Here was a terrible disaster. Ib jumped ashore， and ran a little distance from the boat.
“Oh， take me with you，” cried Christina; and she sprang after him. In a few minutesthey found themselves deep in a thicket， and could no longer see the boat or the shore. Theyran on a little farther， and then Christina fell down， and began to cry.
Ib helped her up， and said， “Never mind; follow me. Yonder is the house.” But the housewas not yonder; and they wandered still farther， over the dry rustling leaves of the lastyear， and treading on fallen branches that crackled under their little feet; then they heard aloud， piercing cry， and they stood still to listen. Presently the scream of an eagle soundedthrough the wood; it was an ugly cry， and it frightened the children; but before them， inthe thickest part of the forest， GREw the most beautiful blackberries， in wonderful quantities.They looked so inviting that the children could not help stopping; and they remained there solong eating， that their mouths and cheeks became quite black with the juice.
Presently they heard the frightful scream again， and Christina said， “We shall get intotrouble about that pig.”
“Oh， never mind，” said Ib; “we will go home to my father's house. It is here in thewood.” So they went on， but the road led them out of the way; no house could be seen， itGREw dark， and the children were afraid. The solemn stillness that reigned around them wasnow and then broken by the shrill cries of the great horned owl and other birds that they knewnothing of. At last they both lost themselves in the thicket; Christina began to cry， and thenIb cried too; and， after weeping and lamenting for some time， they stretched themselvesdown on the dry leaves and fell asleep.
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 hat and veil.”
“then I will have that one also，” said Christina; “and it is a pretty one too.” And then Ib gave her the second 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.