“Then the cat ran away among the weeds and left her. The dogs also refused to play when she went to them; for they had to watch the house and bark at strangers. Then they also told her to go and play with little Niebla down by the river. Then Alma ran out and caught a little duckling, a soft little thing that looked like a ball of yellow cotton, and said: “'Now, little duck, let us talk and play.' “But the duckling only struggled to get away and screamed, 'Oh, mamma, mamma, come and take me away from Alma!' “Then the old duck came rushing up, and said: “'Alma, let my child alone: and if you want to play, go and play with Niebla down by the river. A nice thing to catch my duckie in your hands--what next, I wonder!' “So she let the duckling go, and at last she said, 'Yes, I will go and play with Niebla down by the river.' “She waited till she saw the white mist, and then ran all the way to the Yí, and stood still on the green bank close by the water with the white mist all round her. By and by she saw a beautiful little child come flying towards her in the white mist. The child came and stood on the green bank and looked at Alma. Very, very pretty she was; and she wore a white dress--whiter than milk, whiter than foam, and all embroidered with purple flowers; she had also white silk stockings, and scarlet shoes, bright as scarlet verbenas. Her hair was long and fluffy, and shone like gold, and round her neck she had a string of big gold beads. Then Alma said, 'Oh, beautiful little girl, what is your name?' to which the little girl answered: “'Niebla.' “'Will you talk to me and play with me?' said Alma. “'Oh, no,' said Niebla, 'how can I play with a little girl dressed as you are and with bare feet?' “For you know poor Alma only wore a little old frock that came down to her knees, and she had no shoes and stockings on. Then little Niebla rose up and floated away, away from the bank and down the river, and at last, when she was quite out of sight in the white mist, Alma began to cry. When it got very hot she went and sat down, still crying, under the trees; there were two very big willow-trees growing near the river. By and by the leaves rustled in the wind and the trees began talking to each other, and Alma understood everything they said. “'Is it going to rain, do you think?' said one tree. “'Yes, I think it will--some day,' said the other. “'There are no clouds,' said the first tree. “'No, there are no clouds to-day, but there were some the day before yesterday,' said the other. “'Have you got any nests in your branches?' said the first tree. “'Yes, one,' said the other. 'It was made by a little yellow bird, and there are five speckled eggs in it.' “Then the first tree said, 'There is little Alma sitting in our shade; do you know why she is crying, neighbour?' “The other tree answered, 'Yes, it is because she has no one to play with. Little Niebla by the river refused to play with her because she is not beautifully dressed.'