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Title:AlltheWaytoFairyland

FairyStories

Author:EvelynSharp

Illustrator:Mrs.PercyDearmer

ReleaseDate:November3,2009[EBook#30400]

Language:English

***STARTOFTHISPROJECTGUTENBERGEBOOKALLTHEWAYTOFAIRYLAND***

ProducedbyAlHaines

AlltheWaytoFairyland

FairyStories

BY

EVELYNSHARP

AUTHOROF"WYMPS"

WITHEIGHTCOLOUREDILLUSTRATIONSANDACOVERBYMRS.PERCYDEARMER

JOHNLANE

THEBODLEYHEADLONDONANDNEWYORK

1898

COPYRIGHT,1897,BYJOHNLANE.

FIRSTEDITION

UniversityPress:JOHNWILSONANDSON,CAMBRIDGE,U.S.A.

BytheSameauthor:

WYMPS:FAIRYTALES.Witheightcoloured illustrationsbyMrs.PercyDearmer.THEMAKINGOFASCHOOLGIRL.ATTHERELTONARMS.THEMAKINGOFAPRIG.

APRINCESSFLOATINGABOUTONASOFTWHITECLOUD

THESESTORIESAREFOR

GEOFFREYANDCHRISTOPHERTRISTANANDISEULTMARGARETANDBOY

ANDEVERARD

ANDALLTHEOTHERCHILDRENWHOWOULDLIKETOGO

ALLTHEWAYTOFAIRYLAND

Contents

CHAPTER I. THECOUNTRYCALLEDNONAMIAII. WHYTHEWYMPSCRIEDIII. THESTORYOFHONEYANDSUNNYIV. THELITTLEPRINCESSANDTHEPOETV. THEWONDERFULTOYMAKERVI. THEPROFESSOROFPRACTICALJOKES

VII. THEDOLLTHATCAMESTRAIGHTFROMFAIRYLAND

VIII. THOSEWYMPSAGAIN!

ListofIllustrations

BYMRS.PERCYDEARMER

I. APRINCESSFLOATINGABOUTONASOFTWHITECLOUD..Frontispiece

II. THEWYMPSSAYTHATQUEERBEGANIT

III. SUNNYWASSOASTONISHEDTHATSHESTOPPEDCRYINGATONCEIV. "COMEWITHME,POET,"SAIDTHELITTLEPRINCESSV. THEROCKING-HORSESRUSHEDOVERTHEGROUNDVI. HECURLEDHIMSELFUPINTHESUNANDCLOSEDHISEYES

VII. THELADYEMMELINAISALWAYSKEPTINHERPROPERPLACENOW

VIII. "WILLYOUCOMEANDPLAYWITHME,LITTLEWISDOM?"

TheCountryCalledNonamia

Ever so long ago, in the wonderful country of Nonamia, there lived anabsent-mindedmagician.Itisnotusual,ofcourse,foramagiciantobeabsent-minded; but then, if it were usual it would not have happened in Nonamia.Nobodyknewverymuchaboutthisparticularmagician,forhelivedinhiscastleintheair,anditisnoteasytovisitanyonewholivesintheair.Hedidnotwantto be visited, however; visitors always meant conversation, and he could notendureconversation.This,bytheway,wasnotsurprising,forhewassoabsent-minded that he always forgot the end of his sentence before hewas half-waythroughthebeginningofit;andasforhisvisitors'remarks—well,ifhehadhadanyvisitors,hewouldneverhaveheardtheirremarksatall.So,whensomeonedidcallonhim,oneday,—andthatwaswhenhehadbeenlivinginhiscastleintheairforsevenhundredandseventy-sevenyearsandhadalmostforgottenwho

hewasandwhyhewasthere,—themagicianwassoastonishedthathecouldnotthinkofanythingtosay.

"How did you get here?" he asked at last; for even an absent-mindedmagiciancannotremainaltogethersilent,whenhelooksoutofhiscastleintheairandseesaPrincessinagoldandsilverfrock,withabrightlittlecrownonherhead,floatingaboutonasoftwhitecloud.

"Well, I just came, that's all," answered the Princess, with a particularlyfriendlysmile."Yousee,Ihaveneverbeenabletofindmyowncastleintheair,sowhentheWestWindtoldmeaboutyoursIaskedhimtoblowmehere.MayIcomeinandseewhatitislike?"

"Certainlynot,"saidthemagician,hastily."Itisnotlikeanything;andevenifitwere,Ishouldnotletyoucomein.Don'tyouknowthat,ifyouweretoenteranotherperson'scastleintheair,itwouldvanishawaylikeapuffofsmoke?"

"Oh,dear!"sighedthePrincess."Ididsowanttoknowwhatarealcastleintheairwaslike.Iwonderifyoursisatalllikemine!"

"Tellmeaboutyours,"saidthemagician."Imaybeabletohelpyoutofindit."Ofcourse,heonlysaid this inorder topreventherfromcominginsidehisowncastle.Atthesametime,alittleconversationwithafriendlyPrincessinagoldandsilvergownisnotatallunpleasant,whenonehaslivedinacastleintheairforsevenhundredandseventy-sevenyears.

"Mycastleintheairismuchbiggerthanyours,"sheexplained."Ithaseversomanyroomsinit,—alargeroomtolaughinandasmallroomtocryin—"

"Tocryin?"interruptedthemagician."Why,nooneeverthinksofcryinginacastleintheair!"

"One never knows," answered the Princess, gravely. "Supposing I were toprickmyfinger,whatshouldIdoiftherewasn'taroomtocryin?Then,thereisamiddling-sized room to be serious in; for there is just a chance that Imightwanttobeserioussometimes,anditwouldbeaswelltohavearoom,incase."

"Perhaps it would," observed the magician, who had never listened soattentively toaconversation in thewholeofhis long life. "Whatelsewillyouhaveinyourcastle?"

"Ishallhavelotsofnicebooksthatendhappily,"answeredthePrincess;"andtheyshallbetalkingbooks,sothatIneednotreadthemtofindoutwhattheyareabout. Ishallhaveplentyofhappythoughts inmycastle, too,and lotsofnicedreamspiledupinheaps,and—well,thereisjustonethingmore."

"Whatisthat?"askedthemagician.

"Well,IthinkIshouldliketohaveaPrinceinmycastle,anicePrince,whowould not want to be just dull and princely like all the princes I have everdancedwith,butaPrincewhowouldlikemycastleexactlyasIhavebuiltitandwould play with me all day long. That would be something like a Prince,wouldn'tit?"

"YoucouldnotpossiblyhaveaPrince," said themagician. "Ifyouallowedsomeoneelseeventolookintoyourcastleintheair,itwouldvanishawaylikeapuffof smoke. Ihave lived inmycastle for sevenhundredand seventy-sevenyears,andIhaveneverallowedanyonetoputafootinit."

"Is it so beautiful, then, your castle in the air?" asked the Princess,wonderingly.

"I'msureIdon'tknow,"saidtheabsent-mindedmagician;"Idon'tthinkIevernoticed.Icametoliveinit,becauseitwastheonlyplaceinwhichIcouldbeleftalone.Thatremindsme,thatifyoudonotgoawayatonceIshallbeobligedtobecomeexceedinglyangrywithyou."

"Byallmeans,"saidthePrincess,whohadthemostcharmingmannersintheworld;"butIshouldliketohavemycastlefirst."

"Ihaven'tgotithere,"saidthemagician,lookingabouthimvaguely."IknowI saw it somewhere not long ago, but I can't remember what I did with it.However,ifyouaskthepeopleofNonamia,theywillbeabletotellyouwhereithasgone.Youwillfindthattheyareveryobliging."

"Willtheynotbesurprised?"askedthePrincess.

"Dear me, no! The Nonamiacs are never surprised at anything," said themagician; andhedrew inhishead from thewindow.ThePrincess in thegoldandsilverfrocksailedawayonhercloud,andlandedpresentlyintheflat,greencountryofNonamia.

"Have you seenmy castle in the air?" she asked, very politely, of the firstNonamiacshemet.

"Whatisitlike?"askedtheNonamiac,withoutshowingtheleastsurprise.

"It iseverso largeandeversobeautiful,andit ispackedfullofhappiness,andthereisanicePrinceinside,"answeredthePrincess.

"Ah,"saidtheNonamiac;"thenitmustbetheoneIsawbeingblownalongbytheSouthWind.ButtherewasnoPrinceinside."

ThePrincess thanked him and hastened away in the direction of theSouthWind until she met another Nonamiac, to whom she explained as politely asbeforewhatshewantedtoknow.

"Ah," said theNonamiac, "thatmustbe thecastle Imet justnowas itwasbeingcarriedoffbytheNorthWind.ButIsawnoPrinceinside."

The Princess turned round and hurried after theNorthWind as fast as shecouldgo.AssoonasshemetanotherNonamiac,however,shehadtoturnroundoncemore,forhetoldherthathercastlehadjustbeenstolenbytheEastWind;andwhen shehadbeenwalkingquite a long time in the directionof theEastWind, shemetyet anotherNonamiac,who toldher that itwas theWestWindwhohadtakenawayhercastleintheair.

"Itistoobad!"saidthelittlePrincess,sittingdownexhaustedonalargestonebythesideoftheroad."Whyshouldallthewindsbeplayingwithmycastleintheair?"

"Castlesintheairgenerallygotothewinds,"observedatravellerinadustybrowncloak,whowassittingonanother largestone,notveryfaroff.Shewasquitesurehehadnotbeentherethemomentbefore,but,inNonamia,therewasnothingremarkableaboutthat.ThePrincesswipedthetearsoutofhereyeswithasmalllacehandkerchief,andlookedatthestranger.

"Mineisaveryparticularcastle in theair,yousee,"shesaid."It iseversolarge and ever so beautiful, and it is packed with happiness and dreams, andperhapsthereisaPrinceinit,too."

"APrince?"saidthestranger."WhatsortofPrince?"

"AnicePrince,"explainedthePrincess,"whocanplaygamesandtellstoriesandbeamusing.AllthePrincesIknowcandonothingbutdance,andtheyarenotatallamusing.Iamafraid,though,"sheadded,sighing,"thatIamgoingtohavemycastlewithoutaPrince,afterall."

"Woulditdo,"askedthetravellerinthedustybrowncloak,"ifyouweretohaveaPrincewithoutacastle?"

"Oh,no!"answeredthePrincess,decidedly."Ifyouknewhowbeautifulmycastleintheairis,youwouldnotevenasksuchastupidquestion!"

Thensheagaintookuphersmalllacehandkerchief,andshebrushedthedustfromhergoldandsilvergown,andpolishedupherbrightlittlegoldcrown,andmadeherself asneat anddainty as aPrincess shouldbe; for, inNonamia,oneneverknowswhatmayhappennext,anditisjustaswelltobeprepared.And,infact,nosoonerwasshequitetidythantheWestWindcamehurryingalongwithhercastle in theair;and thePrincessgaveashoutof joyandsprang inside it;andtheWestWindblew,andblew,andblew,untilthecastlethatwaspackedfullof happiness, and the little Princess in the gold and silver gown, were bothcompletelyoutofsight.Thetravellerlookedafterthemandfeltalittleforlorn;thenhepickeduphisstickandwalkedonuntilhecametothemagician'scastle.This may seem a little surprising, as he had no wings of any kind and themagician'scastlewasintheair;butitmustberememberedthatitallhappenedinNonamia.

"Dear, dear! Here 's another of them!" grumbled the magician, when helookedoutofhiswindowandsawthestrangerstandingbelow.Afterbeingaloneforsevenhundredandseventy-sevenyears,itwasalittleexhaustingtohavetwovisitorsonthesameday.Besides,atravellerinadustybrowncloakisnotatallthesamethingasadaintyPrincessinagoldandsilvergown.

"Good-day,"saidthestranger."AreyouthemagicianwhohasgivenacastleintheairtoaPrincessinagoldandsilverfrockwithabrightlittlecrownonherhead?"

"Verylikely;butIcannotsayforcertain,"saidtheabsent-mindedmagician."Ibelievetherewassomethingof thekind,nowyoucometomentionit;butIcould n't tell youwhat itwas.However, I don'tmean to give away anymorecastlesintheair,sothesooneryouleavemealone,thebetter."

"I don'twant a castle in the air," laughed the stranger. "Peoplewho spendtheir lives inbuilding realhousesneverhave time tobuildcastles in theair! IwanttofindthePrincess,notthecastle."

"That youwill never do as long as she is happy in it," said themagician."Peoplewho live in castles in the air are never to be found, unless they havegrowntiredoflivinginthem."

"Oho!"chuckledthestranger."Areyoutiredoflivinginyours,then?"

Theabsent-mindedmagiciantriedtodeterminewhetherheshouldbeangryornot,whenthestrangersaidthis;but,bythetimehehadmadeuphismindtobeangry,hehadforgottenwhattherewastobeangryabout,andwhilehewasthinkingaboutit,themaninthedustybrowncloakwalkedawayandlefthim.

Evidently,itwasnotverylongbeforethePrincessgrewtiredoflivinginhercastleintheair,fortheverynextday,asthetravellerwasoncemorerestingonthe large stone by the side of the road, down she came, castle and all, andstoppedjust infrontofhim.Truly, thereisnoendtothewonderfulthingsthathappeninNonamia!

"Hullo!"saidthetraveller,smiling."Whatisitlikeinsideyourcastle?"

"ItisnothalfsoniceasIexpectedtofindit,"saidthePrincess,poppingherheadoutofthetopwindow."Yousee,thereisnoonetoplaywith;andevenifyourcastleisthemostbeautifulcastleintheworld,itisalwaysdullwhenthereisnoonetoplaywith,isn'tit?"

"I don't know," answered the stranger; "I have never had any one to playwith.Whatelseiswrongwithyourcastle?"

"Well," continued the Princess, "it is all very well to have a castle that ispackedwithhappiness;but,whenitispackedsotightthatyoucannotgetitoutwithoutsomeonetohelpyou,itisnotmuchgood,isit?"

"Idon'tknow,"answeredthestranger;"myhappinesshasneverbeenpackedsotightasallthat.Haveyouanythingelsetocomplainof?"

"Agreatmanythings,"saidthePrincess."Itisallthatstupidmagician'sfault.WhenIsaid,'asmallroomtocryin,'Ididn'treallymeanaroomtocryin,didI?

ButeverywayIturn,thereisalwaystheroomtocryin,staringmeintheface!Iamsurethereissomethingseriouslywrongwithmycastleintheair."

"Nodoubtaboutit,"saidthetraveller;"anditisclearlythemagician'sfault."

"When you came to live in your castle in the air," continued the Princess,plaintively,"didyoufindthatitwasverydifferentfromtheoneyouhadbuilt?"

Thetravellerinthedustybrowncloakburstoutlaughing.

"Ihaveno time tobuildcastles in theair,"hesaid."Ibuild realhouses forotherpeopletolivein,peoplewhowould,perhaps,havenohousesatallifIdidnotbuildthem.Thatismoreimportantthanbuildingcastlesintheairforone'sself."

"Whatareyourrealhouseslike?"askedthePrincess.

"Theyarestrong,"answeredthestranger,proudly."Allthefourwindsjoinedtogethercouldnotblowthemdown.Noonehaseverbuiltsuchstronghousesasmine."

"Aretheybeautiful,too?"askedthePrincess.

"I have no time to look after that," answered the stranger. "I build morehousesthananyoneelseintheworld;andstill,therearepeoplewhoarewaitingforhousestolivein.ImustbuildasfastasIcan,dayafterday,yearafteryear."

"Thenwhyareyounotbuildinghousesnow?"askedthePrincess.Thegreatbuilderlookedsorrowful.

"There is somethingwrongaboutmy realhouses, too,"he confessed. "Thepeoplewho live in them are never quite contented; and I have come away tothinkoutanewplanbymyself,sothatthenexthousesIbuildshallbethemostwonderfulhousesintheworld."

ThePrincessleanedherchinonherhand,andlookedquitethoughtfulforamomentortwo.

"May I come and help you to build real houses, for a change?" she saidpresently."Iamdreadfullytiredofbuildingcastlesintheairthatdonotturnout

properly—though, of course, thatwas principally themagician's fault! Still, ifyouweretoshowmetheway,Imightbeabletobuildsomethingrealthatwouldturnoutproperly;andthatwouldbeeversomuchmoreamusing."

"It is not at all amusing," said the traveller, shaking his head. "Youwouldsoongrowtiredofit;besides,youwouldhavenoPrincetoplaywith."

"Idon'tthinkIwantaPrincetoplaywith,"saidthecharmingPrincessinthegoldandsilver frock. "Hemight turnout tobeasdull asmycastle in theair,especiallyifthemagicianhadanythingtodowithit!Iwouldmuchsoonercomeandhelpyoutobuildrealhouses."

Thetravellerinthedustybrowncloakstillshookhishead.

"Little ladies ingoldandsilvergownscanonlybuildcastles in theair,"hesaid.

"Dothepeoplewholiveinyourhousesneverbuildcastlesintheair?"askedthePrincess.

"Ineverthoughtofaskingthem,"answeredthegreatbuilder."Ihavebeentoomuchoccupiedinbuildingtheirrealhouses."

"Then let usgo and ask themnow," said thePrincess; and she camedownfromhercastleintheair,andsteppedoncemoreontothedustyroad,andheldoutherlittlewhitehandtothetraveller.Hercastleintheairvanishedlikeapuffofsmokethemomentshesteppedoutofit.

"Whatwould be the use of that?" asked the traveller, smiling.He took thelittlewhitehand,however, fornoonecouldhave refused thatmuch to suchaverycharmingPrincess.

"Why,"said thePrincess in thegoldandsilver frock,"thenwecouldmaketheirrealhousesjustliketheircastlesintheair;andonlythinkhowpackedwithhappinesstheywouldbe!"

Thetravellerlookedatherinamazement.Itwascertainlyastonishingthatsogreat abuilder ashe should findoutwhatwaswrongwithhishouses, fromaPrincesswithabrightlittlecrownonherheadwhohadneverdoneanythingbutbuildcastlesintheair.Still,wemustrememberthatitallhappenedinNonamia;

andthataccountsforagreatdeal.

"Youarequiteright,"said the traveller;"youknowfarmoreabout it thanIdo.Youshallcomeandhelpmetobuildrealhouses,andtheyshallbethemostwonderfulhousesthathaveeverbeenbuilt."

