt the Fairy Tale was there, smiling gently upon them both, even though no one could see her.
THE CHRISTMAS ANGEL AS THE GOOSE FLIES NANCY RUTLEDGE IN THE GREEN FOREST WONDER TALES RETOLD TALES OF FOLK AND FAIRIES TALES OF WONDER AND MAGIC FAIRY TALES FROM FAR AND NEAR
End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of As the Goose Flies, by Katherine Pyle