The princess grew angry, pulled her hand away,
and cried,--
"YOU are the ugly old woman. I hate you!"
Therewith she stood still, expecting the wise woman to stop also,
perhaps coax her to go on: if she did, she was determined not to
move a step. But the wise woman never even looked about: she kept
walking on steadily, the same space as before. Little Obstinate
thought for certain she would turn; for she regarded herself as much
too precious to be left behind. But on and on the wise woman went,
until she had vanished away in the dim moonlight. Then all at once
the princess perceived that she was left alone with the moon,
looking down on her from the height of her loneliness. She was
horribly frightened, and began to run after the wise woman, calling
aloud. But the song she had just heard came back to the sound of her
own running feet,--
All all alone,
Like a dog-picked bone!
and again,--
She might call and shout,
And no one about
Would ever call back, "Who's there?"
and she screamed as she ran.
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