Who could have taken them ? Well , she was to know that by-and-by . But WE can guess that the doll had been dressed in them , which was to go back to the village in her stead . By the time the sun rose the doll had attained her full size , and no one could have told one girl from the other . Elsa started back when she met herself as she looked only yesterday . ` You must not be frightened , ' said the lady , when she noticed her terror ; ` this clay figure can do you no harm . It is for your stepmother , that she may beat it instead of you . Let her flog it as hard as she will , it can never feel any pain . And if the wicked woman does not come one day to a better mind your double will be able at last to give her the punishment she deserves . ' From this moment Elsa 's life was that of the ordinary happy child , who has been rocked to sleep in her babyhood in a lovely golden cradle . She had no cares or troubles of any sort , and every day her tasks became easier , and the years that had gone before seemed more and more like a bad dream . But the happier she grew the deeper was her wonder at everything around her , and the more firmly she was persuaded that some great unknown power must be at the bottom of it all . In the courtyard stood a huge granite block about twenty steps from the house , and when meal times came round the old man with the long beard went to the block , drew out a small silver staff , and struck the stone with it three times , so that the sound could be heard a long way off . At the third blow , out sprang a large golden cock , and stood upon the stone . Whenever he crowed and flapped his wings the rock opened and something came out of it . First a long table covered with dishes ready laid for the number of persons who would be seated round it , and this flew into the house all by itself . When the cock crowed for the second time , a number of chairs appeared , and flew after the table ; then wine , apples , and other fruit , all without trouble to anybody . After everybody had had enough , the old man struck the rock again . The golden cock crowed afresh , and back went dishes , table , chairs , and plates into the middle of the block . When , however , it came to the turn of the thirteenth dish , which nobody ever wanted to eat , a huge black cat ran up , and stood on the rock close to the cock , while the dish was on his other side .
There they all remained , till they were joined XXXXX the old man .
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