1791 • ' . ELMINA, A TALE. 147 



the fartheft. The other girls chofe without artifice the 

 flowers they really preferred. One brought a ranunculus, 

 another a primrofe, a third a violet. As to Elmina,' flie 

 went in quelt of an eglantine : that was the flower Ihc 

 chofe. She faw a bulli covered with them ; but I know 

 not why the modeft Elmina chofe the fmallell and the light- 

 eft. 



At the moment when they threw up the flowers from the 

 hat, to fee wliich of them would go farthell, a light zephyr 

 arofe, and carried off the eglantine. It was however fall- 

 ing (hort of the bluet ; but a fine butterfly ftruck it as it 

 defcended, and carried it far beyond the bluet. The girls 

 made a ihout of joy on feeing this little miracle, crowned 

 Elmina, and drefled her out as the i>e//e of the rondeau. 

 This was no difficult tafkj for Elmina was beautiful, and 

 they had plenty of flowers. The princefs dreft and crowned, 

 was placed upon a fmall throne of fod j and in dancing a- 

 round her, they fung, 



Join hand in hand, and gay'ly Cng, 

 As we dance around the ring; 

 " Nimbly trip it as ye go. 

 On the h'ght fantaftic toe ;" 

 Round, and round, and round again, 

 Three times round, then back again. 

 Now ftop, loofe hands, and curtfcy low. 



Each with obeifancc due to fair Elmina, 

 Let each prefent a flow'ry bow 



To our youthful chofen queen ; 

 Hail ! fair EJmina, beauty's queen. 

 Long may thy prefence glad this lovely green. 



The play would have continued ; but it was interrupted 

 'by fome uoife which they heard in the grove ; out of which 

 came a little old woman, and approached the cheerful dan- 

 cers. The girls were at firft afraid, and thought of run- 

 ning away ; but the aff'able air of the old woman, and the 

 foftnefs of her voice calmed their fears. She had a robe 

 all of green ; her hat was of ruflies of the fame colour, a- 

 dorned with a bouquet of green leaves : She had green 

 gloves, and carried in her hand a green pot, in which was 

 a little green tree. 



It was becaufe of all this verdure, that they who knew 

 the old woman, called her Vcrdurine. " My children faid 



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