stair, she rushed along to the hall, whence, finding the front-door
open, she darted into the court, pursued--at least she thought so--by
the creature. No one happening to see her, on she ran, unable to think
for fear, and ready to run anywhere to elude the awful creature with
the stilt-legs. Not daring to look behind her, she rushed straight out
of the gate, and up the mountain. It was foolish indeed--thus to run
farther and farther from all who could help her, as if she had been
seeking a fit spot for the goblin-creature to eat her in at his leisure;
but that is the way fear serves us: it always takes the side of the
thing that we are afraid of.
The princess was soon out of breath with running up hill; but she ran
on, for she fancied the horrible creature just behind her, forgetting
that, had it been after her, such legs as those must have overtaken her
long ago. At last she could run no longer, and fell, unable even to
scream, by the roadside, where she lay for sometime, half dead with
terror. But finding nothing lay hold of her, and her breath beginning
to
come back, she ventured at length to get half up, and peer anxiously
about her. It was now so dark that she could see nothing. Not a single
star was out. She could not even tell in what direction the house lay,
and between her and home she fancied the dreadful creature lying
ready
Madhuri Noah
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