II
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Mabie, Hamilton Wright, Forbush, William Byron, and Hale, Edward Everett
The moon rose like gold and went up in the heavens like silver. Tommy opened his eyes and ran to the window. "The moon has risen," said he, "and it is time for me to go." Downstairs he crept softly and out into the still night.
"Hoot! hoot!" cried a voice from the grove near the house.
"That's the Old Owl," thought Tommy. He ran to a big tree and looked up. There he saw the Old Owl, sitting on a branch and staring at him with yellow eyes.
"Oh, dear!" said Tommy, for he did not like the Owl very well.
"Come up here! Come up here!" she cried.
Tommy climbed the tree and sat face to face with her on the big branch.
"Now, what do you want?" said the Owl.
"Please," said Tommy, "I want to know where to find the brownies, and how to get one to come and live with us."
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"Oo-hoo! oo-hoo!" said the Owl. "That's it, is it? I know of three brownies."
"Hurrah!" said Tommy. "Where do they live?"
"In your house," said the Owl.
"In our house! Whereabouts? Why don't they work?" cried Tommy.
"One of them is too little," said the Owl.
"But why don't the other two do something?" said Tommy. "Nobody does any work at our house except father."
"They are idle, they are idle," said the Old Owl.
"Then we don't want them," said Tommy. "What is the use of having brownies in the house if they do nothing to help us?"
"Perhaps they don't know what to do."
"I wish you would tell me where to find them," said Tommy. "I could tell them what to do."
"Could you, could you? Oo-hoo! oo-hoo!" and Tommy could not tell whether the Owl was hooting or laughing.
"Of course I could. They might get up early in the morning and sweep the house, and light the fire, and spread the table before my father comes downstairs."
"So they might!" said the Owl. "Well, I can tell you where to find one of the brownies, and he can tell you where to find his brother. Go to the north side of the pond, where the moon is shining on the water, turn yourself around three times, while you say this charm:
'Twist me and turn me and show me the elf—
I looked in the water and saw—'
Then look in the water, and think of a word which rhymes with 'elf' and makes the charm complete."
Tommy knew the place very well. He ran to the north side of the pond, and turning himself around three times, he repeated the charm. Then he looked in and saw—himself.
"Why, there's no one but myself. I can't think of the right word. What can it be? I'll go back and ask the Old Owl," thought Tommy. And back he went. There sat the Owl as before.
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"Oo-hoo," said she, as Tommy climbed up. "Did you find out the word?"
"No," said Tommy, "I could find no word that rhymes with 'elf' except 'myself.'"
"Well, that is the word! Now, do you know where your brother is?"
"In bed in the loft," said Tommy.
"Then all your questions are answered. Good night;" and the Old Owl began to shake her feathers.
"Don't go yet," said Tommy, humbly; "I don't understand you. I am not a brownie, am I?"
"Yes, you are, and a very idle one, too," said the Old Owl. "All children are brownies."
"But are there really any brownies except children?" inquired Tommy, in a dismal tone.
"No, there are not. Now listen to me, Tommy. Little people can do only little things. When they are idle and mischievous, they are called boggarts, and they are a burden to the house they live in. When they are thoughtful and useful, they are brownies, and are a blessing to every one."
"I'll be a brownie," said Tommy. "I won't be a boggart. Now I'll go home and tell Johnny."
"I'll take you home," said the Owl, and in a moment Tommy found himself in bed, with Johnny sleeping by his side.
"How quickly we came," said Tommy to himself. "But is it morning? That is very strange! I thought the moon was shining. Come, Johnny, get up, I have a story to tell you."