DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4593#0059
42 THE ISLES AND SHRINES OF GREECE
wringing them out, a queenly figure came down the
alley.
" ' Look ! ' one whispered, ' here comes Nausicaa !'
She was barefooted like the others, and on her head
she carried a beautiful water-jar, which lay on its side.
Her poise, her figure, her coloring, and her swinging
gait would have driven an artist to distraction. She
was dressed in a rich costume of velvet and silk, the
delight of the more prosperous peasants, and over
her masses of black hair, twisted and bound with
ribbons, was thrown the white veil worn by all
women. She was greeted by the girls at the well,
and laughed in reply herself, without bending her
stately head. For us, though, she had no word.
She haughtily turned away when we wished to take
her picture, and filled her jar at the well. When it
was filled one of our gentlemen tried to lift it, but
with one hand he could not easily raise it from the
ground. The girl laughed, swung the jar lightly to
her head, poised it, and walked back up the lane.
"We turned reluctantly from the picturesque group
at the well, for the long shadows were already dark-
ening the narrow lanes of the village. One of the
younger girls ran timidly after us, and thrust a bunch
of cyclamens into my hand. I turned back to thank
her, and saw that the others had stopped their work,
and were resting their jars on the edge of the well,
while they looked after the strangers who had so sud-
denly broken in upon their peaceful lives.
" Toward evening the market-women trudged
homeward from the town. We met them walking in
groups, distaff in hand, driving their sheep before,
or carrying huge bundles of green stuff on their
wringing them out, a queenly figure came down the
alley.
" ' Look ! ' one whispered, ' here comes Nausicaa !'
She was barefooted like the others, and on her head
she carried a beautiful water-jar, which lay on its side.
Her poise, her figure, her coloring, and her swinging
gait would have driven an artist to distraction. She
was dressed in a rich costume of velvet and silk, the
delight of the more prosperous peasants, and over
her masses of black hair, twisted and bound with
ribbons, was thrown the white veil worn by all
women. She was greeted by the girls at the well,
and laughed in reply herself, without bending her
stately head. For us, though, she had no word.
She haughtily turned away when we wished to take
her picture, and filled her jar at the well. When it
was filled one of our gentlemen tried to lift it, but
with one hand he could not easily raise it from the
ground. The girl laughed, swung the jar lightly to
her head, poised it, and walked back up the lane.
"We turned reluctantly from the picturesque group
at the well, for the long shadows were already dark-
ening the narrow lanes of the village. One of the
younger girls ran timidly after us, and thrust a bunch
of cyclamens into my hand. I turned back to thank
her, and saw that the others had stopped their work,
and were resting their jars on the edge of the well,
while they looked after the strangers who had so sud-
denly broken in upon their peaceful lives.
" Toward evening the market-women trudged
homeward from the town. We met them walking in
groups, distaff in hand, driving their sheep before,
or carrying huge bundles of green stuff on their