"Allbeautifultolookat,andpackedwithhappinessinside!"criedthedaintylittlePrincess,clappingherhandsforjoy."Andwewon'tletthatstupidmagicianspoilourrealhouses,willwe?"

Themagicianwas looking out of hiswindow at nothing at all, when theycamepasthiscastle,handinhand.

"We are going to build themostwonderful houses in theworld," cried thePrincess,—"ever somuchmorewonderful than thestupidcastle in theairyougaveme!"

Thiswasnotverygraciousofher, for,afterall, themagicianhadgivenherexactlywhatshehadbuiltforherself.However,ashehadalreadyforgottenbothofthemandcouldnotthinkofanythingtosay,andastheywereintoogreatahurrytostayandhelphim,thereisnothingmoretobesaidaboutthemagician,exceptthatheisstilllivinginhiscastleintheairandlookingoutofhiswindowatnothingatall,which isa rightandproperoccupationforamagicianwhoisabsent-minded.AsforthetravellerandthecharmingPrincess,theyspenttherestoftheirdaysinbuildingthemostwonderfulhousesintheworldforthepeoplewhohadnowheretolive.Andasforthepeoplewhohadnowheretolive,itwasonlynatural that theyshouldall find theirway to thecountrycalledNonamia,wherealittleladyinagoldandsilvergowntaughtthemtobuildacastleintheair,andagreatbuilderinadustybrowncloakmadeitintoarealhousethatwaspackedwithhappiness.

It is a little difficult to believe that this is all true; but then, it must berememberedthatitallhappenedinNonamia,eversolongago!

THEWYMPSSAYTHATQUEERBEGANIT

WhytheWympsCried

The wymps and the fairies have never been able to agree. Nobody quiteknows why, though the Fairy Queen, who is the wisest person in the wholeworld, was once heard to say that jealousy had something to dowith it. Thefairiessay,however,thattheywouldneverdreamofbeingjealousofpeoplewholive at thebackof the sunanddonotknowmanners;while thewymps say itwouldbeabsurdtobejealousofanyonewholivesat thefrontofthesunandcannottakeajoke.Allthesame,theFairyQueenisalwaysright,sosomebodymustcertainlybejealousofsomebody;andit iswellknownthatif thewympsand the fairiesare invited to thesameparty, it is sure toend inaquarrel. It isreallyawonderthattheFairyQueenhasnotlostpatiencewiththewympslongago;butpeoplesaythatshehasmoreaffectionforhernaughtylittlesubjectsatthe back of the sun than any one would imagine; and the Fairy Queen is sowonderfulthatitisquitepossibletobelievethis.

Once,mattersbecamesoseriousthattherewouldhavebeenarealwar,iftheQueenhadnotcalledanassemblyofhersubjectsonthespot—whichhappenedtobeontheroofofablacksmith'sforge—andaskedthemwhatthefusswasallabout.

"Please,yourMajesty,"saidonefairy,halfcrying,"thewympsshutmeupatthe back of the sun for fifteen days, and they gave me nothing to eat, yourMajesty; theysaid that if Icouldn't takea jokeIcouldn't takeanything.AndIshouldneverwishtotakeoneoftheirjokes,pleaseyourMajesty."

"Donot trouble about that," said theFairyQueen, gravely. "Formypart, Ishallneverexpectyoutotakeajokefromanyone.Now,Capricious,whathavetheydonetoyou?"sheadded,asanotherfairywitharounddimpledfacecameforwardinagreathurry.

"Please, your Majesty," began Capricious, trying to make a very cheerfulvoicesoundextremelydoleful,"Ifoundawympinthenursery,afterthechildrenhadgone tobed; andhewasquiteupsetbecause theWympKinghadmadeajokeandnoonecouldseeit;andheaskedmetogobehindthesunwithhim,so

that Imighthelphim to see the joke that theKinghadmade.Butwhen Igotthere,yourMajesty,IsaiditwasmuchtoodarktoseeanythingandIwasnotatallsurprisedthatnoonecouldseetheKing'sjokes;andtheKingwassoangrythatheorderedmetobepokedthroughthesunagain;andhereIam,pleaseyourMajesty."

HerMajestysmiledapprovingly.

"YouhavemadeajokeworthtwooftheWympKing's,"shesaid;"andIshallappointyouasa reward togo toWymplandwithamessage fromme.Donottroubletothankme,"sheadded,astherounddimpledfaceofCapriciousgrewalittle crestfallen, "for there is no time. The sun is just going to rise, and themoment it isabovethehorizonyoumustgostraight throughitoncemoreandtelltheKingthatIinvitehimtobreakfastinFairyland.AndnowImustbeoff,for I have a smile to paint on the face of every child in the world before itwakes."

SotheFairyQueenflewawaytopaintamillionortwoofthemostbeautifulsmilesintheworld;andtheotherfairiespoppeddownthroughtheroofanddidalltheblacksmith'sworkforhimanddroppedanicedreamonhispillowjusttoshow theyhadbeen there;andCapricious saton theedgeof thechimney-pot,untilthesuncameabovethehorizonanditwastimeforhertotaketheQueen'smessagetoWympland.

The Wymp King knew better than to refuse the Queen's invitation tobreakfast; soheyawned threehundredandfifty-four times, rubbedhiseyes tokeep them open—for it is a well-known thing that theWympKing is nearlyalwaysasleep—andstartedoffinthedirectionofFairyland.TheQueenwasaspleasedtoseehimasifhehadneverbeennaughtyatall;but,ofcourse,shewasfartoomuchofaQueentolethimguessthathewasreallytheretobescolded.So shemadehimsitnext toher atbreakfast, andgavehimacupof stinging-nettle tea to keep him awake, and allowed him tomake asmany jokes as hepleased.TheWympKing,inconsequence,wasextremelyhappy;andwhenthemealwas over and theQueen began to look stern, he had to think very hardindeed before he remembered that he was nothing but a naughty little wympafterall.

"Thisstateofthingscannotgoon,"saidtheFairyQueen."WhatistheuseofmybeingaQueenifIamnottobeobeyed?"

"Your Majesty's chief use is to look like a Queen and to forgive yourdisobedient subjects," said theWympKing,who had taken somuch stinging-nettleteathathewasalmostbristlingwithjokes.

"Ah,"sighedtheFairyQueen,lookingsidewaysattheWympKing,"itisnotatalleasytoruleacountrylikemine."

"ItisveryfortunateforthecountrytoberuledbyaQueenlikeyou,"saidtheWympKing,whohadnotbeensowideawakeforathousandyears.

"Doyouthinkso?ThenWymplandshallhaveaQueenforachange,andyoushall stay here instead and take a holiday," said her Majesty, promptly. TheWympKingsawthathewasoutwitted,buthewouldnothavebeenawympifhehadlosthistemperaboutit;sohechuckledgood-humouredly,andpretendednottoseethathehadreallybeencheatedofhiskingdomandwasnothingbutaprisonerinFairyland.However,theFairyQueengavehimverylittletimeeventokeephistemper,forsheturnedhimintoatortoiseandsenthimtosleepunderaflower-potinthegarden;andthenshecalledforCapricioustocomeandhelphertochooseaQueenforWympland.Capriciousputherround,dimpledfaceononeside,andthoughtdeeplyforthirteensecondsandahalf.

"There isMolly, the shoemaker's daughter," saidCapricious,when shehadfinishedthinking."Sheissevenyearsold,andsheisalmostasfondofsleepingashisWympishMajesty.ShewouldmakeanexcellentQueenforWympland."

"I rememberMolly,"said theFairyQueen, thoughtfully. "Shehas ruled theshoemaker and the shoemaker'swife and the shoemaker's customers for sevenyearsandahalf;doubtless,shewillhavenodifficultyinrulingWympland.Soletnotimebelost,Capricious,andseethatMollywakesupfromhermorningsleep and finds herself on the Wymp King's throne. She will look after thewympsforatime,andIshallhavesomepeace.Besides,"addedtheFairyQueenwith herwise smile, "if thewymps canonly bemade to cry for once in theirlives,weshallprobablyhavenomoredifficultywiththem."

Capricious, who was just an ordinary little fairy and never thought aboutanythingmuchexceptsinginganddancing,wasquiteunable tounderstandtheQueen'slastremark.

"Shall I tell Molly what she is to do when she gets there, please yourMajesty?"sheaskedinratherapuzzledtone.

"Do?"saidtheQueen."TherulersofWymplandneverhavetodoanything.IfMollywillonlykeephersubjectsamused,thatisalltheywillexpectfromher."

That was how it was settled, and that was howMolly woke up from hermorning sleep and found herself on theWympKing's throne, with four littlewympsstandinginarowjustinfrontofher.Mollystaredatthethroneonwhichshe was sitting, stared around at the dimly lighted Land of the Wymps, andstaredatthefourlittlewympswhostoodandlaughedather.

"Whoareyou?"sheasked,openinghereyesaswideasshecould."Areyoulivedolls,orfairies,orjustotherchildrenformetoplaywith?"

The fourwymps laughedmore than everwhen she said this, and began tosingafunnylittlesongalltogether,justtoexplainwhotheywere.Thiswasthesong:—

"WeareSkilfulandWilfulandCaptiousandQueer,There'snothingtofrightyouandnothingtofear!Fourlittlewympsatthebackofthesun,Brimfulofwympery,rubbish,andfun!

"You'llfindwearewympish;butthen,we'renotbores,Thoughweowntoaweaknessforwipingoffscores.Ah!SkilfulandWilfulandCaptiousandQueerAreneverfaroffwhenmischiefisnear!

"OfKingswe'vehadmany,butneveraQueen;Sobewympingamonarchwe'vesurelynotseen;And—SkilfulandWilfulandCaptiousandQueerThoughweare,yetweknowhowtowelcomeyouhere!

"You'llsurelybewympallthewympsyoucomenearBesidesSkilfulandWilfulandCaptiousandQueer;Bythetimeyouhavegoneandyourwympingisdone,Theworldwillhavechangedatthebackofthesun."

"Areyoureallywymps?"exclaimedMolly,whenthefour littlefellowshadfinished explaining who they were; for, like every properly educated child,Mollyknewquitewellthatthewympslivedatthebackofthesun,althoughshehadneverbeentherebefore.

"Tobe surewe are," answeredSkilful andWilful andCaptious andQueer."AndyouareournewQueen."

"AmI?"saidMolly."Oh,whatfun!"

"Ofcourseit'sfun,"saidSkilful."Everythingisfunuphere."

"ExcepttheKing'sjokes,"saidWilful.

"AndtheFairyQueen'scommands,"saidCaptious.

"Andtheinterferenceofthefairies,"saidQueer.

"Howdothefairiesinterfere?"askedMolly.

"Theycomewithoutbeinginvited,"saidSkilful.

"Theydon'tplayfair,"saidWilful.

"Theyalwaysexpecttowin,"saidCaptious.

"Theycryfornothingatall,"saidQueer.

"Icrysometimes,"observedMolly.

"When?"askedallfour,inatoneofalarm.

"When I 'm hungry," said Molly, "or tired; or sometimes, when I tumbledown;orwhenIfeelcross."

"Youshouldnevercry,"saidSkilful,inasuperiortone."Ittakesupsomuchtime, andwhenyou 'vedone cryingyou 'vegot exactly the same thing to cryaboutasbefore.Ifyouarehungry,don'tcrybutgetsomethingtoeat."

"And if you 're tired, don't crybut go to sleep.Nothing couldbe simpler,"saidWilful.

"And if you tumble down, don't cry but pick yourself up again," saidCaptious. "Ifyouknowhow to tumbledownproperly, it is thebest fun in theworld.We spendmost of our time up here in learning newways of tumblingdown."

"And if you are cross," added Queer; and then he stopped and lookeddoubtfully at the other three. "What is she to do if she feels cross?" he asked

them.Theyshooktheirheadsinreply.

"NobodyisevercrossinWympland,"theyexplainedtoMolly."Peoplewhoknowhowtomakejokes,reallygoodjokes,soonlearnhowtotakethemaswell,and then there is nothing left to be cross about.You don't feel cross now, doyou?"

Molly assured them that she did not feel in the least cross, and their facesbrightenedagain.

"Perhaps,ifyouwilltelluswhenyoubegintofeelcrossweshallbeabletodo something for you," they said; "but,whatever youdo, youmust not cry inWympland.Itisonlythefairieswhodothat,andtheydon'tknowanybetter.Aslong as the sun has had a country at the back of it, no wymp has ever beenknowntocry.Now,letusgoandfindsomebodytotease!"

"IthoughtQueenscouldalwaysdoastheylike,"objectedMolly,astheytookher two hands andmade her jump down from the thronewithout finding outwhethershewishedtocomeornot.

"Oh,no,"saidSkilfulandWilfulandCaptiousandQueer."Youmakeagreatmistake.TheKingalwaysdoesasheistoldinWympland.Socomealongwithusandseeusteasesomebody."

"Idon'twant to teaseanybody," saidMolly,decidedly. "Iamgoing tobearealQueen.RealQueensdojustastheylike;itisonlyKingswhodoastheyaretold.IfyouarenotgoingtoletmehavemyownwayImightjustaswellhavestoppedathome,insteadofcomingallthiswayonpurposetobeyourQueen!"

Thefourlittlewympslookedveryperplexed."Mayshedoasshelikes?"theyaskedoneanother,andshooktheirfourlittleheadsdoubtfully.

"Shemightorderusabout,"saidSkilful.

"Orlaughatus,"saidWilful.

"Orexpectustoobeyher,"saidCaptious.

ButQueerturnedthreesomersaultsintheair,justtoshowthathedidnotcarea bit if they did not agree with him; and then he bowed toMolly almost as

gracefullyasafairymighthavedoneatthefrontofthesun.

"SheisarealQueen,"hesaid;"andrealQueensmustbeobeyed."

And when Molly declared that she should probably cry if they did notimmediatelyallowhertohaveherownway,theotherthreewympswereobligedtofollowQueer'sexample.

"YouarearealQueen,andyoumaydoasyoulike,"theysaidinaresignedtone;andMollyclappedherhandswithdelight.

"Thenplease fetchme someplum-cake, and a large ice, and lots of barleysugar; I am so hungry," she said. Immediately, everything she asked for waslyingbeforeherontheKing'sthrone,andtheyallsatdownandenjoyedsuchadinnerasonlyawympora realQueenwouldknowhow toappreciate.Whentheyhad finished,Mollysaidsheshould like tosee the restofWympland, fornobodyatthefrontofthesunhadeverbeenabletotellheranythingaboutit;sothey led her all over it, which did not take them longer than the rest of theafternoon,fortheworldatthebackofthesunissmallerthansomepeoplethink,andthatisaverygoodthing,forafterallitisbettertoliveontherightsideofthesunifoneisnotawymp.

"Itisaveryflatcountry,"saidthelittleQueen,asshetrottedalongwithtwowympsoneachsideofher.

"Ithastobeflat,"explainedSkilful."Ifitweretiltedeversolittleweshouldrollintothesunandoutattheotherside,don'tyousee;andnotruewympeverwantstodothat."

"Itisratherdark,too,"continuedthelittleQueen.

"Of course," saidWilful, proudly. "It is always the same here.Now,whenyougettothefrontofthesunyouneverknowwhetheritisgoingtobelightordark.Therearenosurprisesofthatsortatthebackofthesun."

"Andwhere,"askedMolly,"istheroyalpalace?"

"Whereveryoulike,"answeredCaptiousinanobligingtone."Wouldyoulikeithere,orwillyouhaveitalittlenearerthesun?Ofcourseitiswarmer,nearthesun,butyouwillfinditmuchnoisierbecausethestarsaresofondofchattering."

"Ishouldlikeithere,please,"saidMolly,whodidnotwanttowaitanotherminuteforherpalace.Hardlywereherwordsspokenthanaperfectlycharminglittle palace appeared in front of her, just large enough for such a very smallQueentofeelhappyin.Itwasallmadeofrainbowsandstarshineanddewdrops;everythingthatisbrightandsweet-lookinghadhelpedtomakeherpalace,andfrom the verymiddle of it rose a tall, silvery bell-tower, fromwhich peals oflaughterwereringingmerrily.

"Oh,oh!howbeautiful!"exclaimedMolly."ButhowisitthatmypalaceissobrightwhileWymplandissodull?"

"Ah,"saidQueer,softly;"wewishedforthepalace,yousee,andthethingswewishforareneverdull."

"Itisadream-palace,"addedWilful;"anddreamsareneverdulleither."

"IhopeitwillnotgoawayasmydreamsdowhenIwakeupinthemorning,"saidMolly.

"Oh,no,"theyassuredher."Itcannotdisappearuntilwewishittogoawayagain;andthatweshallneverdoaslongasitinducesyoutostaywithus."

"Doyoualwayswishforwhatyouwant?"askedMolly.

"Dearme,yes,"saidCaptious."Whatistheuseofhavingalotofthingslyingaboutthatyoudon'twant?ThereisonlyjustenoughroominWymplandforthethingswedowant,sowewishforthemaswewantthem,andthatismuchmoreconvenient.Youshouldtryit."

"Everythingyouseehere,"addedSkilful,"hasbeenwishedfor,sometimeoranother. NeitherWympland, nor the wymps, nor our bewymping little Queenwouldbehereatallifsomebodyhadnotwishedforthem."

"Andifwewerealltowishhardatthesamemoment,"saidWilful,"notoneofuswouldbe left standinghere,norwould therebeanycountryatallat thebackofthesun."

"Butweshallneverwishthat,nowthatwehavearealQueenofourown,"saidQueer.

Then, for the first time,Mollynoticed that this strange little country at theback of the sun had no people in it; for, ever since she hadwaked up on theKing'sthrone,shehadseennooneexceptSkilfulandWilfulandCaptiousandQueer.

"Wherearealltheotherwymps?"shecried.

"Ah,"theysaid,mysteriously;"mostpeopledon'tknowit,butthewympsgothroughthesuneverymorningandspendthedayinmakingfunforthepeopleontheotherside.Thatishowthepeopledownintheworldaretaughttolaughinsteadof tocry.Therewouldbeno laughteratallat thefrontof thesun if itwerenotforthewymps."

"Howstrange!"saidMolly."Ialways thought itwaswrong tomakefunofpeople."

