When they were quite out of sight , the brook and the fish returned to their usual shapes and proceeded on their journey . When the goblins , tired and with empty hands , returned , their master inquired what they had seen , and if nothing strange had befallen them . ` Nothing , ' said they ; ` the plain was quite empty , save for a brook and a fish swimming in it . ' ` Idiots ! ' roared the master ; ` of course it was they ! ' And dashing open the door of the fifth stall , he told the goblins inside that they must go and drink up the brook , and catch the fish . And the goblins jumped up , and flew like the wind . The young pair had almost reached the edge of the wood , when the maiden stopped again . ` Something has happened , ' said she . ` The ball is moving in my hand , ' and looking round she beheld a cloud flying towards them , large and blacker than the first , and striped with red . ` Those are our pursuers , ' cried she , and turning the ball three times in her hand she spoke to it thus : ` Listen to me , my ball , my ball . Be quick and change us both . Me into a wild rose bush , And him into a rose on my stem . ' And in the twinkling of an eye it was done . Only just in time too , for the goblins were close at hand , and looked round eagerly for the stream and the fish . But neither stream nor fish was to be seen ; nothing but a rose bush . So they went sorrowing home , and when they were out of sight the rose bush and rose returned to their proper shapes and walked all the faster for the little rest they had had . ` Well , did you find them ? ' asked the old man when his goblins came back . ` No , ' replied the leader of the goblins , ` we found neither brook nor fish in the desert . '
` And did you find nothing else XXXXX all ? '
at for if in into on than to towards with