At first Gilliflower was very much astonished to be so taken notice of
by a deer of the forest; but looking at it attentively, she saw two
great tears rolling down from the soft human-like eyes, and some
instinct told her that it was her dear princess. She took the forefeet
of the hind, and kissed them as respectfully as if they had been her
mistress's hands. She spoke to her, and though the hind could not
reply, yet it was clear she understood, for the tears flowed faster
than ever, and she showed, by as much intelligence as a dumb beast
could possibly evince, that she responded to the love of the faithful
girl. When Gilliflower promised that she would never quit her, by a
hundred little signs the poor hind tried to express how happy she was.
They passed the day together, Desiree leading her companion to a place
where she had seen plenty of wild fruits; so that Gilliflower, who was
dying of hunger, became strengthened and refreshed. But when night
came, the girl's terrors returned.
"Dear hind," said she, "where shall we sleep? If we stay here the wild
beasts will devour us; is there no little hut where we can hide?"
The poor hind shook her pretty head, and the tears again began to
flow, almost as if she were a human being. Her tears melted the heart
of the Fairy Tulip, who had watched her invisibly all the time, and
now made herself known--appearing suddenly in a shady alley of the
wood.
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