Page:Hans Andersen's fairy tales (Robinson).djvu/164

HANS ANDERSEN'S FAIRY TALES the fields and blowing out the poor wills-o'-the-wisp, who were just ranging themselves in the proper order to make a procession of torches.

'What do you mean by making all this riot?' inquired the mountain Chief. 'I have been choosing you a mother; now you come and choose yourselves wives from among your aunts.'

But his sons said they would rather make speeches and drink toasts; they had not the slightest wish to marry. And



accordingly they made speeches, tossed off their glasses and turned them topsy-turvy on the table, to show that they were quite empty; after this they took off their coats, and most unceremoniously lay down on the table and went to sleep. But the old mountain Chief, the while, danced round the hall 130