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Updated: June 21, 2025
"No, no. We must get the house clean and ready for her. We must hurry." And then such a house-cleaning was begun as you or I have never seen. The Forest Children had been up at dawn to greet the spring, and now they came running to tell Ivra and Eric about it. When they heard that Helma was at last coming back and the house was to be cleaned they wanted to help.
But how the children wished their mother were waiting for them in the little house to hear the tale! One afternoon Eric and Ivra started out for the Forest Children's moss village to play with them. But when they got there they found all the little houses deserted: not a Forest Child was to be found. They must have gone into some other part of the forest to play.
That was the best fun of all, and almost always ended in a tumble before the bottom was reached. Though the others avoided the witches as much as they could they admired Ivra for such hardy comrading. Before noon every one was very hungry. Then the littlest Forest Child said, "Follow me. The Tree Girl has gone ahead." It was true, she had slipped away when no one noticed.
Then they went out and worked in the garden until dusk. Now every day Eric was becoming acquainted with strange Forest People: those who had hidden away from winter in trees, and those who were wandering up from the south along with the birds, and Blue Water People, of course, all along the Forest streams. The Forest teemed with new playmates for him and Ivra.
At night Ivra told Eric World Stories, World Story after World Story until sleep made them forget. The fifth morning of their search dawned blue and clear and windy. "The Wind Creatures will be happy to-day," said Ivra when she opened her eyes and heard the wind pushing at all the windows of the house and saw the blue morning sky. "Wild Star will be circling the world."
She isn't an Earth Child. She's a fairy. So don't say anything about it to your father when he comes home to-night. It would make him cross." "But it doesn't make you cross," laughed the jolliest boy. "And so won't you tell us some stories about it now. You know, the little house in the wood, the Tree Man, the Forest Children, Helma, Ivra and all the rest of it."
And there, standing erect in the shadow, her face lifted like a pale little moon, stood Ivra. She saw him, but did not wave. She only nodded, as though she knew now what she had come to make sure of. She stood still for a few minutes, until Eric almost thought she was frozen in the cold. But at last she moved and disappeared under the fir. Music tinkled through the house.
He cried to Ivra to wait, and she came back to his side. "Don't be frightened," she comforted. "There are Forest People near us. They would walk with us, for some of them are going to the party too, but they are afraid of you. That's why they've drawn their white hoods over their heads and keep away. Once we are inside the Tree Man's, though, it will be all right.
The Tree Girl was there waiting, and now Ivra knew it was the cake that she had been carrying so secretly under her cloak. The Snow Witches did not follow into that shelter. They have a great fear of shelters, you must know, for when forced into them they quickly lose their fierceness, and their fierceness is their greatest pride.
But even as he looked the trees began to beckon with their high fingers, and 'way away, down long avenues of trees he almost glimpsed the sea. Ivra threw her arms about his neck and kissed him. "Good-by, comrade," was all she said. He kissed her cheeks. "I'll come back," he promised. But before he had gone many steps he turned to see her again.
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