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22 MOONFOLK.
nodding his head until the cock's-feather danced again in
the soft light that filled the place, making everything as
clear as in the noonday of the earth ; yet touching all
with a tender, dreamy beauty, such as moonlight lends to
even the commonest objects.
" " Oh, how I like to be here ! said Rhoda, with a little
sigh of delight.
" "Wait until you see some of the people; then you
may not like it so well," said the Chimney-Elf.
" Suppose
we should meet the wolf that ate up Red Riding-Hood,
or some of the giants that Jack didn't kill :
they all live
here."
"I don't believe they will hurt me,"
said Rhoda
bravely, but at the same time looking all about her.
" " Oh, Chimney-Elf! cried she
" suddenly, I forgot
to ask you. Do the people out of the stories keep on
doing those same stories over and over, or do they do
new ones all the time ? "
""Well, it is very much in the moon as it is in the
world," replied the Chimney-Elf.
" Some people like
to do the same things over and over, and think that
because they always did them, they are the best things
possible to do, and that all the rest of the world ought
to do so too : others like a change. But we will call
upon the Man in the Moon, who can tell
you everything
about the people
here, even better than I can, though I
came from here in the first place."
u You did \ " asked Rhoda in surprise.