"Soitis,"saidQueer;"nobodybutabadwympwoulddosuchathing.Atruewympmakesfunforpeople,andthatisaverydifferentthing."

"Averydifferentthing,"echoedtheotherthree."Weonlymakefunofpeoplewhohavenever learnthowto laugh,andverydifficult it is tomake themintofun at all. It's very poor fun when it is made, too,—most of it," they added,sighing.

Mollywasjustgoingtoaskthemhowtheymanagedtomakepeopleintofunat all, when a number of sounds like pistol-shots suddenly came from thedirectionofthesun,andthefourwympsgrewwildlyexcitedandseizedherbythehandsandbegantoraceoverthegroundwithherasfastastheycould.

"Thewympshavecomehome!"theygaspedbreathlessly."Ifwemakeallthehastewecan,weshallbethereintimetoseethemarrive."

ItseemedtoMollythattorunafterhersubjectswasacuriousthingforarealQueentodo.However,shewasfartoomuchoutofbreathtosayanything,andthenextmomenttheyhadreachedthebackofthesun;andthereweredozensoflittlewymps,alltumblingthroughit,oneonthetopoftheother,untiltheymadealargeheapofthemselvesatthefeetoftheirnewlittleQueen.

"They are bidding you welcome," whispered Queer, as the heap remainedmotionlessatMolly's feet;and,except for thefact thatagoodmanyshoutsof

laughterwerecomingfromit,noonewouldhavethoughtitwasmadeofwympsatall.

"Oh,pleasegetup,"imploredtheirlittleQueen."Itisveryniceofyoutobesogladtoseeme,butIamsureitmustbeveryuncomfortabletolieaboutonthefloorlikethat."

Immediately, theheapdissolved itself intowympsagain;and theycrowdedroundMolly,tumblingupagainsthersoclumsilyandchatteringandlaughingsonoisily, that she thought itwas quite time to remind them that shewas a realQueen.

"Doyouthinkyoucouldmakealittlelessnoise?"shebeggedthem."Idon'tlike noise at all. If youwill only try to speakone at a time, Imaybe able toanswereverybody."

The wymps were so amazed to hear that she did not like noise that theybecame silent for a whole minute in order to think about it. "You see," saidQueer,apologetically,"wehaveneverhadaQueenbefore,sowearenotquitesurewhatshedoeslike.Kingsalwayslikeplentyofnoise;at least, itdoesnotseemtowakethemup,andthatisthegreatthing."

"Yes, that is it!" cried all the littlewymps together. "We have never had aQueenbefore,sowedon'tquiteknowhowtotreather."

"Supposing,"continuedQueer,"thatyouweretotellusthekindofthingsthatarealQueenwouldlikeustodo?"

"Yes,yes!"shoutedalltheotherwymps,gleefully."TelluswhatarealQueenwouldlikeustodo!"

SoMollyclamberedupontheKing'sthrone,andtriedtolookasmuchlikeaQueenasaverylittlegirl,inaveryshortfrockandaverypinkpinafore,knowshowtolook;andthewympsstoodinfrontofher,closelypackedtogether;andshebegantotellthemsomeofthethingsthatarealQueenwouldlikethemtodo.

"Firstofall,"saidMolly,"arealQueendoesn'tlikehertoestroddenon,andherpinaforecrumpled,andherhairpulled.Shedoesn'tlikebeingscreamedat,either;andsheneverallowsherselftobeorderedaboutbyanyone.Shelikesto

order other people about instead, and she likes the other people to be verypleasedwhensheordersthemabout,andnottogoslowlyandlookdisagreeableandgrumble.ShelikesanewfrockeverySunday,andabirthdayeverymonth;and shealwaysdrinksmilk for supper. It is supper timenow,"added the littleQueen,beginningtoyawn.

Allthewympsatoncehurledthemselveshelter-skelterthroughthesunagain,insearchofmilkfortheirnewQueen'ssupper.ButQueerranfasterthananyofthem,andhetooktheverymilkthatMolly'sownmotherhadjustmilkedintothepailforherself;andthestrangestthingofallwasthat,althoughthepailbecameemptybeforehereyesandshehadtogowithoutanysupper,Molly'smotherwasquitehappyafterthatanddidnotworryanymoreaboutherlittlegirlwhohadsostrangelydisappearedinthemorning.Thatshowswhatthewympscandowhentheyforgettobewympish.AndMollydrankhermilkandwenttosleepinherdream-palace,andwasthehappiestlittleQueenoneithersideofthesun;andthewymps—well,itisimpossibletodescribewhatthewympsfeltlike.

MollywasQueenofWymplandforagreatmanydays,andtherehadneverreignedsuchpeaceat thebackof thesun,norin thewholeworldofFairylandeither. Itwasso remarkable that theFairyQueensent forCapricious,oneday,andaskedherwhynobodyhadanythingtogrumbleabout.AnyonemighthavethoughtfromtheFairyQueen'stonethatshewasnotparticularlypleasedatsomuchcontentment,butofcoursethatcouldnotpossiblybethecase.

"Please,yourMajesty,"saidCapricious,whohadbeenwaitinganxiouslytobeaskedthisveryquestionforquitealongtime,"itisbecausethewympsaresomuchoccupiedinlookingaftertheirnewQueenthattheyhavenotimetoplaytricksonus."

"Ah,"saidherMajesty,smilingwisely,"doessheseemhappyatthebackofthesun?"

"Everybody is happy at the back of the sun, please your Majesty," saidCapricious."TheyplaygamesalldaylongtoamusetheirnewQueen,andtheyneverquarrelexceptfortherighttodothingsforherlittleMajesty.Ifshestaysthere much longer it will soon be impossible to distinguish a wymp from afairy!"

"Itistimeshewenthomeagain,"saidtheFairyQueen,smilingwiselyforthe

secondtime."Howdotheshoemakerandhiswifegetonwithouther?"

"Their house is so quiet that the shoemaker has nevermade better shoes,"answeredCapricious."Theshoemaker'swife,though,candonothingbutsitoutin the sunshine and wait, for she cannot bear the silence indoors. Evenwympcraftcannotmakeherforgeteverything,yourMajesty."

"Mollymustcertainlygohomeagain,"saidtheFairyQueen;"andshemustgoto-morrowmorning."

Capricioussigheddismally.

"Must she really go, your Majesty?" she ventured to say; "and will thewympsbefreeagaintoplagueuswiththeirtiresomewympishjokes?"

TheFairyQueensmiledwiselyforthethirdtime.

"Wait until to-morrowmorning," she said. "Youmay have as good a jokeagainstthewympsastheyhaveeverhadagainstyou."

Thatnight,Mollyhadadreamstraight fromFairylandwhich remindedherthat,althoughshehadawholepalaceofherownandquantitiesoflittlesubjectstodoherbidding,shewasreallythedaughteroftheshoemakerontheothersideof the sun.So,whenSkilful andWilful andCaptiousandQueercame toplaywithherinthemorning,shetoldthemshecouldnotbetheirQueenanylonger,asitwastimeforhertogobacktothefrontofthesun.Thefourlittlefellowslookedmoredismal thanawymphadeverbeenknownto lookbefore,andsodid all the wymps inWympland as soon as they heard that their bewympingQueenwasgoingawayfromthem.

"Canwedonothing tomakeyou stopwithus?" theyaskedher. "Havewebeentooroughwithyou,afterall?Youmustforgiveusifwehave,forwearenotaccustomedtoQueens,atthebackofthesun.Ifwetrytobelessnoisy,willyounotstaywithusalittlelonger?"

"Dear little wymps," cried Molly; "you never tread on my toes now, norcrumplemypinafore,norpullmyhair.Idonotwanttogoawayfromyou,butitistimeformetogobacktotheothersideofthesun.Willyoupleaseshowmehowtogetthere,dearlittlewymps?"

Whentheysawthatshewasquitedeterminedtogo,theyledherverysadlytothebackofthesun;andnobodymadeasinglejokeontheway,andtherewasnotasmiletobeseeninthewholeofthatsadlittleprocession.TherehadneverbeensolittlelaughterandsomuchdolefulnessintheLandoftheWymps.

"Howam I to get through that?" askedMolly, rubbing the tears out of hereyesandlookingupatthebackofthebigroundsun;"andshallItumbleallthewaydownwhenIgettotheotherside?"

"It is quite easy," explained Skilful. "You have only to shut your eyes andjumpthroughit,andthesunbeamswillcatchyouontheotherside;andyoucanslidedowntheonethatshinesintotheshoemaker'sgarden,whereyourmothersitswatchingforyou."

ThenMollyrubbedhereyesagain,fortherewerestillagreatmanytearsinthem,andthemoresherubbedthemawaythefastertheycameagain,untilshewasreallyafraidthewympswouldseethatshewascrying;andthatwouldneverdo,forshefeltquitesurethatarealQueenshouldnevercry.Soshekissedherhandtohersadlittlesubjectsandpromisedtocomebackagainsomeday;andthensheshuthereyestightandjumpedthroughthebigroundsunandsliddownthesunbeamthatshoneintotheshoemaker'sgarden.Andasshespeddowntheshining,slipperysunbeam,shecouldhearSkilfulandWilfulandCaptiousandQueerinthedistance,singingtheirfunnylittlesongabouther:—

"Youhavesurelybewympedallthewympsyoucamenear,BesidesSkilfulandWilfulandCaptiousandQueer!Andnowthatyou'vegoneandyourwympingisdone,Theworldhasgrownsadatthebackofthesun."

Molly never knewwhat happened when they finished singing; but the fairiesknew,becausetheywerehidingallroundtheedgeofthesunatthetime.AnditwasthemostremarkablethingthathadeverhappenedinWympland.

Thewympssay thatQueerbegan it;and this isextremely likely, forQueerwas always a little different from the other wymps. Anyhow, they very soonfollowedhisexample;andsoitwasthatallthewympsatthebackofthesunsatdown on the ground and cried, because their bewymping littleQueenwas nolongerwiththem.AndallthefairieswhowerehidingpoppeduptheirheadsandpeeredovertheedgeofthesunandstaredinamazementatwhatwasgoingoninWympland.

SotheFairyQueenwasright,asshealwaysis,andthewympsweremadetocryforonceintheirlives;andthefairieshaveasgoodajokeagainstthewympsasthewympseverhadagainstthefairies.Perhapsthatiswhythewympsplaysofewtricksonthefairies,now;buttheFairyQueenonlysmileswhenpeoplesaythat,sosheprobablyknowsbetter.

SUNNYWASSOASTONISHEDTHATSHESTOPPEDCRYINGATONCE

TheStoryofHoneyandSunny

Therewasonceawonderfulcountryinwhicheverythingwasbeautiful.Allthetrees,andtheflowers,andthebirds,andtheanimalswerejustasbeautifulascould be imagined; and the shops, and the houses, and the palaces were thesame.Ofcourseall the littlegirlsandboyswerebeautiful, too;but that is thesameeverywhere.Now,whetheritwasbecauseofthebeautyofhiskingdom,orwhetheritwasmerelyonaccountofhisroyalbirth,itisimpossibletosay,buttheKingwassoextremelynervousthathislifewasnopleasuretohim.

"Icannotbearanythingnoisy,"hesaid."Noiseissoveryalarming."Sowhenthe baby Princess cried, he sent her away to another King's country, to bebroughtupinavillagenobodyhadeverheardof,sothatherroyalfathershouldnotbedisturbed.AndwhenheheardthattheQueen,hiswife,hadgoneafterher,he hardly raised his royal eyebrows. "She laughed too much," he observed,thoughtfully.

Thepalacegrewquieterdaybyday.Theladiesinwaitingwereforbiddentowear high heels because they made such a clatter on the marble floors; soeverybodyknewforthefirsttimehowshorteverybodyelsewas.Everycourtierwhose boots creaked was instantly banished, and if he had a cough into thebargainhewasbeheadedaswell;buttheclimatewassodelightfulthatthisveryrarelyhappened. In time, everybodyat court took to speaking inawhisper, inordertosparetheKing'snerves;anditevenbecamethefashiontotalkaslittleas possible.TheKingwas immensely pleased at this. "Anybody can talk," hesaid;"butitisasignofgreatrefinementtobesilent."Afterthat,eventheladiesinwaitingweresometimessilentforquitehalfanhour.It is truethat theKingtalkedwheneverhefeltinclined,butthat,ofcourse,wasnecessary.

The silence of the court soon spread over the country.Lawsweremade toforbidthepeopletokeepchickens,orpigs,orcows,oranythingthatwasnoisy;andthechildrenwereordered,byroyalproclamation,nevertolaugh,andnevertocry,andnevertoquarrel,sothatwhentheKingrodeoutfromhispalacenota

soundshouldmeethisears.Butthiswasnotall;forthebirdsweresofrightenedbythestillnessofeverythingthattheystoppedsingingaltogether,andtheleaveson the trees ceased to rustlewhen thewind blew; and even the frogs and thetoadswerestartledatthehoarsenessoftheirownvoicesanddidnotcroakanymore,whichwas themost remarkable thing that ever happened, for it takes averygreatdealtopersuadeafrogoratoadthathisvoiceisnotcharming.Theonlysoundthatbrokethesilencewastheoccasionalhummingofbees,for theKingstillallowedthepeopletokeepbeesiftheyliked."Beesarenotnoisy,"hesaid."Theydonotgrunt,orbark,orcroak.Icanbeartolistentothehummingofbees."Eventhebeesdidnothumsomuchasbeesgenerallydo;forthesunsoonfoundthatnobodylaughedwhenhewasshininghisverybest,sohewentbehindacloudinatemperandstayedthereforyearsandyearsandyears;andthebeescouldnotdowithoutsunshine,eveniftheKingcould.Sothecountrygrewlessbeautifulandmoregloomyeveryyear.

But thevillagewithout aname in theotherKing's country,where the littlePrincesswasbeingbroughtup,wasaverydifferentkindofplace.Itwasfullofhappypeople,whomadeasmuchnoiseastheypleased,andlaughedwhentheywereglad,andcriedwhentheyweresad,andneverbotheredaboutanythingatall.And thechickens ran in andoutof thecottageswith thechildren, and thebirdssangalltheyearround,andthesunhadneverbeenknowntostopshiningforasingleminute.Itwasthejolliestcountryimaginable,fornobodyinterferedwith anybody else, and the King never made any laws at all, and the onlypunishment thatexistedwasforgrumbling.It is truethat therewashardlyanyconversation,foreverybodytalkedatonceandnobodyheardwhatanybodyelsesaid; but as it was not often worth hearing, that did not matter in the least.Everybodywashappyandjolly,andthatwasthegreatthing.

LittleSunnythePrincessgrewupwithoutknowingthatshewasaPrincessatall; andnobodyelseknew that shewasaPrincess either; andeven theQueenhad almost forgotten that she was a King's wife. That was nobody's concernthough;andtheylivedinthetiniestcottageofall,andSunnyrompedwitheverygirlandboyintheplaceandwaslovedbythemall.TheyhadcalledherSunnybecauseshecouldlookstraightatthesunwithoutblinking,whichwasmorethantheboldestofthemcoulddo;anditwassuchagoodnameforherthatshewasnever called anything else. Besides, nobody knew her real name, and as it ismuchtoolongtobementionedhere,andastheQueenhadforgottenitlongago,itreallyisofnoconsequenceatall.

Onefineday,Sunnysatupinthechocolatetree,listeningtooneofthestoriesthat Honey the gardener's son was so fond of telling her; and Honey thegardener'ssonlayonthegrassbelow,andtriedtocatchthechocolatedropswithwhichshewaspeltinghim.

"Whyareallyourstoriessomuchalike,Honey?"askedSunnythePrincess."Why does the Prince always go out into the world to find a Princess?Whyshould n't the Princess go and find the Prince, for a change? I wish I was aPrincess;Iwouldstartto-morrow.Whatfun!"

Shelaughedherveryhappiestlaughandfoundanextralargechocolatedropandthrewitintohismouth.Honeylaughedaswellasanyonecouldlaughwithachocolatedrop inhismouth,and tried to thinkofananswer toherquestion.Honey was not his real name either, but it was the one they had given himbecause he knew the language of the bees, as, indeed, every true son of agardenershould.

"Perhaps the storiesarewrong,"he said. "Ionly tell them toyouas Ihavethemfromthebees.OrperhapsnoneofthoseparticularPrincesseseverwantedtogooutintotheworldtofindanybody."

"Or perhaps," added Sunny, "theywere just found before they had time tolookforaPrincethemselves.Doyouthinkthatwasit?Anyhow,Idon'twanttowaitforaPrince,forPrincesnevercomethiswayatall;soIamgoingoutintotheworldtoseekmyownfortune,andIshallstartthisverymoment!"

She jumped down from the chocolate tree as she spoke, and danced roundHoney, clapping her hands with excitement. Honey was not surprised, fornobodywaseversurprisedatanythinginthatcountry,buthewasjustalittlebitsad.

"And I shall ask the first Prince I meet if he will come back with me,"continuedSunny;"justasthePrincesalwaysaskthePrincessesinthestories.Hewon't know I am not a Princess, will he? And you won't tell him, will you,Honeydear?"

"Ishallnotbethere,"saidHoneythegardener'sson."Idon'tthinkIwanttolookforaPrincess;andIcertainlycannotleavemygarden."

"Oh,"saidSunny,andshewasalmostgraveforaninstant."ButIwillcome

back some day, when I have found my Prince, and then you shall be mygardener,"shewentonconsolingly."Andyoudon'tmindmygoingwithoutyou,doyou,Honeydear?"

"ThePrincesinthestoriesalwayswentalone,"answeredHoney.

So that was how Sunny the Princess went out into the world, withoutknowingthatshewasaPrincess.Andofcourseeverybodyinthevillagemissedher;buttheQueen,hermother,andHoney,thegardener'sson,missedhermostofall.Beforeshewent,however,Honeytaughtherasongwhichshewastosingifsheeverfoundherselfintrouble;andthiswasthesong:—

"FriendsofHoney,CometoSunny;Whizzing,whirring,Stillnessstirring,Sunlightblurring;

FriendsofHoney,FlytoSunny!"

andthisshelearnedbyheartbeforeshestarted.

