"They're both bigger than you."

"Yes, but they were frightened at it."

"And weren't you frightened at it?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I'm silly. I'm never frightened at things."

I could not help thinking of the old meaning of the word silly.

"And what was it?" I asked.

"I think it was a kind of an angel--a very little one. It had a long
body and great wings, which it drove about it so fast that they grew
a thin cloud all round it. It flew backwards and forwards over
the well, or hung right in the middle, making a mist of its wings,
as if its business was to take care of the water."

"And what did you do to drive it away?"

"I didn't drive it away. I knew, whatever the creature was,
the well was to get water out of. So I took the jug, dipped it in,
and drew the water."

"And what did the creature do?"