But it had been a
long road to travel, and the darkness was upon them before they had
sighted the mountain top. "If we only get there by to-morrow, surely all
our troubles will be over," thought the boy, and dug down into the straw
to have it warmer. All the while the cow fussed and fumed in the stall.
Then, all of a sudden, she began to talk to the boy. "Everything is
wrong with me," said the cow. "I am neither milked nor tended. I have no
night fodder in my manger, and no bed has been made under me. My
mistress came here at dusk, to put things in order for me, but she felt
so ill, that she had to go in soon again, and she has not returned."
"It's distressing that I should be little and powerless," said the boy.
"I don't believe that I am able to help you." "You can't make me believe
that you are powerless because you are little," said the cow. "All the
elves that I've ever heard of, were so strong that they could pull a
whole load of hay and strike a cow dead with one fist." The boy couldn't
help laughing at the cow. "They were a very different kind of elf from
me," said he. "But I'll loosen your halter and open the door for you, so
that you can go out and drink in one of the pools on the place, and then
I'll try to climb up to the hayloft and throw down some hay in your
manger." "Yes, that would be some help," said the cow.
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