There, you'll fall from the bank! You see, she's done it: I said so. Didn't I say it? And now she wobbles furder and furder, Creepin' along on all-fours, then off on her legs she's a-toddlin',-- Slips in the bushes,--"Hunt me!"--and there, on a sudden, she peeks out. Wait, I'm a-comin'! Back o' the trees I hear her a-callin': "Guess where I am!"--she's whims of her own, a plenty, and keeps 'em. But, as you go, you're growin' han'somer, bigger, and stronger. Where the breath o' y'r breathin' falls, the meadows is greener, Fresher o' color, right and left, and the weeds and the grasses Sprout up as juicy as _can_ be, and posies o' loveliest colors Blossom as brightly as wink, and bees come and suck 'em. Water-wagtails come tiltin',--and, look! there's the geese o' the village! All are a-comin' to see you, and all want to give you a welcome; Yes, and you're kind o' heart, and you prattle to all of 'em kindly; "Come, you well-behaved creeturs, eat and drink what I bring you,-- I must be off and away: God bless you, well-behaved creeturs!"[A] [Footnote A: As the reader of German may be curious to see a specimen of the original, we give this last passage, which contains, in a brief compass, many distinctive features of the Alemannic dialect:-- "Nei so lucg me doch, wie cha mi Meiddeli springe! 'Chunnsch mi über,' seits und lacht, 'und witt mi, se hol mi!' All' wil en andere Weg, und alliwil anderi Sprüngli! Fall mer nit sel Reiuli ab!--Do hemmer's, i sags io-- Hani's denn nit gseit? Doch gauckelet's witers und witers, Groblet uf alle Vieren, und stellt si wieder uf d' Beinli, Schlieft in d' Hürst--iez such mer's eisl--dört güggelet's use, Wart, i chumm! Druf rüefts mer wieder hinter de Bäume: 'Roth wo bin i iez!'--und het si urige Phatest. Aber wie de gosch, wirsch sichtli grösser und schöner. Wo di liebligen Othern weiht, so färbt si der Rase Grüener rechts und links, es stöhn in saftige Triebe Gras und Chrüter uf, es stöhn in frischere Gstalte Farbigi Blüemli do, und d' Immli chömmen und suge. 'S Wasserstelzli chunnt, und lueg doch,'s Wuli vo Todtnau! Alles will di bschauen, und Alles will di bigrüsse, Und di fründlig Herz git alle fründligi Rede: 'Chömmet ihr ordlige Thierli, do hender, esset und trinket! Witers goht mi Weg, Gsegott, ihr ordlige Thierli!'" ]