Now,shetravelledagreatmanydayswithoutmeetingwithanyadventuresatall.Itwassuchadelightfulcountrythateverybodywaspleasedtoseeher,andsheneverhadanydifficultyingettingenoughtoeat,forshehadonlytosmileand that was all the payment that anybody wanted. But one day, as she waswalkingthroughawood,agreatchangesuddenlycameovereverything.Everysoundwashushed,andthebirdsstoppedsinging,andthewindstoppedplayingwiththeleaves;therewasnotarustleoramovementanywhere,andthesunhadgonebehindacloud.InthewholeofhershortlifethelittlePrincesshadneverseen the sun go behind a cloud, and she felt extremely inclined to cry. Thefurthershewent,thedarkerandgloomieritgrew,andatlastshecouldnotbearitanotherminute;sodownshesatbythesideoftheroadandweptheartily.

"Hullo!youmuststopthatnoiseorelseyouwillbebanished,"saidavoice,not very far on. Sunnywas so astonished that she stopped crying at once andlookeduptoseealittleoldmanwithawhitebeardstaringather.Hewasaverysad-lookinglittleman,andhismouthwasdrawndownatthecornersasthoughhehadbeenonthepointofcryingallhislifeandhadneverquitebrokendown.

"WhymustIstop?"askedSunny."Ifyoufeelunhappyyoumustcry,mustn't

you?"

"Dearme,no,"saidthesadlittleman,inatoneofdeepgloom."Iamalwaysunhappy,butInevercry.Thewholecountryisunhappy,butnobodyisallowedtocry.Ifyoucry,youmustgoaway."

"Whatafunnycountry!"criedSunny,andsheatoncebegantolaughattheabsurdityofit.

"Don'tdothat,"saidthelittleman,inatoneofstillgreateralarm."Ifyougoonmakinganyfreshnoises,youwillgetbeheaded.Whycan'tyoubequiet?Youcandoanythingyoulike,aslongasyoudoitquietly."

"Mayn'tIlaugh?"exclaimedSunny."Whatistheuseoffeelinghappyifyoumayn'tlaugh?"

"It is n't any use," said the sad little man. "Nobody ever is happy in thiscountry.NobodyeverhasbeenhappysincetheKingwasbewitchedandthesunwent away in a temper, and that was sixteen years ago.Nobody everwill behappyagain,unless the spell isbroken; and the spell cannotbebrokenuntil aPrincess of the royal blood comes this way, without knowing that she is aPrincess."

"How absurd!" said Sunny. "As if a Princess could be a Princess withoutknowingsheisaPrincess!"

"Whynot?"askedthesadlittleman,crossly.Hehadlivedaloneinthedark,silentwoodforsuchalongtimethathebegantofindtheconversationtiring.

"Oh,becausetherearebandsandflagsandballsandbanquetsandcheersandPrincesandlotsoffun,whereverthereisaPrincess,"repliedSunny.

Thesadlittlemanlookedmoresadthanbefore.

"Then the spellwillneverbebroken,"he said,miserably; "becauseall thatnoisewouldbestoppedatonce.Ifyouhavedonetalkingyouhadbettergo,orelseweshallbothbebanished;andIadviseyoutotakeoffthosewoodenshoesofyours,unlessyouwant tobeclapped intoprison.But, firstofall, tellme ifyoucanlookstraightatthesunwithoutblinking."

Healwaysaskedthatofeverylittlegirlwhocamehisway,incasesheshouldhappentobeaPrincess;forhewasreallyaverywiselittlemaninspiteofhissadness, andheknew thatonlyeagles, andPrincesseswhodidnotknow theywerePrincesses,couldlookstraightatthesunwithoutblinking.Andhewassotiredoffeelingsadwithoutbeingallowedtocry,thathelongedtohavethespellremovedfromthecountry,sothatheneednotkeepbackhistearsanylonger.

"Why, of course I can, if there is a sun," laughed Sunny. And to herastonishmentthesadlittlemandroppedstraightontheground,andputhisfistsinhiseyes,andbegantocryat theverytopofhisvoice, just likeanychildinanynursery.

"Whateveristhematter?"exclaimedSunny.

"Matter?" shouted the littleman, whowas shakenwith sobs from head tofoot. "Iwasnever sohappy inmy life! Ihavebeen longing tocry for sixteenyears."

Therehadcertainlynotbeensomuchnoise in thatwood for sixteenyears.Fornosoonerdidtheoldmanbegintoweep,thanthetreesbegantorustle,andthebirdsbegantosing,andthefrogsbegantocroak;andoveritallcameafaintglimmeringofwhite light,as thoughthesunwerebeginningtostretchhimselfbehindthecloud.

"Whatdoesitallmean?"demandedSunny.

"Goontothepalaceandsee,"sobbedthesadlittleman,andhepointedoutthewaytoherbetweenhistears.AndSunnysetoffrunninginherwoodenshoesasfastasshecouldgo,andthereneverwassuchaclatterasshemadewhenshereachedthetownandranstraightthroughthegatesandallalongthestreets;andon either side of her the people fell down in heaps, from sheer amazement athearingsuchanoiseaftersixteenyearsofsilence.Sonobodytriedtostopher;andsheranfasterandfasterandfaster,andthelightgrewbrighterandbrighterandbrighter,tillatlastshestoodinthecourtyardoftheKing'spalace.Thereshesaw beautiful ladies inmagnificent court dresses creeping about on their barefeet, and handsome courtiers in elegant costumes walking on tiptoe in carpetslippers; and therewas theCaptainof theKing'sguarddrilling the soldiers inwhispers, and therewere the soldiers pretending to firewith guns that hadnogunpowderinthem;andtherewastheheadcoachmanmakingfacesatthestable

boybecausehecouldnotshoutathim,andtherewasthestableboystandingonhis head because hewas not allowed towhistle.And into themiddle of it allcametheclatterofSunny'swoodenshoes,assheranacrossthecourtyard,andup the steps, and into the palace; and down dropped the ladies in waiting ingraceful groups, and down dropped the courtiers just anyhow; and all thesoldiers fell down in neat little rows, and theCaptain of theKing's guard satdownandlookedatthem;andtheheadcoachmanshoutedashehadwantedtoshoutatallhisstableboysfor the lastsixteenyears,andthestableboywavedhiscapandcried"Hurrah!"AndSunnywentclatteringalongthegreathall,pastthepageboyswhowereplayingmarbleswithindia-rubbermarbles,andpastthekitchen where the fires burned without crackling and the kettles never boiledover, and up the wide marble staircase, and along all the passages, until thesoundofhercomingevenreachedtheKing'sears.

NowtheKingsatonhisthronewithcottonwoolstuffedinhisears,incasethereshouldbyaccidentbetheleastsoundinthepalace.But,inspiteofthat,heheardtheclatterofSunny'sshoescomingcloserandcloser,andhebegantofeelterriblynervouslesttherereallywasgoingtobeanoiseatlast.

"Whatisthatnoise?Takeitawayandbeheaditatonce!"hesaidtothePrimeMinister, in hismost distinctwhisper.But thenoiseoutsidewasnow sogreatthat thePrimeMinister couldnot hear aword; and thenextmoment thedoorwasflungopen,andSunnythePrincessranintotheroom.AndtheKinglookedsofunnyashetriedtomakethePrimeMinisterhearhiswhispers,andthePrimeMinisterlookedsofunnyashetriedtoheartheKing'swhispers,thatSunnywasobligedtolaugh;andwhenshehadoncebegunshefoundshecouldnotstop,soshe laughed and laughed and laughed; and when the poor, nervous old Kingturnedagain to thePrimeMinister to tellhim tobeheadsomeoneatonce,hefoundthatthePrimeMinisterwaslaughingtoo;andimmediatelyallthepagesinthehall,andthecourtiersinthecourtyard,andthecooksinthekitchen,andthetownspeopleinthestreets,andthechildreninthenurseries,werealllaughingasheartily as they could. And when the sun heard all this laughter, he finishedmakinguphismindimmediately,andcameoutfrombehindthecloudandshonehis very best once more. So there was the sunshine again, and there waseverybodylaughing,excepttheKing.

Now,whentheKingfoundthatnoonewaspayinganyattentiontohisroyalwhispers, he began to grow angry, andwithout thinking anymore about it heshouted at the very top of his royal voice. And this was so remarkable, after

sixteen years of whispering, that the laughter was instantly hushed; and evenSunnythePrincessbecamegrave,becauseshewantedtoseewhatwasgoingtohappennext.

"Whoareyou?"demandedtheKing,pointingatherwithhissceptre.

"IamSunny,ofcourse,"shesaid,steppinguptothethroneinquiteafriendlymanner.Allthecourtierslookedatoneanotherandnodded.

"SheisSunny,ofcourse,"theysaid, justasthoughtherecouldbenodoubtaboutitwhatever.

"She is the little Princess your daughter," said a fresh voice from thedoorway.AndtherestoodtheQueen,whohadnotbeenabletostaybyherselfanylongerandhadjustcomeafterSunnyasfastasshecould.WhentheKingsawher,hequiteforgotthatsheusedtolaughtoomuch,andhecamedownfromhis throne in a terrific hurry andhekissedher several timesbefore thewholecourt;andSunnykissedthemboththereandthen;andalltheladiesinwaitinginthe roomkissed all the pages thatwere to be seen; and the courtiers stood inrowsalongthewallandnevergotkissedatall.

SothatwashowSunnyfoundoutshewasaPrincess;andtherewerebandsandflagsandballsandbanquetsandcheersandPrincesandlotsoffun.ForthateveningtheKinggaveamagnificentball,tocelebratethereturnofhisdaughterSunny;andallthePrincesinthekingdomwereinvitedtoit.

"Now,"saidtheQueen,asshecarefullyputonSunny'sbeautifulnewcrown,"youwillbeabletofindyourPrince,asyousaidyouwould."

But Sunny shook her head and wondered why she felt so sad wheneverything seemed to be going so well; and when the Queen had gonedownstairstolookafterthesupper,shewenttotheopenwindowandlookedoutintothegarden.Asshedidso,therecameafaintbuzzingandhummingcloseathand,andthreebeautifulbrownbeesflewdownandsettledonherroundwhitearm.AndSunnygaveacryofjoyandknewallatoncewhyshehadbeenfeelingsolonely;andshebegantosingthesongHoneythegardener'ssonhadtaughther:—

"FriendsofHoneyCometoSunny;

Whizzing,whirring,Stillnessstirring,Sunlightblurring;

FriendsofHoney,FlytoSunny!"

Shehadnotnearlyfinishedsingingitbeforetherecameadistantmurmurinthestill,warmair,andthemurmurgrewlouderandlouderuntilitwouldalmosthavedeafenedanyoneiftherehadbeenanyonetheretodeafen.Butthepeopleinthepalaceweresooccupiedindressingfortheballthatathunderstormwouldnot have made any difference to them; and as for Sunny, the sound onlyremindedherofthevillagewithoutaname,whereshehadbeensohappywithHoney.Sosheleanedoutofthewindowasfarasshecould,andwaiteduntilshesaw a dense cloud coming gradually towards her, so large that it covered thewholeof thesettingsun.Whenit reachedthepalace ithungjustabove it,andshe could see quite plainly that itwasmade ofmillions andmillions of bees.Thenthethreebeeswhichhaddroppedonherroundwhitearmfloatedupintotheairandflewroundherheadthreetimesandwentawaytojointhecloudofbeesoverhead.Sunnyknew then that theyweregoing todowhat shewanted;andsheclappedherhandsandlaughed,asthehummingandbuzzingbeganalloveragain,andthecloudmovedawayasquicklyasithadcome."Hurry,hurry,dearlittlebees!"shecriedfromthepalacewindow;andthenextmomenttherewas not a bee left in thewhole kingdom, for they had all gone to the villagewithoutaname,intheotherKing'scountry.

Everybodywonderedwhy thePrincesswas so disdainful to all thePrinceswhodancedwithher, thatnight.ButnobodywonderedanymorewhenHoneythegardener'ssonarrived;and thisreallyhappened,only threedays later.Andhecame,allinhisgardener'sclothes;andhewalkedstraightintothepalace,justasSunnyhaddone;andshemethimin thegreathall,where theKingandtheQueenandthewholecourtwerehavingareceptiontoreceiveoneanother.Andthey both shoutedwith happiness and ran straight into each other's arms; andtheykissedandkissedandkissed, and then they fell to talkingas fast as theycould;andtheybothtalkedatonceforthreequartersofanhour,beforeeitherofthemheardaword.Then theysatdownon thestepsof theKing's throne, justbecause it happened to be there, and Sunny told him everything that hadhappenedtoher.Nobodyinterfered,noteventhePrimeMinister,forSunnyhaddonesomanycurious thingssinceherarrival thatonemoreor lessmadevery

littledifference.

"ItisverydullbeingaPrincess,"saidSunny."AndIdon'tlikepalacesmuch,after all; they are such stuffy places! The peoplewho live in them are ratherstuffy,too.Andthereisn'tachocolatetreeinthewholeofthegarden;didyoueverknowsuchastupidgarden?Oh,Iamsogladyouhavecome,Honeydear!"

"HaveyoufoundyourPrince?"wasallthatHoneysaid.

"Princesarenotabitamusing,"saidSunny."Therewerefifty-twoPrincesattheball, theothernight,butIdidn't likeanyofthem.Iamdreadfullytiredofbeing a Princess. It is ever so much nicer in the village, under the chocolatetree."

"Of course it is," saidHoney. "We 'll goback, shallwe?"Andnothing theKingcouldsaywouldmakethemseeanyothersidetothequestion.Indeed,astheQueenpointedouttohim,ifhehadnotallowedthepeopletokeepsomanybees itmightneverhavehappenedatall.So theendof itwas, that theQueenstayedwith theKing;andHoneyandSunnyweremarried thatvery samedayandwentbacktoliveinthevillagewithoutaname.Andtheretheybuiltaverysmall house in a very big garden, and they planted it with rows of chocolatetrees,androwsofacid-dropbushes,andlotsofalmondrockeries;andthefairiescameandfilleditwithflowersfromFairylandthathadnonamesatall,butwerethemostbeautiful flowers that anyonehas ever seen, for theynever fadedordied but just changed into something else when they were tired of being thesameflower.

SonowonderthatHoneyandSunnywerehappyforeverandever!

"COMEWITHME,POET,"SAIDTHELITTLEPRINCESS

TheLittlePrincessandthePoet

There was once a Poet whom nobodywanted.Wherever he went, he wasalwaysintheway;andthereasonforthiswashisinabilitytodoanythinguseful.All the people in all the countries through which he passed seemed to beoccupied inmaking something,—eitherwar, ornoise, ormoney,or confusion;butthePoetcouldmakenothingexceptlove,andthat,ofcourse,wasofnouseat all. Even thewomen,whomight otherwise havewelcomed him, could notenduretheuglinessofhisfeatures;and, indeed, itwouldhavebeendifficult tofind a face with less beauty in it, for he looked as if all the cares and theannoyances of the world had been imprinted on his countenance and left itseared with lines. So the poor, ugly Poet went from place to place, singingpoemstowhichnobodylistened,andofferingsympathytopeoplewhocouldnotevenunderstandhislanguage.

Onedayhecametoacityhehadnevervisitedbefore;and,ashealwaysdid,hewent straight to thepartwhere thepoorerpeople lived, for itwasallaboutthemthathewrotethepoetrytowhichnobodylistened.But,asusual,thepoorpeopleweresofulloftheirtroublesthattheycouldnotevenunderstandhim.

"What is theuseof tellingusweareunhappy?" theygrumbled. "Weknowthatalready,anditdoesnotinterestusabit.Canyounotdosomethingforus?"

ThePoetonlyshookhishead.

"IfIdid,"hereplied,"Ishouldprobablydoitverybadly.Theworldisfullofpeoplewhoarealwaysdoingthings;theonlymistaketheymakeisingenerallydoingthemwrong.ButIamheretopersuadethemtodotherightthingsforachange,sothatyoumayhaveyourchanceofhappinessaswellasthey."

"Oh,weshallneverbehappy,"thepeoplesaid."Ifthatisallyouhavetosay,youhadbetterleaveustoourunhappinessandgouptotheKing'spalace.ForthelittlePrincesshasbeenblindfromherbirth,andhergreatdelightistolistentopoetry,sothepalaceisfullofpoets.Butnoneofthemevercomedownhere,sowedonotknowwhattheyarelike."

ThePoetwasoverjoyedathearingthatatlasthewasinacountrywherehewaswanted;andhesetoffforthepalaceimmediately.

"Whoareyou,andwhatdoyouwant?"demandedtheroyalsentinels,whenhepresentedhimselfatthepalacegates.

"IamaPoet,"hereplied."AndIhavecometoseethePrincess,becausesheisfondofpoets."

"Wehaveneverseenapoetlikeyou,"saidthesentinels,doubtfully."Allthepoets in the palace have smooth, smiling faces, and fine clothes, and whitehands.HerRoyalHighnessisnotaccustomedtoreceivinganyonesountidyasyourself."

ThePoetlookeddownathisweather-beatenclothesandhistoil-wornhands;andhe stared at the reflection of hiswrinkled, furrowed face in themoat thatsurroundedthepalace;andhesighedinadisappointedmanner.

"IamaPoet,"herepeated."Howcanamanbeapoetifhisfaceissmoothandhishandsarewhite?Nomancanbeapoetifhehasnottoiledandsufferedandwanderedovertheearth,forthesakeofthepeoplewhoareinit."

Justthenheheardawoman'svoicespeakingfromtheothersideofthegates;andlookingthroughthem,hesawabeautiful,palePrincess,standingthereallbyherself,withalookofinterestonherface.

"ItisthelittleblindPrincess,"thoughtthePoet,andhebowedstraighttotheground though he knew quite well that she could not see him. The sentinelssaluted,too,fortheyweresoaccustomedtosalutingpeoplewhoneversawthematallthattheblindnessofthelittlePrincessmadenodifferencetothem.

"Tell me," said the Princess, eagerly, "the name of the man with thewonderfulvoice,whoissayingallthosebeautiful,truethings."

"PleaseyourHighness,"saidthesentinels,"hesaysheisaPoet."

"Ah,"criedthelittlePrincess, joyfully,"at lastyouhavecome;Ihavebeenwaiting for you allmy life!At last I have found a real Poet, and theQueen-motherwillseenowthatallthosepeopleinthere,whosaythesamethingsoverandover again in their small, thin voices, are not poets at all.Come in,Poet;whydoyoustaysolongoutside?"

