Page:The Allies Fairy Book.djvu/192

 human game upon their lands; we are the avengers of useless battles, of the blood shed in prisons, of men burnt alive, of women and maidens buried alive, the avengers of a past of blood and chains. We are fire, we are the souls of the dead.”

At these words the Seven were changed into wooden statues, without losing their original forms.

And a voice said:

“Ulenspiegel, burn this wood.”

So Ulenspiegel turned to the will-o’-the-wisps and said: “You who are fire, fulfil your mission.”

And the will-o’-the-wisps surrounded the Seven, who were burnt and reduced to ashes. And a river of blood began to flow.

Then from the ashes came forth seven other figures; the first said:

“I was called Pride, I am now noble Courage.” The others spoke in like fashion, and Ulenspiegel and Nele saw Economy rise from Avarice, Vivacity from Anger, Appetite from Gluttony, Emulation from Envy, and from Idleness, the Meditations of poets and philosophers. And Lust, on her goat, was changed into a fair woman whose name was Love.

And the will-o’-the-wisps danced round them joyously. Ulenspiegel and Nele then heard thousands of gleeful, sonorous voices of hidden men and women, singing to a sound as of castanets:

And Ulenspiegel said: “The spirits are mocking us.” Then a mighty hand seized Nele by the arm and hurled her into space.

And the spirits sang: