"Why, what is it?" she asked.
"It is what I went to fetch," she said; "drink it and see."
The light was shining on his face as he raised it to his mouth and drank
it off, and suddenly there came into his eyes a look of great joy.
"Why," he said, "I can see!" and in a moment he had thrown his arms
round her and drew her tightly to him. "I love you more than all the
world!" he said. "Do you love me?"
She seemed to have forgotten all about the elixir, for instead of
saying, "Don't be ridiculous!" she just said, "Yes, I love you very
much."
And the stream roared on over the great boulder and whirled back over
the rocky shallows, and the shadows in the valleys grew darker and
darker; but they both had a great deal to say, though, as a matter of
fact, it might most of it have been said with three words and a kiss.
But, you see, they preferred to do it in another way; at least, as far
as the speaking went--in my experience, there is only one way of
kissing.
"So you see, I shan't be able to fly away any more," she said, after she
had related her story, "because the poor wind-flower crown is all
boiled."
"Oh, well," he said, "I dare say you won't want it again, unless you get
very tired of me."
And she said, "Don't be ridiculous!" but even that had nothing to do
with the elixir.
And so they went home down the dark valley to the cottage.
The little mother smiled to see Eldrida.
"I knew you would come back," she said; "but my son was in a dreadful
state--weren't you, son, son?"
And he only answered, "Mother, mother, I was. And I am very hungry; and
I can see again!"
So there was great rejoicing in the cottage that night, and the little
old woman's eyes grew bright with joy-tears.
But next day Eldrida and her love were married, and, from that time
forth, they worked together, and went hand in hand up the tranquil
valley or in among the storms on the hillcrests, and so lived happily
ever after.