After dinner the lady said kindly to Elsa , ` Kisika has begged me to let you stay with her , and you have told her you would like to live here . Is that so ? ' At these words Elsa fell on her knees , and kissed the lady 's hands and feet in gratitude for her escape from her cruel stepmother ; but her hostess raised her from the ground and patted her head , saying , ` All will go well as long as you are a good , obedient child , and I will take care of you and see that you want for nothing till you are grown up and can look after yourself . My waiting-maid , who teaches Kisika all sorts of fine handiwork , shall teach you too . ' Not long after the old man came back with a mould full of clay on his shoulders , and a little covered basket in his left hand . He put down his mould and his basket on the ground , took up a handful of clay , and made a doll as large as life . When it was finished he bored a hole in the doll 's breast and put a bit of bread inside ; then , drawing a snake out of the basket , forced it to enter the hollow body . ` Now , ' he said to the lady , ` all we want is a drop of the maiden 's blood . ' When she heard this Elsa grew white with horror , for she thought she was selling her soul to the evil one . ` Do not be afraid ! ' the lady hastened to say ; ` we do not want your blood for any bad purpose , but rather to give you freedom and happiness . ' Then she took a tiny golden needle , pricked Elsa in the arm , and gave the needle to the old man , who stuck it into the heart of the doll . When this was done he placed the figure in the basket , promising that the next day they should all see what a beautiful piece of work he had finished . When Elsa awoke the next morning in her silken bed , with its soft white pillows , she saw a beautiful dress lying over the back of a chair , ready for her to put on . A maid came in to comb out her long hair , and brought the finest linen for her use ; but nothing gave Elsa so much joy as the little pair of embroidered shoes that she held in her hand , for the girl had hitherto been forced to run about barefoot by her cruel stepmother . In her excitement she never gave a thought to the rough clothes she had worn the day before , which had disappeared as if by magic during the night . 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 XXXXX she looked only yesterday .
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