The children drew near the lamb, when what was their surprise to hear it call out to them, “Run children, run quick or the Queen will harm you!  I am Gretchen!  Run, and never come near the pond again!” And at the little Lamb’s words the children fled.

But the little Lamb ran all about the meadow, calling, “Peterkin, Peterkin!” and would not touch a blade of grass.  Sadly she walked to the edge of the pond and slowly walked round and round it calling, “Peterkin, where are you?”

Suddenly the water bubbled and a weak voice cried, “Here, Gretchen, in the pond,—­

     “Here Gretchen, here swim I in the pond,
     Nor may I ever come near castle ground.”

And the Lamb replied:—­

     “Ah, my brother!  In the wood,
     A lamb, now I must search for food.”

Then Peterkin comforted Gretchen and promised early every morning to come up to the water to talk with her; and Gretchen promised to come early from the wood, before the sun was up, to be with Peterkin.  And Peterkin said, “I will never forsake you, Gretchen, if you will never forsake me!” And Gretchen said, “I will never forsake you, Peterkin, if you will never forsake me!”

Then the little Lamb fled sadly to the wood to look for food and the little Fish swam round the pond.  But the children did not forget their playmates.  Every day they saved their goodies and secretly laid them at the edge of the wood where the Lamb could get them.  And the Lamb always saved some to throw the crumbs to the little Fish in the morning.

Many days passed by.  One day visitors were coming to the castle.  “Now is my chance,” thought the wicked Queen.  So she said to the Cook, “Go, fetch me the lamb out of the meadow, for there is nothing else for the strangers!”

Now the Lamb had lingered by the pond longer than usual that morning so that the Cook easily caught her; and taking her with him tied her to the tree just outside the kitchen.  But when the Cook was gone to the kitchen, the little Fish swam up from the pond into the little brook that ran by the tree and said—­

     “Ah, my sister, sad am I,
     That so great harm to you is nigh! 
     And far from you I love must be,
     A-swimming in the deep, deep sea!”

And the Lamb replied:—­

     “Ah, my brother in the pond,
     Sad must I leave you, though I’m fond;
     The cook has come to take my life,
     Swim off to sea,—­Beware!”

Just then the Cook came back and hearing the Lamb speak became frightened.  Thinking it could not be a real lamb, he said, “Be still, I will not harm you.  Run, hide in the wood, and when it is evening, come to the edge of the wood and I will help you!”

Then the Cook caught another lamb and dressed it for the guests.  And before evening he went to a wise woman who happened to be the old Nurse who had taken care of Peterkin and Gretchen.  She loved the children and she soon saw what the wicked Queen had done.  She told the Cook what the Lamb and Fish must do to regain their natural forms.