either he bent over too far, or whatever the cause might be, the bough suddenly cracked, and that very moment the maiden slipped into the skin, sprang away like a roe, and as the moon was suddenly covered, disappeared from his eyes. hardly had she disappeared, before the count descended from the tree, and hastened after her with nimble steps. he had not been gone long before he saw, in the twilight, two figures coming over the meadow. it was the king and queen, who had perceived from a distance the light shining in the old woman’s little house, and were going to it. the count told them what wonderful things he had seen by the well, and they did not doubt that it had been their lost daughter. they walked onwards full of joy, and soon came to the little house. the geese were sitting all round it, and had thrust their heads under their wings and were sleeping, and not one of them moved. the king and queen looked in at the window, the old woman was sitting there quite quietly spinning, nodding her head and never looking round. the room was perfectly clean, as if the little mist men, who carry no dust on their feet, lived there. their daughter, however, they did not see.