"How can I break this spell?" said their sister. And then
she talked about it nearly the whole night, only slumbering for a
few hours. Eliza was awakened by the rustling of the swans' wings
as they soared above. Her brothers were again changed to swans, and
they flew in circles wider and wider, till they were far away; but
one of them, the youngest swan, remained behind, and laid his head
in his sister's lap, while she stroked his wings; and they remained
together the whole day. Towards evening, the rest came back, and as
the sun went down they resumed their natural forms. "To-morrow,"
said one, "we shall fly away, not to return again till a whole year
has passed. But we cannot leave you here. Have you courage to go
with us? My arm is strong enough to carry you through the wood;