Sothedrawbridgewasletdown,andthesentinelssawwhatamistaketheyhadmadeanddidtheirbesttopretendthattheyhadnotmadeitatall;andforthefirsttimeinhislifethePoetfeltthathewasnotinanybody'sway.

"Comewithme,Poet," said the littlePrincess, holdingouther smallwhitehandtohim."Ifyouwilltakemyhand,Ishallfeelquitesureyouarethere."

SothelittleblindPrincessandthePoetwentintothepalace,handinhand.

"IhavefoundaPoet,"sheannouncedtothewholecourt,justasitwassittingdowntoluncheon.

"What!Another?"groanedtheKingfromthetopofthetable."Ishouldhavethoughtfive-and-fortywerequiteenough,consideringthedemand."

"This is a real Poet," continued the little Princess, still holding the Poet'shand."Iknewhimbyhiswonderfulvoice.Iamsogladhehascome;andnow,wecansendawayalltheothers,whoarenotpoetsatall."

Now,thiswasalittleawkward,forthefive-and-fortypoetswereallpresent;andbeingmostlytheyoungersonsofkings,whohadonlytakenuppoetryasanaccomplishment, theywere also suitors for thePrincess's hand,whichmade itmoreawkwardstill.SotheQueencougheduncomfortably,andalltheladiesinwaiting blushed uncomfortably, and the five-and-forty poets naturally lookeduncomfortable into the bargain.But the little Princess,who could see nothingandneverhadbeenabletoseeanything,neitherblushednorfeltuncomfortable.

"WillsomeonegiveplacetothePoet?"sheaskedwithasmile.

The Queen, who was generally full of resources, felt that it was time tointerfere.

"DonotlistentoHerRoyalHighness,"shesaid,soothingly,tothefive-and-fortypoets."Sheissoterriblytruthfulthatshedoesnotknowwhatsheissaying.Ihavetriedinvaintobreakherofit."

"Don'tknowwhereshegetsitfrom,"growledtheoldKing,whohadagreatdisliketoscenesatmealtimes.

Thefive-and-fortypoetsrecoveredtheircomposure,whentheyheardthatthePrincesswasrathertobepitiedthanblamed;andtheQueenwasabletoturntothecauseofthedisturbance.

"Willyoubekindenoughtogo?"shesaidtothePoet."Mydaughterdidnot

know who you were because, unfortunately, she cannot see. She actuallymistookyouforapoet!"

"It is the first time," said the Poet, "that any one has made the mistake.However,youarequiterightandIhadbettergo.Youwillnotlikemypoetry;Isee five-and-forty gentlemen who can write the poetry that will give youpleasure; mine is written for the people, who have to work that you may behappy.Littlelady,"headded,turningtothePrincess,"Iprayyou,thinknomoreofme.Asforme,Ishallloveyoutotheendofmydays."

Thenhe tried togo,but the small,white fingersof the littleblindPrincesswereroundhisownrough,tannedones,andhecouldnotmove.

"I lovedyoubeforeyoucame," she said, smiling. "Ihavebeenwaiting foryouallthetime.Whyareyouinsuchahurrytogo,ifyouloveme?"

The listeners grewmore scandalised everymoment.Noonehad seen suchlove-makingbefore.Tobesure,thefive-and-fortypoetshadwrittenlovesongsinnumerable,butthatwasnotatallthesamething.Everyonefeltthatsomethingoughttobedoneandnobodyquiteknewhowtodoit.Fortunately,theKingwashungry.

"Ithinkyouhadbettersaytherestinprivate,whenwehavehadlunch,"hesaidgrimly,andthecourtierslookedimmenselyrelieved,andaplacewasfoundnext to the Princess for the Poet; and the Queen and her ladies in waitingproceededtomakeconversation,andlunchwentonasusual.

"Now,"saidtheKing,withasigh,formealswereoffargreaterimportancetohim than poetry, "you shall tell us one of your poems, so thatwemay knowwhetheryouareapoetornot."

Then the Poet stood up and told them one of his poems. It was about thepeoplewholivedonthedarksideofthecity,anditwasveryfierce,andbitter,andpassionate;andwhenhehadfinishedtellingit,heexpectedtobethrustoutofthepalaceandbanishedfromthecountry,forthatwaswhatusuallyhappenedtohim.Therewasagreatsilencewhenhesatdownagain,andthePoetdidnotknowwhattomakeofit.Butthesmall,whitefingersofthelittlePrincesshadagainstolenroundhis,andthatwasatleastconsoling.

TheQueenwasthefirsttobreakthesilence.

"Charming,"shesaidwithaneffort,"andsonew."

"Wehaveheardnothinglikeitbefore,"saidtheladiesinwaiting."Aretherereallysuchpeopleasthatintheworld?Itmightbeamusingtomeetthem,or,atleast,tostudythem."

TheKingglancedatalltheotherpoetsandsaidnothingatall.Andthefive-and-fortykings'sons,who,iftheywerenotpoets,wereatleastgentlemen,rosefromtheirseatswithoneaccord.

"HerroyalHighnesswasquiteright,"theysaid."Wearenotpoetsatall."

Thentheytookleaveofeveryonepresentandfiledoutoftheroomandrodeawaytotheirrespectivecountries,where,ofcourse,nobodyeversuspectedthemofbeingpoets; and they just remainedPrinces of the royal blood andnothingelsetotheendoftheirdays.

"Andyou,littlelady?"saidthePoet,anxiously.

"Itwaswonderful,"answeredthelittleblindPrincess."Buttherewasnoloveinit."

By this time the Queen had ceased to be impressed and had begun torememberthatshewasaQueen.

"We are quite sure you are a poet," she said in hermost queenlymanner,"becauseyouhavetoldussomethingthatwedidnotknowbefore.ButwethinkyouarenotafitcompanionforherroyalHighness,andit isthereforetimeforyoutogo."

"No,no!"criedthePrincess."Youarenottogo.YouaremyPoet,andIwantyoutostayherealways."

Matterswerebecomingserious,andeveryonesettoworktotrytoturnthelittlePrincessfromherpurpose.

"Heisshockinglyuntidy,"whisperedtheladiesinwaiting.

"Andso ugly,"murmured theQueen; "there is nothing distinguished abouthimatall."

"He will cost the nation something to keep," added the King, withoutloweringhisvoiceatall.

But the little Princess turned a deaf ear to them all and held out her handagaintothePoet.

"Idonotbelieveawordtheysay,"shecried."Youcannotbeugly,youwithavoicelikethat!Ifyouareugly,thenuglinessiswhatIhavewantedallmylife.UglinessiswhatIlove,andyouaretostayherewithme."

Intheend,itwasthePoethimselfwhocametotherescue.

"Icannotstaywithyou,littlelady,"hesaidgently."Itistruewhattheysay;Iamtoouglytobetolerated,andithasbeenmygoodfortunethatyoucouldnotseeme.Iwillgoawayandputsomeloveintomypoetry,andthen,perhaps,Ishallfindsomeonewhowilllistentome."

ButthepoorlittlePrincessburstoutsobbing.

"IfIcouldonlysee,"shewept,"IwouldprovetoyouthatIdonotthinkyouugly.Oh,ifIcouldonlysee!Ihaveneverwantedtoseebefore."

"Little lady," whispered the Poet, bending over her, "I am glad that youcannotsee."

Andthen,heturnedandfledoutofthepalaceandoutofthecityandawayfrom thecountry that contained the littlePrincesswhohad lovedhimbecauseshewasblind.Andhewandered fromplace toplaceasbefore;buthe toldnoonethathewasapoet,forhehadfeltashamedofhispoetryeversincethelittlePrincesshadsaidtherewasnoloveinit.But therecameadaywhenhecouldkeepsilentnolonger,sohewentamongthepeopleoncemoreandtoldthemoneofhispoems.Thistime,hehadnodifficultyinmakingthemunderstand,forhetoldthemthestoryofhisloveforthelittleblindPrincess.

"Why,"saidthepeople,whenhehadfinished,"themaidiseasilycured,foritiswellknownamongourfolkthatakissontheeyelidswhenasleep,fromatruelover,willopentheeyesofanyonewhohasbeenblindfrombirth."

Now,when the Poet heard this, hewas greatly perplexed. For to open theeyes of his little Princesswas to kill her love for him; and yet, he could not

forgethowshehadwept for thewantofher sight, andherewas thepower togiveitbacktoher,anditrestedwithhimaloneofallmenintheworld.Sohedetermined tomakeherhappyat anycost, andhe turnedhis face towards theKing'spalaceoncemoreandarrived thereatmidday,after travellingforsevendaysandsevennightswithoutceasing.But,ofcourse,thatwasnothingtoapoetwhowasinlove.

"Dearme," said theKing irritably,when the Poet appeared before him; "Ithoughtyouhadgoneforgood.Andaprettytimewe'vebeenhavingofitwiththePrincess,inconsequence!Whathaveyoucomebackfor?"

"IhavecomebacktoopenthePrincess'seyes,"answeredthePoet,boldly.

"Itstrikesme,"grumbledtheKing,"thatyouopenedeverybody'seyesprettyeffectually,lasttimeyouwerehere.Youcertainlycan'tseethePrincessnow,forshehasgonetosleepinthegarden."

"That isexactlywhatIwant,"cried thePoet, joyfully."Letmebutkisshereyelidswhilesheissleeping,andbythetimesheawakesIshallhavegoneforever."

"TheQueenmustdealwiththis,"saidtheKing,lookinghelplessinthefaceofsuchapreposteroussuggestion.HerMajestywasaccordinglysentfor,andthePoetexplainedhismissionalloveragain.

"Itiscertainlyunusual,"saidtheQueen,doubtfully,"nottosayoutoforder.Butstill,inviewoftheadvantagetobegained,andbyconsideringitinthelightofmedical treatment—and ifyoupromise togoawaydirectlyafter, just likeaphysician,or—orasinging-master,—perhapssomethingmightbearranged."

TheendofitwasthatthePoetwastakenintothegarden,andtherewasthelittle blind Princess sound asleep in her hammock, with a maid of honourfanningheroneachside.

"Hush,"whisperedtheQueen."Shemustnotawake,onanyaccount."

"No,"echoedthepoor,uglyPoet;"shemustnotawake—onmyaccount."

Thenhebentoverher,forthesecondtimeinhislife,andtouchedhereyelidswithhis lips.ThePrincesswentondreaminghappily, but thePoet turnedand

fledoutofthecity.

"Atleast,"hesaid,"sheshallneverknowhowuglyIam."

Thatday, everyPrincewhowas in thepalaceputonhisbest court suit, inordertocharmthePrincess.ButthePrincessrefusedtobecharmed.Shelookedatthemall,withlarge,frightenedeyes,andsentthemaway,onebyone,astheycametoofferhertheircongratulations.

"Why do you congratulateme on being able to see you?" she asked them."Areyousobeautiful,then?"

"Oh,no,"theysaidinachorus."Donotimaginesuchathingforamoment."

"ThenwhyshouldIbegladbecauseIcanseeyou?"persistedthePrincess;andtheywentawaymuchperplexed.

"Tellmewhatisbeautiful,"saidthelittlePrincesstohermother."AllmylifeIhavelongedtolookonbeauty,andnowitisallsoconfusingthatIcannottellonethingfromanother.Isthereanythingbeautifulhere?"

"Tobesurethereis,"repliedtheQueen."Thisroomisverybeautifultobeginwith,andthenationisstillbeingtaxedtopayforit."

"This room?" said the Princess in astonishment. "How can anything bebeautiful that keeps out the sun and the air? Tell me something else that isbeautiful."

"The dresses of the ladies in waiting are very beautiful," said the Queen."Andtheladiesinwaitingthemselvesmightbecalledbeautifulbysome,thoughthatofcourseisamatterofopinion."

"Theyall lookaliketome,"sighedthelittlePrincess."Istherenothingelseherethatisbeautiful?"

"Certainly," answered the Queen, pointing out the wealthiest and mosteligiblePrinceintheroom."Thatisthehandsomestmanyoucouldeverwanttosee."

"That?"saidthePrincess,disconsolately."Afterall,oneisbestwithouteyes!

Canyounotshowmesomeuglinessforachange?Perhaps itmaybeuglinessthatIwanttoseesobadly."

"Thereisnothinguglyinthepalace,"repliedtheQueen."Whenyougetusedtoeverythingyouwillbeabletoseehowbeautifulitallis."

But the Princess sighed and came down from her golden throne andwanderedoutintothegarden.Shewalkeduncertainly,fornowthatshewasnolongerblindshedidnotknowwhereshewasgoing.Andthere,underthetreeswhereshehadbeensleepingafewhoursback,stoodamanwithhisfaceburiedinhishands.

"Littlelady,"hestammered,"Itriedtokeepaway,but—"

Then the littlePrincessgavea shoutof joyandpulledawayhishandsandlookedintohisfaceforafullminutewithoutspeaking.Sheputhersmall,whitefingers into every one of hiswrinkles, and she touched every one of his uglyscars,andshedrewadeepbreathofsatisfaction.

"Justfancy,"laughedthelittlePrincesstothePoet;"theyhavebeentryingtopersuademeintherethatallthosePrincesandpeopleare—beautiful!"

THEROCKING-HORSESRUSHEDOVERTHEGROUND

TheWonderfulToymaker

PrincessPetulantsatonthenurseryfloorandcried.Shewasonlyeightyearsold,butshehadlivedquitelongenoughtogrowextremelydiscontented;andtheroyalhouseholdwasmadeveryuncomfortableinconsequence.

"Iwantanew toy,"sobbed the littlePrincess."Doyouexpectme togoonplayingwiththesametoysforever?ImightjustaswellnotbeaPrincessatall!"

Thewhole countrywas searched in vain for a toy that would be likely topleasethePrincess;but,asshealreadypossessedeverykindoftoythathaseverbeenheardof,nobodysucceededinfindingheranewone.SothelittlePrincesswentoncryingbitterly,andtheroyalnursesshooktheirheadsandsighed.ThentheKingcalledacouncilindespair.

"Itisveryabsurd,"grumbledhisMajesty,"thatmydaughtercannotbekeptamused.Whatistheuseofanexpensivegovernmentandawell-dressedcourt,iftherearenotenoughtoysforhertoplaywith?CannooneinventanewtoyforthePrincessPetulant?"

Helookedsternlyatallhiscouncillorsashespoke;buthiscouncillorsweresohorrifiedatbeingexpectedtoinventsomethingstraightoutoftheirheadsthatno one said anything at all until the PrimeMinister summoned up courage tospeak.

"Perhaps,ifweweretosendforMartin,"hesuggested,"herroyalHighnessmightconsenttobecomforted."

"WhoisMartin?"demandedtheKing.

"Heismyson,"said thePrimeMinister,apologetically;"andhespendshisdayseitherdreamingbyhimselforplayingwith thePrincessPetulant.HewillneverbePrimeMinister,"headdedsadly,"buthemightthinkofawaytoamusethePrincess."

So theKing dismissed the councilwithmuch relief and sent forMartin tocomeandplaywithhisdaughter.MartinwalkedstraightuptotheroyalnurseryandfoundthespoiltlittlePrincessstillcryingonthefloor.SodownonthefloorsatMartintoo;andhelookedatherverysolemnlyoutofhisround,seriouseyes,andheaskedherwhyshewascrying.

"Iwantanewtoy,"shepouted."Iamtiredofallmyoldtoys.Don'tyouthinkyoucanfindmeanewtoytoplaywith,Martin?"

"IfIdo,"saidMartin,"willyoupromisenottobecrosswhenIrunfasterthanyoudo?"

ThePrincessnodded.

"AndwillyoupromisenottomindwhenIdon'twanttoplayanymore?"

ThePrincessnoddedagain.

"And will you promise not to call me sulky when I don't feel inclined totalk?"continuedMartin.

"Yes, yes!" cried Princess Petulant. "Youwon't be long before you find it,willyou,Martin?"

"Infourweeksfromnow,"saidthePrimeMinister'sson,"youwillhavemewithyouagain."

"And I shall have my new toy," said the Princess Petulant, sighingcontentedly.

Now,Martinwasoneof thefewchildrenwhocansee thefairies.Heknewhowtocoaxtheflowerfairiestospeaktohim,andhowtofindthewoodfairieswhentheyhidamongtheferns,andhowtolaughbackwhenthewympsmadefunofhim;and,aboveall,heknewhowtofindhiswaytoBobolink,thePurpleEnchanter,whoknows everything.Andhe foundhisway toBobolink, on theeveningofthatverysameday.

Bobolink,thePurpleEnchanter,satonhisamethystthroneinthemiddleofagroveofdeadlynightshade.Hewastheugliestenchanteranyonehaseverseen;andoneachsideofhimsatanenormouspurpletoadwithanuglypurplesmileon his face. Even the sun's rays shone purple in the home of the PurpleEnchanter;andMartinstaredathimforawholeminutewithoutspeaking.For,althoughMartinwastwoyearsolderthanthelittlePrincessPetulant,hewasnotaverybigboyforall that;andtherewassomethingthatmadehimfeelalittlequeer in the purple face, and the purple hands, and the purple expression ofBobolink.

"Whydon'tyousaysomething?"growledBobolink,injustthekindofvoiceone would expect such a very ugly person to have. "What are you thinkingabout,eh?Ifit'sanythingaboutme,you'dbettersaysoatonce!"

"Well," saidMartin,asbravelyashecould, "Iwas thinking that itmustbevery odd to be so purple as you are. Of course," he added politely, "I don'tsupposeyoucanhelpitexactly,becauseeventhesunispurplehere,andperhaps

youhavegotsunpurpledinsteadofsunburned."

"May I ask," saidBobolink, rollinghispurple eyesabout, "ifyoucameallthiswayonpurposetomakeremarksaboutme?"

"No,Ididn't,"explainedMartin,hurriedly."IcametoaskyouthewaytotheWonderfulToymaker,whomakesallthetoysforFairyland.IamgoingtofetchanewtoyforthePrincessPetulant."

"And how do you think you are going to get it?" asked Bobolink, with achuckle.

"ThatisexactlywhatIwantyoutotellme,"saidMartin,boldly.

