These tales John swallowed so eagerly that he thought of nothing else,
and was for ever talking of golden cups, and crowns, and glass shoes,
and pockets full of ducats, and gold rings, and diamond coronets, and
snow-white brides, and the like. Old Klas used often to shake his head
at him and say, "John! John! what are you about? The spade and scythe
will be your sceptre and crown, and your bride will wear a garland of
rosemary and a gown of striped drill."
Still John almost longed to get into the Nine-hills, for Klas had told
him that any one who by luck or cunning should get the cap of one of
the little people might go down with safety, and instead of becoming
their slave, he would be their master. The fairy whose cap he got
would be his servant, and obey all his commands.
Midsummer-eve, when the days are longest and the nights shortest, was
now come. In the village of Rambin old and young kept the holiday, had
all sorts of plays, and told all kinds of stories. John, who knew that
this season was the time for all fairy-people to come abroad, could
now no longer contain himself, but the day after the festival he
slipped away to the Nine-hills, and when it grew dark laid himself
down on the top of the highest of them, which Klas had told him was
the principal dancing-ground of the underground people. John lay there
quite still from ten till twelve at night.
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