Violet Jacob > Stories told by the miller

192 STORIES TOLD BY THE MILLER
how she was to save herself from starving and
what she could do to earn enough to keep
herself alive. If she were to offer to work
as a servant, people would laugh at her white
hands and delicate ways.
The next day, before she departed, she
thanked the woman, and said: “Now I will
do something to amuse you and your children,
for it is all the payment I can make.”
And so saying, she began to dance.
Never had anybody seen anything like her
dancing; the village people thought she must
be a fairy and were almost afraid to go near
her. She gathered up her hair in both hands,
whirling it round and round her like a scarf;
her feet seemed scarcely to touch the ground.
It was wonderful. Everyone came to look on.
It so chanced that there passed by a fine
chariot, in which sat a red-faced, crooked old
lady, very grandly dressed; and when the
dame beheld the crowd, she let down her
window and shouted to her coachman to stop,
that she might see the dancing. At the end ot
the performance she threw Laurine a purse.
“Here, girl!” she cried, “that is for you it
you will come with me. I am going to give