Now,Bobolink, the PurpleEnchanter,was used to being visited by peoplewhowanted to get something out of him, because, as I said before,Bobolinkknowseverything.Buthehadnevercomeacrossanyonewhodidnotbeginbyflatteringhim;andhe tookafancy toMartinfromthemomenthe toldhimhewassunpurpled.Sohesmiledaswellashecould,—whichwasnotverywell,forhehadneverdonesuchathingbeforeandhisjawswereextremelystiff,—andforthemomenthehardlylookeduglyatall.

"Ilikeyou,"hesaid,noddingatthesmallfigureofthePrimeMinister'sson;"andIamgoingtohelpyou.Ofcourse,IknowquitewellwheretheWonderfulToymakerlives;butIhavepromisedthepinedwarfsnottotell,becauseitistheonlysecrettheypossess,anditwouldbreaktheirheartsifanyoneweretohearitfrommeinsteadoffromthem.Yousee,whenapersonknowseverythinghemustkeepsomeofittohimself,orelsetherewouldbenothingleftforanybodyelsetosay,andthentherewouldbenomoreconversation.Thatistheworstofknowingeverything.ButIcanshowyouthewaytothepinedwarfs;andifyoukeepperfectlyquietandspeakinawhispertothem,they'lltellyouallyouwanttoknow."

"WhymustIkeepperfectlyquietandspeakinawhisper?"askedMartin.

Bobolinkscowled,andbecameasuglyaseveragain.

"Nowyouwanttoknowtoomuch,andthatisn'tfair,"hecomplained."I'lltellyouthewaytothepinedwarfs,andyoumustfindouttherestforyourself.Go straight ahead and take the hundred and first turning to the right, and the

fifty-secondturningtotheleft,thenturnroundseventeentimes;andifthatisn'tgoodenoughforyouI'llneverhelpyouagain.Now,offyougo!"

Martinsaw thathewasno longerwantedandsetoffas fastashecould. Ittookhimawholeweektoreachthehundredandfirstturningontheright;anditwas themostanxiousweekhehadeverspent, forhehadtokeepcountingtheturningsall the timeandwasdreadfullyafraidof losingcountaltogether.Andthe fifty-second turning on the left was almost as bad, for his way took himthrough a large town, and he dare not stay to speak to any one for fear ofoverlookingoneofthelittlestreets.Heleftthetownbehindhimatlast;andafterwalkingfortwodayslonger,hereachedthefifty-secondturningonhisleft,anditledhimtothemiddleofavastsandyplain.

"Howqueer!"thoughtMartin."Notasingletreetobeseen!Surelythepinedwarfsdon'tliveinaplacelikethis?PerhapsoldBobolinkhasonlyhoaxedmeafterall."

However, he turned round seventeen times just to seewhatwould happen;andthefirstthingthathappenedwasthathebecameremarkablygiddyandhadtositdownonthegroundtorecoverhimself.Whenhedidrecoverhefoundhewas in a beautiful thick pine wood, with the sunshine coming through thebranches,andflickeringhereand thereover theground,andpainting thegreatbig pine trunks bright red. Over it all hung the most delicious silence, onlybroken by the soft passage of the wind through the pine leaves. Martin hadalmostforgottenthewarningBobolinkhadgivenhim,but,evenifhehadquiteforgottenit,nothingwouldhaveinducedhimtospeakloudlyinsuchastillnessasthat.

"Areyouthere,littlepinedwarfs?"hewhispered,ashelookedupthroughthepinetreesattheblueskyontheotherside.Nosoonerhadhiswhispertravelledupthroughthehushedairthanallthebranchesseemedtobefilledwithlifeandmovement; and what Martin had believed to be brown pine cones suddenlymoved,andranaboutamongthetrees,andsliddownthelongredtrunks.Andthen he saw they were dear little brown dwarfs, who surrounded him byhundredsandthousands,andtravelledupanddownhisboots,andstaredathimwithlooksfullofcuriosity.

"Whoareyou,littleboy,andwheredoyoucomefrom?"theyseemedtobesaying;andastheyspokealltogethertheirvoicessoundedexactlylikethewind

aswehearitinthepinetrees.Theyweresogentleandkind-lookingthatMartinwasnotabitafraidandaskedthematoncetotellhimthewaytotheWonderfulToymakerwhomakesallthetoysforFairyland.Theyweredelightedtotellhimalltheyknew,foritwastheironesecretandtheywereveryproudofit;andsofewpeopleevercamethatwaythattheyhadveryfewopportunitiesoftellingit.Sotheirhonestlittlebrownfaceswerecoveredwithgood-natureandsmiles,astheycroonedouttheirinformation.

"Youmustwalkstraightthroughthewood,"theysaid,"untilyoucometoawaterfall at the beginningof a stream; andyoumust follow the streamdown,down,down,untilitbringsyoutoavalleysurroundedbyhighhills;andinthatvalley is the toyshop of theWonderful Toymaker,whomakes all the toys forFairyland."

"Thatissimpleenough,I'msure,"saidMartin.

"Ah,"saidthepinedwarfs,wisely,"butit isnotsoeasytoget thereasyouthink; for the stream leads you through the country of the people who makeconversation,andtheytrytostopeverystrangerwhopassesby,sothattheycanmake him into conversation; and that is why so few people ever reach theWonderfulToymakeratall."

"Makeconversation!Howfunny!"saidMartin;andhealmostlaughedaloudattheidea.

"Itismoresadthanfunny,"saidthepinedwarfs,sighinglikealargegustofwindthatforthemomentmadeMartinfeelquitechilly;"foritgivesussomuchto do. You see, they make conversation, and we make silence; and the moreconversationtheymakethemoresilencewehavetomaketokeepthingseven.They are always ahead of us, for all that!" They sighed again.Martin lookedpuzzled.

"Still, your silence is so full of sound," he said. The pine dwarfs laughedsoftly,sosoftlythatmostpeoplewouldhavecalleditonlysmiling.

"Realsilence, thebestkind, isalwaysfullofsound;andofcourseweonlymaketheverybestkind,"theyexplainedproudly."Anybodycanmaketheotherkindofsilencebytakingtheairandsiftingoutthenoiseinit.Now,wetaketheair, andwhenwehave siftedout thenoisewe fill itwith sound.That's averydifferentthing.Theworstofit is,"theyadded,sadly,"thereissolittledemand

forrealsilence.Wehavelayersofitpiledupatthetop,ofthosepinetrees,andnobodyeverwantsit.Theothersilenceissomuchcheaper,yousee,andmostpeopledon'tknowthedifference."

"When I amgrownupandhaveahouseofmyown," saidMartin, "I shallcomeandaskyoutofillitwiththeverybestsilenceforme."

Thepinedwarfsshooktheirlittlebrownheadsincredulously.

"Waittillyouaregrownup,"theysaid;"andthen,ifyouwillletusfilloneroomforyou,weshallbequitesatisfied.Now,setoffonyour journey;and ifyouwant toescapebeingmadeintoconversation,youmustnotspeakasingleworduntilyoureachthevalleywheretheWonderfulToymakerlives."

"Trustme!" laughedMartin."It isonly talkingthat isdifficult;anyonecankeepsilent."

"Verywell;becareful,onlybecareful!"theysighed;andinanothermomenttheyhadallgonebacktotheirpinetrees,andnothingwastobeheardexceptthedistantsoundswithwhichtheywerefillingthesilence.

ThenMartinwalkedonuntilhecametotherushingwaterfall;andalongbythesideofthestreamhetrudgedandthoughtitwastheverynoisieststreamhehadevercomeacross,foritclatteredoverthestones,andsplashedupintheair,andseemedbentongettingthroughlifewithasmuchfussandexcitementasitwas possible tomake.As hewalked along by its side, he discovered that thenoiseitmadewascausedbymillionsof littlevoices,chatteringandgossiping,quarrellingandlaughing,asbusilyastheycould.

"Thismustbe the countrywhere theymakeconversation," thoughtMartin."Well, Imust be pretty careful not to let themknow I can talk."At the sametime, the longer he walked by that talkative little stream the easier it was toforget the silence in the pinewood; and he began to think that, after all, onesilentroomwouldbequiteenoughinthehousehewasgoingtohavesomeday.Presently,therewerenotonlyvoicesinthestreambesidehimbutallaroundhimaswell,inthetrees,andtheflowers,andthegrass,andtheair;andtheywerenotthepretty littlevoicesof the fairieswhichheknewsowell,but theywere theharsh,shrill,unpleasantvoicesofunpleasantpeople,whomusthavespenttheirlivesinchatteringaboutthingsthatdidnotconcernthem.Thenthevoicescamecloser and closer tohim, andbuzzedup roundhis head, and shrieked intohis

ears,askinghimdozensanddozensofquestions,untilitwasallhecoulddonottoshoutatthemtoleavehimalone.

"Whoareyou?Wheredoyoucomefrom?Whatdoyouwant?Whereareyougoing?Whatareyoudoinghere?Whydon'tyouanswer?Howdidyougethere?Whomdidyoumeetontheway?Didtheytellyouanythinginteresting?Whatisyourname?Howoldareyou?Who isyour father?What isyourmother like?Doesshegiveparties?Doesshe invitemanypeople?Doyouknow theKing?Haveyoubeen tocourt?Does theQueendresswell?Doyoulike jamorcakebest?Whatisyourfavouritesweet?Don'tyouthinkweareveryamusing?"etc.,etc.,etc.

These were only a few of the questions they askedMartin, but they quitecured him of any wish to speak; and, instead of telling them anything abouthimself,hejustputhishandsoverhisearsandranasfastashecoulduntilhedroppeddown,verymuchoutofbreath,somewayfurtheralongthestream.Ashe sat there, delighted at having escaped from all those impertinent voices, acuriouslittlefishwithabentbackpoppedhisheadabovethewaterandnoddedtohim.

"Goodmorning,"saidthefish.HistonewassofriendlythatMartinforgotallaboutthewarningofthepinedwarfs,andenteredintoconversationwithhim.

"Thisisastrangecountry,"saidMartin.

"It'saverybusycountry,"answered thefish."Noneofusget leftaloneforlong;andasforme,Inevergetanypeaceatall.IfIcouldonlygetmytailintomymouth,thingswouldbeverydifferent."

"Youlookas thoughyouhadbeentryingagooddeal,"observedMartin."Isupposethatiswhyyourbackissobent."

"Bent?"criedthefish,angrily."Nothingofthesort!Onthecontrary,ithasamostelegantcurve.It'snottheshapeIcomplainabout,it'sthedifferenceinthework.Yousee,ifIcouldonlygetmytailintomymouthIshouldbeaFull-stop;and Full-stops have so little to do nowadays that I should be able to retire atonce.BeingaCommaisquiteanothermatter;it'swork,work,work,fromyear'sendtoyear'send.Hullo!Whatisitnow?"

Hislastremarkwasaddressedtoanotherfish,whoseemedtohavesucceeded

ingettinghistailintohismouth,andwhospokeveryhuskilyinconsequence.

"Comealong,"hesaidtotheComma-fish;"you'vegottohelpmetomakeaSemi-colon."

"Oh,dear,oh,dear!"repliedtheother."IdowishColonsweremoreused;itwouldatleastgivemearestanduseupsomeofyouFull-stopsforachange."

MartinwasjustgoingtosympathisewiththepoorlittleoverworkedComma-fish,whenthestormofvoiceshehadleftbehindsuddenlymanagedtoovertakehim;andtheretheywereoncemore,buzzingroundhisheadandshriekinginhisears,untilhewasalmostdeafenedbythenoise;whiledozensofinvisiblehandswereliftinghimfromthegroundandcarryinghimalongataterrificpace.

"Hehas spoken,hehas spoken!" thevoiceswere shouting triumphantly, astheyborehimalong."Heisourstomakeconversationof!"

Then they tookhimintoamagnificentglitteringpalace,madeofglassofathousandcolours;andinvisiblevoices toldhimitwasallhisandheshouldbeking over it, if he would only make conversation for them. It was the mostbeautiful palace a king could possibly have wished for; and even the PrimeMinister'ssonwasdazzledbyitforthemoment.Therewaseverythinginitthataboycouldwant; ifhepulledagoldencord,downfellashowerofchocolatecreams;ifhewenttothestrawberryiceroom,therewasawoodenspadeforhimtodigitoutwith,andawheelbarrowinwhichtobringitaway;ifhewantedapresent,hehadonlytoturnonthepresent-tapandoutcamewhateverhewishedfor. So he immediatelywished for a six-bladed knife, a real pony, and a goldwatch. For all that, hewas not a bit happy. The incessant talking around himneverceasedforamoment;theairseemedpackedwithpeoplewhomheneversaw, but who asked him innumerable questions which he never attempted toanswer.Besidesthis,allthefurnituretalkedaswell.Whenheopenedthedooritmaderemarksaboutthewayhedidit,whichwerenotatallpolite.Ifhesatonthe arm of a chair, it pointed out to him in a hurt tone that chairs were notintendedtobeusedinthatway.Whenhecuthisnameonthemahoganydining-table,itshoutedabuseathimuntilhehadtopaintovertheletterstoappeaseit.Thewindowschattedpleasantlyabouttheweatherwhenthewindblew,insteadof rattling;and the firesgossipedwhen theywere lighted, insteadofcracklingandsmoking.Hegaveupridinghisponyafterithadtoldhimthehistoryofitschildhood for the fifteenth time; and when he found that his gold watch was

alwaystellingstoriesinsteadoftellingthetimehehadtogetridofthattoo.Asforhissix-bladedknife, itweariedhimsomuchby tellinghimthesamethingsixtimesoverthathethrewitoutofthewindowasfarashecould.Allthiswasexcessivelytryingtoaboywhohadnevertalkedmuchinthewholeofhislife;andtheworstofitwasthathewaspreventedbymagicfromrunningaway;sothefourweekscametoanend,andhehadnotfoundanewtoyforthePrincessPetulant.

Meanwhile,thelittlePrincesshadbeenwaiting,andwaiting,andwaiting.Inalltheeightyearsofherlifeshehadneverwaitedsopatientlyforanything;andthe affairs of the country went on quite smoothly in consequence. When,however,thefourweekswereoverandMartindidnotreturnwithhernewtoy,Princess Petulant grew tired of being good, and, once more, she lay on thenurseryfloorandsobbed;and,oncemore, therewasconsternationin theroyalhousehold.SotheKingcalledanothercouncil.

"Haven't you got any more sons?" he demanded crossly of the PrimeMinister.ThePrimeMinistershookhishead,andownedsadlythathehadonlyoneson.

"Thenwhydoyoulosehim?"saidtheKing,stillmorecrossly."DoesnooneknowwherethePrimeMinister'ssonhasgone?"

The councillors looked helplessly at one another. One thought thatMartinhadgone toFairyland;another said itwas toToyland;anda thirddeclaredhemustbewiththewympsatthebackofthesun.But,asnobodyknewhowtogetto any of these places, the suggestions of his councillors onlymade theKingmoreannoyedthanbefore.Atlast,heaskedtheQueen'sadvice;andtheQueenproposed that the littlePrincessshouldattend thecouncilandexplainwhyshewas crying.However,when they sent up to the royal nursery for the PrincessPetulant, therewas no Princess to be seen; and the royal nurseswere rushingeverywhereingreatconfusion,tryingtofindher.

"It is a most extraordinary thing," cried the King, "that we cannot keepanybody in the place! What is the use of children who do nothing but losethemselves?Theremustbewympcraftinthis!"

TheQueen only said "Poor children!" and set towork to have the countrysearchedforthemissingpair,andsatdowntocrybyherselfuntiltheycouldbe

found.

Whathadreallyhappenedwasquitesimple.WhilethePrincessPetulantwassobbing on the nursery floor, something came through the open window anddroppedwitha thud just in frontofher.Thisastonishedhersomuch, thatshestoppedcryingandlookeduptoseewhatitwas.Therestoodalittlepinedwarf,holdinghishandstohisears.

"Dear,dear!"croonedthepinedwarfinhissoftvoice."Whatareyoumakingsuchanoisefor?"

"I am crying because Martin has not come back," said the Princess,sorrowfully."Hepromised to fetchmeanewtoy,andhehasneverbrokenhispromisebefore.Idowishhewouldcomeback.Evenifhedoesn'tbringmeanewtoy,Iwishhewouldcomeback."

"Ah,"saidthepinedwarf,smiling,"nowIthinkIcanhelpyou.Butyoumustnotcryanymore;itisalmostasbadasthenoisetheyaremakinginthecountrywhereMartinisimprisoned."

"Oh!"criedPrincessPetulant,clappingherhands;"doyoureallyknowwhereMartinis?"

"Come along with me and see," said the pine dwarf. The next thing thePrincess knewwas that shewas gliding through the air in themost deliciousmannerpossible;andsheneverstoppeduntilshefoundherselfbythesideofthewaterfall,thatstandsattheedgeofthecountrywheretheymakeconversation.

"I cannot take you any further," said the pine dwarf; "because there is somuchnoisedowntherethatitwouldblowmeintolittlepiecesatonce.Followthe stream along until it brings you to a glass palace, and there youwill findMartinwaitingforyou.Whateveryoudo,though,youmustnotspeakawordtoanyoneuntilyoufindhim.Doyouthinkyoucandothis?"

ThePrincesswasthoughtfulforawholeminute.

"I can do it if I stop upmy ears with cottonwool," she said. "I am quitecertainIshouldspeakifIheardanyonetalkingtome."

The pine dwarf smiled again; and a linnet, who had overheard their

conversation,kindlyofferedthePrincessapieceofcottonwoolfromthenesthewas making; and she thanked him as charmingly as a Princess should, andimmediatelystuffeditintohertwolittlepinkears.Thenshekissedherhandtothegoodlittlepinedwarf,andranawayalongthestream;andsheneverstoppedrunninguntilshereachedthemagnificent,glitteringglasspalace;andthereshesawMartin right in the middle of it, sitting at the table with his head in hishands.

"I do believe he is crying!" thought Princess Petulant; and she very nearlycriedtooatthemerethoughtofit,fornoonehadeverseenthePrimeMinister'ssoncrybefore.Shepickedupastoneinstead,however,andsentitrightthroughtheglasswallofthepalace,—forshewasinfartoogreatahurrytogoroundtothedoor,—andshemadeaholelargeenoughtoslipthrough;andintotheroomshebounded,whereMartinsatthinkingabouther.

