But all he did was to point to the boy who had saved him , and had followed him with his flock . For three days the boy stayed in the palace , receiving the thanks and praises of the whole court . Then he said to Mogarzea : ` The time has come for me to go hence , but tell me , I pray you , how to find the Sweet Milk Lake , and I will return , and will bring my wife back with me . ' Mogarzea tried in vain to make him stay , but , finding it was useless , he told him all he knew , for he himself had never seen the lake . For three summer days the boy and his flute journeyed on , till one evening he reached the lake , which lay in the kingdom of a powerful fairy . The next morning had scarcely dawned when the youth went down to the shore , and began to play on his flute , and the first notes had hardly sounded when he saw a beautiful fairy standing before him , with hair and robes that shone like gold . He gazed at her in wonder , when suddenly she began to dance . Her movements were so graceful that he forgot to play , and as soon as the notes of his flute ceased she vanished from his sight . The next day the same thing happened , but on the third he took courage , and drew a little nearer , playing on his flute all the while . Suddenly he sprang forward , seized her in his arms and kissed her , and plucked a rose from her hair . The fairy gave a cry , and begged him to give her back her rose , but he would not . He only stuck the rose in his hat , and turned a deaf ear to all her prayers . At last she saw that her entreaties were vain , and agreed to marry him , as he wished . And they went together to the palace , where Mogarzea was still waiting for him , and the marriage was celebrated by the emperor himself . But every May they returned to the Milk Lake , they and their children , and bathed in its waters . STAVE ONE MARLEY 'S GHOST Marley was dead , to begin with . There is no doubt whatever about that . The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman , the clerk , the undertaker , and the chief mourner . Scrooge signed it . And Scrooge 's name was good upon ` Change for anything he chose to put his hand to .
Old Marley was as dead XXXXX a door-nail .
For about as from in nearer on that to with