"My sweet Hulda," said her mother to her one day, as she was lying upon a couch looking out into the sunshine, "is there anything you can think of that would do you good, or any place we can go to that you think might revive you?" "I had only one wish," replied Hulda, "but that, dear mother, I cannot have." "Why not, dear child?" said her father. "Let us hear what your wish was." "I wished that before I died I might be able to go into the south and see that wicked pedlar, that if possible I might repair the mischief I had done to the fairy by restoring her the wand." "Does she wish to go into the south?" said the physicians. "Then it will be as well to indulge her, but nothing can save her life; and if she leaves her native country she will return to it no more." "I am willing to go," said Hulda, "for the fairy's sake." So they put her on a pillion, and took her slowly on to the south by short distances, as she could bear it. And as she left the old castle, the wind tossed some yellow leaves against her, and then whirled them away across the heath to the forest. Hulda said: "Yellow leaves, yellow leaves, Whither away? Through the long wood paths How fast do ye stray!" The yellow leaves answered: "We go to lie down Where the spring snowdrops grow, Their young roots to cherish Through frost and through snow." Then Hulda said again to the leaves: "Yellow leaves, yellow leaves, Faded and few, What will the spring flowers Matter to you?" And the leaves said: "We shall not see them, When gaily they bloom, But sure they will love us For guarding their tomb." Then Hulda said: "The yellow leaves are like me: I am going away from my place for the sake of the poor fairy, who now lies hidden in the dark Egyptian ruin; but if I am so happy as to recover her wand by my care, she will come back glad and white, like the snowdrops when winter is over, and she will love my memory when I am laid asleep in my tomb." So they set out on their journey, and every day went a little distance toward the south, till at last, on Christmas Eve, they came to an ancient city at the foot of a range of mountains. "What a strange Christmas this is!" said Hulda, when she looked out the next morning. "Let us stay here, mother, for we are far enough to the south. Look how the red berries hang on yonder tree, and these myrtles on the porch are fresh and green, and a few roses bloom still on the sunny side of the window."