Theykissedeachotheragreatmanytimes;andMartinpulledthecottonwoolout of her two little pink ears, and told her all that had happened, and howmiserablehehadbeenbecausehecouldnotkeephispromise toher,andhowdreadfullytiredhewasofconversation.

"Evennow,"headded,sadly,"Idon'tsupposetheywillletmegowithyou.Justlistentotheirstupidvoices!Ishallhavetobearthatfortherestofmylife."

"Oh,no,youwon't!"buzzedthevoicesintheair."Youcangoawayassoonasyoulike.Itisquitehopelesstothinkofmakingyouintoconversation;youarethemost unconversational prisonerwehave ever captured. If thePrincesshadnot put cottonwool in her earswe should have caught her directly; andwhatsplendid conversation she would havemade! Unfortunately, she is out of ourpowernow,becauseshereachedyouwithoutspeakingaword;soyoucangoofftogetherassoonasyoulike."

They did notwait to be told twice, but set off at once, hand in hand, andwalkedstraightonuntiltheyreachedthetopofthehillthatslopesdownintothevalleywheretheWonderfulToymakerlives.Thentheyranaracedownthesideofthehill;andofcourseMartinallowedthePrincesstowin,soshewasthefirst,after all, to see themostwonderful toyshop in theworld. Itwas sowonderfulthatsheactuallyremainedspeechlesswithastonishment,untilMartincaughtherup;andthentheystoodsidebysideandstaredatit.

Tobeginwith,itwasnotatoyshopatall.Thewholeofthevalleywasstrewnwithtoys:theylayonthegroundinheaps,theywerepiledhighupontherocks,theyhungfromthetreesandmadethemlooklikehugeChristmastrees,andtheycoveredthebusheslikeblossoms:whereverthechildrenlooked,theysawtoys,toys, toys.And such toys, too! Peoplewho have never been to Fairyland canhavenoideaofthetoysthataremadebytheWonderfulToymaker;evenMartin,whowasafriendofthefairies,hadneverseenanythinglikethembefore.AsforthePrincessPetulant—herlargeblueeyeswereopen,andherlittleroundmouthwasopen,andshecouldnothavespokenawordtopleaseanybody.

Then, suddenly, into themiddle of it all stepped theWonderful Toymaker.Anyonewhohaslivedforthousandsandthousandsofyearsmightreasonablybeexpected to lookold,but theWonderfulToymaker lookedyoungenoughtoplaywithhisowntoys;whenhelaughed,thechildrenfeltthattheyshouldneverfeel unhappy again; andwhen he came running towards them, turning coach-wheels on the way, they felt certain that he was only a very little older thanthemselves. For that is what happens when a man has been making toys forthousandsandthousandsofyears.

"Mydearchildren,howpleasedIamtoseeyou!"hecriedjoyfully."Atlast,Ishallhavesomeonetoplaywith!Comeandlookatmytwonewtops."

Hetookthembythehandsandracedthemacrossthevalleytohisworkshop,whichwasstrewnwithgoldandsilvertoolswithhandlesmadeofrubies;andhetookupagailypaintedtopandset itspinningbyblowinggentlyuponit threetimes.Asitspunitbegantohumatune,andinthetunetheycouldheareverysound that the world contains,—birds singing and wind whistling, childrenlaughing and children crying, people talking and people quarrelling, prettysounds and ugly sounds, one after another, until the childrenwere spellboundwithastonishment.

"Oh,oh!"criedPrincessPetulant,asthetoprolledoveronitsside."Ineverheardanythingsobeautifulbefore."

"Thetopisyours,sinceyoulikeit,"saidtheWonderfulToymaker,handingittoherwithabow."Nowlistentomyothernewtop."

Thenhetookupanotherone,madeofburnishedcopper,andgaveitatwistwithhisfingers,anditbegantospinwithallitsmight;andasitspunround,the

songitsangwasonethatcouldneverbedescribed,foritwasfullofthesoundsthatdonotexistatall,thesoundsthatareonlytobeheardinFairylandwhenweare lucky enough to go there. It made the Princess Petulant feel sleepy; butMartingaveashoutofpleasurewhenitstoppedspinning.

"Ilikethatonemuchbetter,"hesaid.

"ItisthefinesttoyIhaveevermade,"saidtheWonderfulToymaker;"anditisyoursbecauseyouknowhowtoappreciateit.Now,wewillplaygames!"

Theyhadnever played suchgames in their lives before, nor had they everhadsuchadelightfulplayfellow.Heputsuchfeelingsofjoyandhappinessintotheir hearts that the little Princess wondered how she could ever have feltdiscontented, andMartin never once wanted to stop and dream. They playedwith toys thatwouldnot break, however badly theywere treated; they chasedoneanotherovertherocksandthroughthebushes,withoutgettingoutofbreathatall;andwhen theycouldnot thinkofanythingelse todo, they laughedandlaughedandlaughedandlaughed.Thentheysatdownonthegrasstorest;andtheWonderfulToymakersatbetweenthemandsmiledatthemboth.

"Now,wewillrefreshourselvesbyeatingunwholesomesweets,"hesaid,andhegavealonglowwhistle.Immediately,theywerepeltedfromallsidesbythemost delicious, unwholesome sweets that were evermade; but, although theywere ever so unwholesome, and although the children ate quantities andquantitiesofthem,theywerenotintheleastbittheworseforit;andwhentheyhadeatenalltheycould,theWonderfulToymakerfilledtheirpocketsforthem,andlaughedagain.

"Won'tyoustopherealways?"heaskedthem.

Thechildrenshooktheirheads.

"I must go back to mother," said the Princess Petulant. "She must bewonderingwhereIam,now."

"AndIhavegottobePrimeMinister,someday,"saidMartin,withasigh.

"YouwillneverbePrimeMinister,"saidtheToymaker,justashisfatherwasalwayssaying."Whycan'tyoubothstaywithme?Onlythinkofallthegameswecanhave,and the toyswecanmake,and theunwholesomesweetswecan

eat!Won'tyoureallystayandplaywithme?"

However,whenhesawthattheywerequitedeterminedtogohome,hemadethebestofitandaskedthemwhethertheywouldliketogobysea,orbysky,orbyland.Martinwantedtogobysky,butwhenthePrincesssaidshewouldmuchprefer to go by land as she had come most of the way by sky, the PrimeMinister'ssongaveinatonceandsaidthathehadmeanttochoosethelandroadall the time.So theToymaker fetched twobeautiful rocking-horsesandhelpedthechildrentomountthem,andsaidheshouldneverforgettheirvisitfortherestof his life. He could not have saidmore than that, for of course he has beenlivingeversince.

So they rode out of the valley and up the hill-side, and they waved theirhandstotheWonderfulToymakerwhostoodlookingdisconsolatelyafterthem,andtheywishedtheycouldhaveplayedwithhimjustalittlelonger.Theyhadvery little time even towish, however, for the rocking-horses rushed over thegroundatsuchapacethattheycouldseenothingtheywerepassing;so,afterall,theywould have been none thewiser if they had come by sky asMartin hadwished. Then the townspeople came out of their houses and stared withamazement, as they saw their King's daughter and their PrimeMinister's sonracing past them on wooden horses; but they had no time, either, to makeremarks on the matter before the children were out of sight again, for thewoodenhorsesneverstoppeduntiltheybroughttheirriderstothepalacegates;andthentheydisappearedandleftMartinandthePrincessPetulantknockingforadmission.

Then therewas a hullabaloo! TheQueen dried her tears and hugged themboth,oneafteranother;andtheKingdismissedthecouncilwhichhadnothelpedhimintheleast;andthePrimeMinisterwasmoreconvincedthaneverthathissonwouldneverbePrimeMinister;andthetwochildrenspantheirtopsbeforethewholecourtandtoldthestoryoftheiradventures.Anditwasatoncewrittendown,wordforword,bytheRoyalHistorian,andthatishowithasgotinsidethisbook.

The two children never visited theWonderfulToymaker again; andMartinneverbecamePrimeMinister.OnedayhebecameKinginstead;anditwasallbecause hemarried thePrincess Petulant themoment hewas grownup.Theythoroughlyenjoyedlifefor therestof theirdays,andsodideverybodyelse inthekingdom,downtothePrimeMinisterandtheRoyalHistorian;andthiswasallbecausetheyneverlostthewonderfultopswhichhadbeengiventhembytheWonderfulToymaker.

HECURLEDHIMSELFUPINTHESUNANDCLOSEDHISEYES

TheProfessorofPracticalJokes

Yearsandyearsandyearsago,inacountrythathasbeenlongforgotten,therelivedakingcalledGrumbelo. In spiteofhisextremelyuglyname,whichwascertainlynofaultofhis,hewasyoung,handsome,andtalented;andthismadeitallthemoreremarkablethathehadneverthoughtofseekingawife.Heruledhiscountrysowellthatnotasinglepoororill-treatedpersonwastobefoundinthewholeofit;andyet,itwasthedullestcountrythathaseverexisted.Thereasonforthiswasplain;theKingwasallverywellinhisway,andtobewell-governednodoubthasitsadvantages,butthepeoplewereunreasonableandtheywantedmore than this. They wanted court balls, and court banquets, and royalprocessionsthroughthestreets,withbandsplayingandflagsflying;theywantedmoreplay,andmoreholidays,andmorefun;andallthesethings,aseveryoneknows well, are only to be had when there is a Queen at court. The King,however,was sowell satisfiedwithhimself that it neveroccurred tohimhowdreadfully dull his kingdom was growing; and he was exceedingly surprisedwhen a number of the courtiers, headed by the Royal Comptroller ofWholeHolidaysandthelearnedProfessorofPracticalJokes,—whohadbeenpositivelyoutofworkeversincehisseriousyoungMajestycame to the throne,—waiteduponhimonemorning,with thehumble request thathe shouldbegin to thinkaboutfindingaQueen.

"Whatmorecanyouwant?"askedtheyoungKinginastonishment."SurelyaKing, or at least aKing such as I am, is enough formy subjects! I am quitesatisfiedwithmyself:isitpossiblethatthecountryisnotequallysatisfied?"

"Thecountry ismore thansatisfiedwithyourexcellentMajesty,"explainedtheComptrollerofWholeHolidays."Thecountryhasneverbeensoadmirablygoverned before. It feels, however, that certain other things are almost asimportant,yourMajesty,aswise lawsandhonest toil;suchas—suchaswholeholidays,forinstance."

"Andpracticaljokes,"murmuredthelearnedProfessorathisside.

HisMajesty was silent. It seemed incredible that the country should wantanything more than the excellent government of King Grumbelo; but he wasfond of his people at heart,—in spite of the dulness towhich he had brought

them,andsoheconsentedintheendtogivethemaQueen.

"Go and findme themost beautiful, themost silent, and themost foolishPrincessintheworld,"hesaidtothem."ShemustbethemostbeautifulbecauseIshallhavetolookather,andthemostsilentbecauseIamabletotalkforbothofus,andthemostfoolishbecauseIcanbewiseforheraswellasformyself.IfyoufindmeaPrincesslikethisIwillmakehermyQueen."

Notlongafter,theKingheldareceptionforallthebeautifulPrincesseswhocouldbecollectedat suchavery shortnotice.Therewereahundredand fiftyaltogether;butalthoughtheywerewithoutdoubtbothbeautifulandfoolish,theyneverstoppedtalkingforaninstant,andnotoneofthemwouldKingGrumbelohave for his Queen. So the Royal Comptroller of Whole Holidays and thelearnedProfessorofPracticalJokesputtheirheadstogetheroncemore,andinafewdays'timetheycameagaintotheKing.

"WehaveheardatlastofthePrincesswhowouldsuityou,"theysaidtohim."Sheissobeautifulthatthetreesstopgossipingandtheflowersstopbreathingwhen she passes by; and she is so silent that if itwere not for thewonderfulexpressioninhereyesitwouldbeimpossibletoholdanyconversationwithheratall."

"Ah,"saidKingGrumbelo,noddinghisroyalheadapprovingly;"andissheveryfoolishaswell?"

"Thatshemustbe,yourMajesty,"saidtheComptrollerofWholeHolidays,looking nervously towards the Professor of Practical Jokes, "because, yourMajesty,—well,because—"

"BecauseshehasrefusedtohaveanythingtodowithyourMajesty,"boldlyinterruptedtheProfessor.

"What?"criedtheKing,astounded."ShedoesnotwishtobemyQueen?"

"Not exactly that, your Majesty," stammered the Comptroller of WholeHolidays;"butshedeclaresshecouldnevermarryanyonewho—who—"

"Who has so ridiculous a name as your Majesty!" said the Professor ofPracticalJokeswithoutamoment'shesitation.

KingGrumbelosteppeddownfromhisthroneandmerelysmiled.

"That is of no consequence," he observed. "Evidently she knows nothingaboutmeexceptmyunfortunatename,andthatIcertainlydidnotgivemyself.TellmeatoncewherethiswonderfulPrincessistobefound."

"That is exactly what we do not know, your Majesty," they confessed,reluctantly."AssoonasthePrincessheardthatyourMajestywishedtomakeheraQueenshefledfromthecountry,andwehavenotbeenabletodiscoverwhereshehashiddenherself!"

"Nomatter," saidKingGrumbelo, actuallyomitting to scold them for theirstupidity;"it isneverdifficult to find themostbeautifulPrincess in theworld!Bringmemyhorseatonce;youcanmakereadyfortheroyalweddingassoonasyouplease."

Thecountrywasverybadlygovernedwhile theKingwasaway;but itwascertainly not dull. Every person in the kingdom was occupied in makingpreparations for the royalwedding, and itwas going to be such a particularlygrand royalwedding that the peoplewere kept thoroughly amusedby lookingforward to it alone. When, however, the last touch had been put to thepreparations,andtherewaspositivelynothingleftforanyonetodo,thepeoplebegantogrumble.Itwasclearthattherecouldnotbeamarriageifnobodywastheretobemarried,andnotidingshadbeenreceivedofKingGrumbelosinceherodeawaytofetchhisbride.ThereisnodoubtthatthediscontentofthepeoplewouldhaveendedinarevolutioniftheProfessorofPracticalJokeshadnothitupon a happy idea. "It is true thatwe cannot have a royalwedding," said theProfessorofPracticalJokes;"butwecanpretendtohaveone."

TheComptrollerofWholeHolidayswasonlytoodelightedtofallinwiththeidea,andatonceissuedaproclamationtotheeffectthatthecountryshouldtakeawhole holiday until further notice.After that, the people could not think ofgrumbling; they gave themselves up to general rejoicing, and pretended, dayafter day, that theKingwas beingmarried, until they almost forgot that therewasnotevenakinginthecountry.

Meanwhile,KingGrumbelowasridingbynightandbydayinsearchofhisbeautiful,silentPrincess.Herodeformanymonthswithoutdiscoveringatraceof her; but instead of growing tired of his search he only became the more

anxioustofindher.Oneday,ashewasridingthroughawood,hecameuponasweet-smellinghedge,allmadeofhoneysuckleandsweet-briar,sohighthathecouldnotclimbit,andsothickthathecouldnotseethroughit.

"Dearme!" thoughtKingGrumbelo, "something charmingmust be hiddenbehindsoprettyahedgeasthis!"Herodealongitwithhismindfullofcuriosityuntil he came to two slender, pink-and-white gates, made entirely of apple-blossom; and through these he could see a fresh-looking garden with greenlawns and gravel paths and bright flower-beds, and in the middle of it all adaintylittlehousemadeofnothingbutroseleaves.TheKingwassoimpatienttoknowwhowastheownerofsuchadelightfullittledwellingthatheknockedatonce on the gates for admission; and a dragon with a singularly mild andharmlessexpressionappearedinside,andaskedhimgentlywhathewanted.TheKing looked at him in surprise; for, although he was decidedly small for adragon,hewascertainlymuchtoolargeandtooclumsytoliveinahousemadeentirelyofroseleaves.

"Can you tellmewho lives here?" askedKingGrumbelo, politely; for, aseveryoneknows, it is alwayswise tobepolite to a dragonhowever small hemaybe.

"Oh,yes,"answeredthedragon,withawaveofhistailtowardsthehouseandthegarden;"Ilivehere."

"Nonsense!"saidtheKing,forgettinginhissurprisetobepolite."Youcouldnotpossiblyliveinsosmallahouseasthat!"

"If you want to know who lives inside the house you should say so,"answeredthedragon,inaninjuredtone."Itisn'tlikelythatawell-breddragonwouldliveinsideanything.Youshouldbemorecarefulinthewayyouexpressyourself."

"Well,well," said theKing, impatiently, "perhapsyoucan tellme towhomthehousebelongs?"

"No,Ican't,"answeredthedragon,withasmile;"becauseitdoesn'tbelongtoanybody,yousee.Itisherebecauseitiswanted,andwhenitisn'twantedanylongeritwillceasetobehere."

"Whatacurioushouse!"exclaimedtheKing.

"Curious?Not at all!" said the dragon, looking injured again. "Itwould bemuchmorecuriousifitweretoremainherewhenitwasn'twanted.Youshouldn'tmakeneedlessremarks."

IfKingGrumbelohadnotbeensoanxioustofindoutwhodidliveinsidethehouse he would certainly have ridden away, there and then; but the more helookedatthebeautifulgardenandthecharminglittledwellingofroseleaves,themore he longed for an answer to his question. So he kept his temper withdifficulty,andturnedoncemoretotheaggravatingdragon.

"Doesanybodyliveinsidethehouse?"heasked.

"Ofcourse,"answeredthedragon."Dotheybuildhousesinyourcountrytobelookedat?Isupposeyoucan'thelpit,butIhaveneverbeenaskedsomanysenselessquestionsbefore."

"Answerme onemore and Iwill go away," saidKingGrumbelo. "Does abeautifulPrincess, themostbeautifulyouhaveeverseen, liveinsidethehouseoverthere?"

"ThereisnoPrincessintheplace,beassuredofthat,"answeredthedragon,emphatically."I shouldnotbehere if therewere; it isa thankless task tokeepguard over a Princess; it means nothing but spells and fighting andunpleasantness, and in the end the Princess complains that you have kept therightpeopleaway.Oh,no,nothingwouldinducemetotakeanotherplacewithaPrincess.We'venothingofthatkindhere."

