the sun was high in the heavens when the two children woke. They felt cold; but not farfrom their resting-place， on a hill， the sun was shining through the trees. They thought ifthey went there they should be warm， and Ib fancied he should be able to see his father'shouse from such a high spot. But they were far away from home now， in quite another part ofthe forest. They clambered to the top of the rising ground， and found themselves on the edgeof a declivity， which sloped down to a clear transparent lake. GREat quantities of fish could beseen through the clear water， sparkling in the sun's rays; they were quite surprised whenthey came so suddenly upon such an unexpected sight.
Close to where they stood GREw a hazel-bush， covered with beautiful nuts. They soongathered some， cracked them， and ate the fine young kernels， which were only just ripe.But there was another surprise and fright in store for them. Out of the thicket stepped a tallold woman， her face quite brown， and her hair of a deep shining black; the whites of hereyes glittered like a Moor's; on her back she carried a bundle， and in her hand a knottedstick. She was a gypsy. The children did not at first understand what she said. She drew outof her pocket three large nuts， in which she told them were hidden the most beautiful andlovely things in the world， for they were wishing nuts. Ib looked at her， and as she spoke sokindly， he took courage， and asked her if she would give him the nuts; and the woman gavethem to him， and then gathered some more from the bushes for herself， quite a pocket full.Ib and Christina looked at the wishing nuts with wide open eyes.
“Is there in this nut a carriage， with a pair of horses?” asked Ib.
“Yes， there is a golden carriage， with two golden horses，” replied the woman.
“then give me that nut，” said Christina; so Ib gave it to her， and the strange woman tiedup the nut for her in her handkerchief.
Ib held up another nut. “Is there， in this nut， a pretty little neckerchief like the oneChristina has on her neck?” asked Ib.
“there are ten neckerchiefs in it，” she replied， “as well as beautiful dresses， stockings， and a hatand veil.”
“then I will have that one also，” said Christina; “and it is a pretty one too.” And then Ib gave her thesecond nut.
the third was a little black thing. “You may keepthat one，” said Christina; “it is quite as pretty.”
“What is in it?” asked Ib.
“the best of all things for you，” replied the gypsy. So Ib held the nut very tight.
then the woman promised to lead the children to the right path， that they might find theirway home： and they went forward certainly in quite another direction to the one they meant totake; therefore no one ought to speak against the woman， and say that she wanted to stealthe children. In the wild wood-path they met a forester who knew Ib， and， by his help， Iband Christina reached home， where they found every one had been very anxious about them.They were pardoned and forgiven， although they really had both done wrong， and deservedto get into trouble; first， because they had let the sucking-pig fall into the water; and，secondly， because they had run away. Christina was taken back to her father's house on theheath， and Ib remained in the farm-house on the borders of the wood， near the GREat landridge.
the first thing Ib did that evening was to take out of his pocket the little black nut， in whichthe best thing of all was said to be enclosed. He laid it carefully between the door and thedoor-post， and then shut the door so that the nut cracked directly. But there was not muchkernel to be seen; it was what we should call hollow or worm-eaten， and looked as if it hadbeen filled with tobacco or rich black earth. “It is just what I expected!” exclaimed Ib. “Howshould there be room in a little nut like this for the best thing of all? Christina will find her twonuts just the same; there will be neither fine clothes or a golden carriage in them.”
Winter came; and the new year， and indeed many years passed away; until Ib was oldenough to be confirmed， and， therefore， he went during a whole winter to the clergyman ofthe nearest village to be prepared.
One day， about this time， the boatman paid a visit to Ib's parents， and told them thatChristina was going to service， and that she had been remarkably fortunate in obtaining agood place， with most respectable people. “Only think，” he said， “She is going to the richinnkeeper's， at the hotel in Herning， many miles west from here. She is to assist the landladyin the housekeeping; and， if afterwards she behaves well and remains to be confirmed， thepeople will treat her as their own daughter.”
So Ib and Christina took leave of each other. People already called them “the betrothed，”and at parting the girl showed Ib the two nuts， which she had taken care of ever since thetime that they lost themselves in the wood; and she told him also that the little wooden shoeshe once carved for her when he was a boy， and gave her as a present， had been carefullykept in a drawer ever since. And so they parted.
After Ib's confirmation， he remained at home with his mother， for he had become aclever shoemaker， and in summer managed the farm for her quite alone. His father had beendead some time， and his mother kept no farm servants. Sometimes， but very seldom， heheard of Christina， through a postillion or eel-seller who was passing. But she was well off withthe rich innkeeper; and after being confirmed she wrote a letter to her father， in which was akind message to Ib and his mother. In this letter， she mentioned that her master and mistresshad made her a present of a beautiful new dress， and some nice under-clothes. This was， ofcourse， pleasant news.