Once in the embrace of the stream, some of them thoughtlessly turned and mocked the enemy, forgetting how much they were still in his power.

Indignant at the tyrant, I stood up in the "limpid wave", and assured the aquatic company of a welcome to the opposite bank.

So far all was very well.

But their clothes! They, alas! were upon the bank they had left! The spirit of a host was upon me, for now I regarded them all as my guests.
"You come ashore when you like," I said; "I will see what can be done about your clothes." I knew that just below the dam lay a little boat built by the miller's sons.

It was clumsy enough, but in my eyes a marvel of engineering art.