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Page 10
'Twist me, and turn me, and show me the Elf--
I looked in the water, and saw--'
When you have got so far, look into the water, and at the same moment
you will see the Brownie, and think of a word that will fill up the
couplet, and rhyme with the first line. If either you do not see the
Brownie, or fail to think of the word, it will be of no use."
"Is the Brownie a merman," said Tommy, wriggling himself along the
beam, "that he lives under water?"
"That depends on whether he has a fish's tail," said the Owl, "and this
you can discover for yourself."
"Well, the moon is shining, so I shall go," said Tommy. "Good-bye, and
thank you, Ma'am;" and he jumped down and went, saying to himself as he
ran, "I believe he is a merman all the same, or else how could he live
in the mere? I know more about Brownies than Granny does, and I shall
tell her so;" for Tommy was somewhat opinionated, like other young
people.
The moon shone very brightly on the centre of the mere. Tommy knew the
place well, for there was a fine echo there. Round the edge grew rushes
and water plants, which cast a border of shadow. Tommy went to the
north side, and turning himself three times, as the Old Owl had told
him, he repeated the charm--
"Twist me, and turn me, and show me the Elf--
I looked in the water, and saw--"
Now for it! He looked in, and saw--the reflection of his own face.
"Why, there's no one but myself!" said Tommy. "And what can the word
be? I must have done it wrong."
"Wrong!" said the Echo.
Tommy was almost surprised to find the echo awake at this time of
night.
"Hold your tongue!" said he. "Matters are provoking enough of
themselves. Belf! Celf! Delf! Felf! Gelf! Helf! Jelf! What rubbish!
There can't be a word to fit it. And then to look for a Brownie, and
see nothing but myself!"
"Myself," said the Echo.
"Will you be quiet?" said Tommy. "If you would tell one the word there
would be some sense in your interference; but to roar 'Myself!' at one,
which neither rhymes nor runs--it does rhyme though, as it happens," he
added; "and how very odd! it runs too--
'Twist me, and turn me, and show me the Elf--
I looked in the water, and saw myself,'
which I certainly did. What can it mean? The Old Owl knows, as Granny
would say; so I shall go back and ask her."
"Ask her!" said the Echo.
"Didn't I say I should?" said Tommy. "How exasperating you are! It is
very strange. _Myself_ certainly does rhyme, and I wonder I did not
think of it long ago."
"Go," said the Echo.
"Will you mind your own business, and go to sleep?" said Tommy. "I am
going; I said I should."
And back he went. There sat the Old Owl as before.
"Oohoo!" said she, as Tommy climbed up. "What did you see in the mere?"
"I saw nothing but myself," said Tommy indignantly.
"And what did you expect to see?" asked the Owl.
"I expected to see a Brownie," said Tommy; "you told me so."
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