Page:Fairy tales from Hans Christian Andersen (Walker).djvu/285

Rh read all about it here, on the monument in the garden. There are both storks and swans carved on it, and you are at the top yourself, all in white marble."

And so it was: Helga understood all about it now and sank upon her knees.

The sun burst forth, and as in former times the frog's skin fell away before his beams and revealed the beautiful girl; so now, in the baptism of light, a vision of beauty, brighter and purer than the air—a ray of light—rose to the Father. The earthly body dropped away in dust—only a withered lotus flower lay where she had stood.

"Well, that is a new ending to the story," said Father Stork. "I hadn't expected that, but I like it very well."

"What will the young ones say about it?" asked Mother Stork.

"Ah, that is a very important matter," said Father Stork.