"Then I 'llbidyougood-day," saidKingGrumbelo, forhedidnotmean towasteanymoretime.Justashewasgoingtorideaway,however,thedoorofthelittle house opened, and out of it stepped the sweetest-looking little lady theworldhasevercontained.Shewassobeautifulthatasshewalkeddownthepaththeflowersstoppedbreathingandthetreesstoppedgossiping;andshehadsuchwonderful eyes that to lookat themwas toknoweverything shewas thinkingabout. She glanced once at the King as he stood outside the gates of apple-blossom,andthensheturnedasidewithoutspeakingawordandpassedoutofsightamongtheflower-beds.ThentheKingknewthathissearchwasover;shewasbeautifulandsilentenoughtopleasehim,whethershewerefoolishornot;andhemadeuphismindonthespotnottosearchanymoreforthedisdainfulPrincesswhohadrunawayfromhim.

"Whoisshe?"heaskedthedragon,eagerly.

"The Lady Whimsical, to be sure," answered the dragon. "What a lot ofquestionsyouask!"

"Then go and tell the LadyWhimsical that if she pleases I would like tospeakwithher,"saidKingGrumbelo.

Thedragondidnotmove.

"TheLadyWhimsicalneverspeaks,"heobserved."Itwouldreallybemuchwiserifyouweretogoaway."

"Iamnotgoingaway,"shoutedtheKing,growingangry."Goandaskheratonceifshewillreceiveme,orIwillputyououtofthewayforgoodandall!"

"Verywell,"saidthedragon,sighing;"IsupposeImust.Whatname?"

"KingGrumbelo,"answeredtheKing,proudly.

Hefullyexpectedthatthedragonwouldfallflatonthegroundatthementionofsuchanimportantnameashis;butthedragondidnothingofthekind.

"It isnot abit ofuse expecting to come inherewith aname like that,"hecomplained. "The LadyWhimsical cannot bear anything ugly, and she has aparticular horror of ugly names. I have strict orders never tomention an uglynameinherpresence.Youhadreallybettergoaway."

"Iamnotgoingaway,"shoutedtheKingoncemore."Goandtell theLadyWhimsicalthatagreatKing,whohasheardhowcharmingandhowgracioussheis,wouldliketomakehimselfknowntoher."

Thedragonconsentedunwillinglytotakethismessage,andambledclumsilyaway among the flower-beds.When he came back, he found theKing pacingrestlesslyupanddown.

"Can'tyoukeepstill?"growledthedragon."Yourridiculousnameisenoughtomakeanyonegiddywithout—"

"What did the Lady Whimsical say?" interrupted King Grumbelo,

impatiently.

"The Lady Whimsical never says," answered the dragon drowsily, as hecurledhimselfupinthesunandclosedhiseyes;"butshewillallowyoutolookatherforfiveminuteseverymorning,attwohoursaftersunrise."

Two hours after sunrise on the following morning, King Grumbelo wasaccordinglyadmittedintothegardenbeyondthepink-and-whitegatesofapple-blossom. There sat the Lady Whimsical on the doorstep of her rose-leafdwelling,andinfrontofherstoodtheKing.

"YouarethemostcharmingpersonIhaveeverseen,"declaredtheKing.

TheLadyWhimsicalsmiled.

"I never thought I should find any one so charming as you are," said theKing.

TheLadyWhimsicalsmiledagain.

"Norsosilent,"continuedtheKing.

TheLadyWhimsicalsmiledforthethirdtime.

"Nor so—" began theKing, and then he paused, for he thought shemightpossibly object to being called foolish, though foolish she undoubtedlywas ifshedidnotwishhimtostaylongerthanfiveminutes.Ashehesitated,theLadyWhimsicalburstoutlaughingandraninsideherlittlehouseofroseleaves,andbangedthedoorinhisface.

"Time's up," said the dragon, and King Grumbelo went away puzzled. Hecamebackagain,however,atthesametimeonthefollowingmorning;andtheresatLadyWhimsicalonthedoorstepofherrose-leafdwelling,justasthoughshewereexpectinghim.

"I have thought only of you since yesterday morning," sighed KingGrumbelo.

TheLadyWhimsicalsmiledasbefore.

"Ishallthinkonlyofyoufortherestofmydays,"declaredtheKing.

TheLadyWhimsicalsmiledevenmorethanbefore.

"Do you knowwhy I have come all thisway to find you?" demanded theKing,growingbolder.

The Lady Whimsical shook her head at him, burst out laughing, and raninsideherrose-leafhouseasshehaddonethedaybefore.

Twohoursaftersunriseonthefollowingmorning,theLadyWhimsicalwasoncemoreseatedonherdoorstep,andKingGrumbelowasoncemorestandinginfrontofher.

"YouaresobeautifulthatIshallnevertireoflookingatyou,"saidtheKing.

Again,theLadyWhimsicalonlysmiled.

"Youaresosilent thatyouwillalwaysallowmetotalkenoughforbothofus,"continuedtheKing.

TheLadyWhimsicalsmiledoncemore.

"Andsinceyouaresofoolishas tosendmeawayeverymorning,"saidtheKing,"youmustsurelybefoolishenoughtobetheQueenofsowiseaKingasmyself."

TheLadyWhimsicalhadneverlaughedsoheartilyatanythingasshedidatthesewordsofKingGrumbelo;andevenafter shehadbanged thedoor inhisface,hecouldstillhearher laughteras it floatedout from thewindowsof thedainty littlehouseofrose leaves.Now,all thiswasveryamusingfor theLadyWhimsical, who was quite happy as long as she had something to make hersmile;butKingGrumbelowasnotsowellsatisfied.

Itwas not amusing to carry on a conversation entirely alone, and he evenbegan to wish secretly that the Lady Whimsical would not answer all hisquestionsbylaughingatthem.However,theLadyWhimsicalshowednosignsof answering them in any other way, and at last theKing determined that hewouldmakeherspeaktohimjustonce,andafterthatshemightbeassilentasshepleased.So,onemorning,whenthedragonopenedtheapple-blossomgates

tohimasusual,hestrodeuptoLadyWhimsicalwitharesoluteair.

"LadyWhimsical,IwantyoutocomeawaywithmeandbemyQueen,"hesaid.

Sheshookherheadandsmiled.

"Whynot?"demandedKingGrumbelo.

Shesmiledagain.

"Whynot?"shoutedKingGrumbeloattheverytopofhisvoice.

WhentheLadyWhimsicalshruggedhershouldersandmerelysmiledagain,theKinglosthispatiencecompletely,whichofcoursewasanabsurdthingtodo,considering that he had come all this way on purpose to find some one whoknewhowtobesilent.

"Willnothinginduceyoutospeakjustonewordtome?"heexclaimed;andthenheranrightawayfromhermockinglaughter,anddidnotevenwaittohavetherose-leafdoorbangedinhisface.

ItwasaverycrestfallenKingGrumbelowhoknockedatthegatesofapple-blossomonthefollowingmorning.Butnoonewassittingonthedoorstepofthedaintylittlehouseofroseleaves;andKingGrumbelo'sheartgaveagreatjump.

"Whereisshe?"hedemandedofthedragon,whohadfollowedhimalongthepathandwaslookingathimwithhisaggravatingsmile.

Thedragonbecamereproachful.

"Itisyourfault,"hecomplained."Itoldyousheneverspoke;whydidn'tyoulistentome?Youhavedrivenherawaynowbyyourendlessquestions;shehasgone into her house of rose leaves, and theWiseWoman of theWood aloneknowswhatwillbringheroutagain."

King Grumbelo looked up at the dainty little house of rose leaves, andthought he heard the sound of muffled laughter floating through the openwindows.Heturnedoncemoretothedragon.

"WheredoestheWiseWomanoftheWoodlive?"heasked.Butthedragonhadcurledhimselfupinthesunandwasalreadyhalfasleep.

"Don't ask somany questions," hemumbled sleepily; andKingGrumbelostrodeangrilyoutofthegarden.Hemountedhishorseandallowedittotakehimwhereveritwould,forhehadnoideawheretheWiseWomanoftheWoodlived,andonewaywasasgoodasanother.Towardssundown,ablackbirdhoppedontohishorse'sheadandsangtohim,andsomethinginitssongsoremindedtheKing of LadyWhimsical's laughter that he put out his hand to caress it. Nosooner did he touch it, however, than it turned into a squirrel, and scamperedawayfromhimsomischievouslythathewasagainremindedofLadyWhimsicalandofthewayshe,too,hadrunawayfromhim.Heputspurstohishorseandchasedthesquirreluntilheovertookit,whenitimmediatelyturnedintoafieldmouse and sprang into a largehole in the rootof anold elm tree; andafter itwentKingGrumbelowithout amoment'shesitation.He left hishorseoutside,andthrewhiscrownontheground,andcreptintotheholeashumblyasthoughhehadnotbeenaKingatall.Theholeopenedintoalong,darkpassagewhichgrew smaller and smaller as it wound deeper into the earth, so that KingGrumbelocouldscarcelydraghimselfalongonhishandsandknees.Itcametoan end at last, however, and he crawled into a cavern lighted dimly by glow-worms.Thefieldmousewasjustaheadofhim,butbeforehecouldcatchithefoundthatitwasnolongerthere,andinitsplacestoodatallwitchwoman,withavoicelikeablackbird's,andeyeslikeasquirrel's,andhairthecolourofafieldmouse.

"Tellme," saidKingGrumbelo, eagerly, "are you theWiseWoman of theWood?"

"OfcourseIam,"saidthewitchwoman."Doyouthinkanyoneelsewouldhavebeensomuch trouble tocatch?Andnow thatyouhavecaughtme,whatcanIdoforyou?"

"IwantyoutoremovethespellfromtheLadyWhimsical,sothatshemaybeabletospeaktome,"saidKingGrumbelo.Thewitchwomanlaughedoutright.

"ThereisnospellovertheLadyWhimsical,"shesaid."Shecantalkasmuchasshepleases."

"Thenwhyhassheneverspokentome?"askedtheKinginastonishment.

"Youwishedforthemostsilentwomanintheworld,"saidtheWiseWomanoftheWood."Nowthatyouhavefoundher,whydoyoucomplain?"

ForthefirsttimeinhislifeKingGrumbelofeltdistinctlyfoolish.

"Imadeamistake,"heowned."Idon'twantasilentQueenatall."

"Thengobackandtellherso,"saidthewitchwoman,promptly.

"Doyouthinkthatwillmakehercomeoutfromherhouseofroseleaves?"askedKingGrumbelo.

"Ishouldn'twonder,"saidtheWiseWomanoftheWood;"butgoandseeforyourself. There is no need to thankme, for any onewho takes the trouble tofollowtheWiseWomanof theWoodtoherhomeiswelcometowhathemayfindwhenhegetsthere."

Indeed,beforehehadtimetothankherhefoundhimselfoncemoreoutsidethe tree,withhiscrownlyingathis feetandhishorsestandingathisside.HewasinsuchahurrytogetbacktotheLadyWhimsical,however,thathedidnotstaytopickuphiscrown,butrodebareheadedallthroughthenightandreachedthehedgeofsweet-briarandhoneysucklepreciselyattwohoursaftersunrise.

"Dear,dear,"complainedthedragon;"doyoumeantosayyou'vecomebackagain?"

"Ihavesomegoodnewsforyou,"saidKingGrumbelo,jovially."ThereisnospellovertheLadyWhimsicalafterall!"

"Ofcoursethereisn't,"saidthedragon,asheslowlyunfastenedthegatesofapple-blossom."Didn'tItellyoushewasn'taPrincess?"

KingGrumbelodidnotstaytoarguethepointwithhim,butwalkedquicklyupthepathandstoppedinfrontofthedaintylittlehouseallmadeofroseleaves.

"LadyWhimsical," he said, very gently and humbly, "will it please you tosmileonmeoncemore?Ihavediscoveredthatyouarethewisestpersonintheworld,andthatIambyfarthemostfoolish."

When the Lady Whimsical looked out of her window and saw the King

standing there so humbly without his crown, the tears came right into herwonderfuleyesandstayedthere.

"Oh!"shecried,"Iamsogladyouhavecomeback!Iwasafraidyouwerenevercomingbackanymore."

Sheheldouthertwolittlehands,andtheKingkissedthem.Thenshecamerunningdownthestairsasfastasshecould;andtheysatonthedoorstepsidebyside,andtalked.

"I feel as though I should never stop talking again!Do youmind?" askedLadyWhimsical.

"I should likenothingbetter," saidKingGrumbelo. "But first of all ImustconfesstoyouthatIhaveanextremelyuglyname.Doyouthinkyoucanbeartohearit?"

"Iknowitalready!"laughedtheLadyWhimsical."DoyousupposeIhaven'tcoaxeditoutofmydragonlongago?ButI, too,havesomethingtoconfesstoyou.Doyouthinkitwillmakeyouangry?"

"IamquitesureIshallneverbeangryagain,"declaredtheKing.

"Then," saidLadyWhimsical, looking extremely solemn, "to beginwith, IamnotaPrincessatall."

"AsifIdidn'tknowthat!"laughedtheKing."Thedragontoldme,eversolongago!"

"Hedid n't tell you the rest, so stop laughing and listen tome," saidLadyWhimsical, with severity. "I knew all the while who youwere andwhat youwanted,andIpretendedtobeunderaspelljusttoteaseyou."

"I know that, too," said the King, triumphantly. "TheWiseWoman of theWoodtoldme."

"DidshetellyouthatIcameandhidmyselfhereonpurpose,becauseIheardyouwerelookingforaPrincessandIwantedyoutofindme?"askedtheLadyWhimsical,softly.

"Nobodytoldmethat,"answeredKingGrumbelo;"Iguesseditformyself."

"What will the Professor of Practical Jokes say, when you come homewithoutthePrincessyouwentouttofind?"sheaskedmischievously.

TheKinghadnotimetoanswer,foratthatmomenttheProfessorofPracticalJokes—whoseprofessionalwaysrequiredhimtoarriveunexpectedly inplaceswherehewasnotwanted—appeared at the apple-blossomgates andansweredLadyWhimsical'squestionhimself.

"Thereisnothingtosay,"heobserved."ThereneverwasaPrincessforyourMajestytofind,soofcourseyourMajestyhasn'tfoundher."

"There never was anybody for you to find except me," added LadyWhimsical,whowasnoddingattheProfessorasthoughshehadknownhimallherlife."TheotherPrincesswasapracticaljoke,don'tyousee.Doyoumeantosaymydragondidnottellyouthat,too?"

"Then, who are you?" asked King Grumbelo in bewilderment. The LadyWhimsicallaughed,asshehadlaughedeverydayforamonthwhenshebangedthedoorintheKing'sface.

"Can't you guess?" she exclaimed. "Why, I am just the daughter of theProfessorofPracticalJokes!"

AndtheKingonlywonderedthathehadnotguesseditlongago.

Astheywentoutthroughtheapple-blossomgates,thedaintylittlehouseofrose leaves vanished away because it was no longer wanted, and so did thebeautifulflower-garden,andthehedgeofsweet-briarandhoneysuckle,andthesleepygood-natureddragon.Theyhadnotroubleingettinghome,fortheWiseWomanoftheWoodhadahandinthematter,andtheroadcameracingtowardsthemas fastasanexpress train;all theyhad todowas tostandquitestillandwaituntilKingGrumbelo's country camehurryingalong,whichwas themostconvenient way of travelling any one could possibly invent. When the cityreached them they found theywere just in time to bemarried, for the peoplewereonthepointofcelebratingtheirweddingforthehundredandfirsttime;sotheKingandQueenweremarriedalmostbefore theyknew it themselves, andcertainlybefore thepeoplediscoveredthatsomebodywasreallybeingmarriedat last.This,however,wasnotatall surprising, for the realweddingwasvery

much the sameas all themake-believeones, except that it took a little longerbecause theKing andQueenwerenot soused to beingmarried as thepeopleweretomarryingthem.

Afterthat,everyonewasashappyasitwaspossibletobe.Thecountryhadgrownsoaccustomedtobeingfrivolousthatitneverbecameseriousagain;andthe King never made another law, because the people were so fond of LadyWhimsical that theydideverything she told them,and thereforeno lawswereneeded. The result of all this happinesswas that nobody in the kingdom evergrewold;andtheLadyWhimsicalwhositsandlaughsonherthroneatthisverymomentisthesameLadyWhimsicalwhosatandlaughedonthedoorstepofherrose-leafhouse,yearsandyearsandyearsago.

THELADYEMMELINAISALWAYSKEPTINHERPROPERPLACENOW

TheDollthatcamestraightfromFairyland

ThecountrywascelebratingthetenthbirthdayofthePrincePerfection.Thatparticular country always celebrated the tenth birthday of its princes andprincesses, but never before had it gone so completely wild with joy. Thefireworksbeganpunctuallyatsunrise,andsodideverythingelsethatwasworthbeginning; and the happy shouts of the people made conversation quiteimpossible, except in the royal family, which was fully accustomed to beingshouted at whenever the country had a whole holiday. The Prince had fivehundred and fifty-four birthday presents, and his Secretaries spent all theirsummerholidaysinwritingletterstoacknowledgethem;andeverychildinthekingdomwhowas of the same age as the Princewas allowed to come to thepalace gates and receive a royal smile and a large box of barley sugar fromPrincePerfectionhimself.Intheafternoon,thePrincedrovethroughthestreetsover a carpet of flowers and smiledwithout stopping; and by his side sat thelittlePrincessPansy,whowasnotsmilingatall,forshehadnobirthdayandno

presents,and twoyearswasa long time towaitbeforeshe, too, shouldbe tenyearsold.Still,shewassofondofthePrincePerfectionthatshewouldnothavelethimguessforamomentthatshefeltenviousofhim,althoughthishewasinnodangerofdoing, forhewassobrimfulofhappiness thathehadno time tothinkabouthissisteratall.Truly,itisworthwhiletobetenyearsoldifoneisaPrince! In the evening therewas a banquet of a hundred and twenty courses,whichwastheexactnumberofmonthsinthePrince'slife;andthetwochildrensat at the head of the table between their royal parents, andmanaged to keepawakeuntilthemomentarrivedtocutthebirthdaycake.

Thatwaswhen the catastropheoccurred.At themomentnobody suspectedthatitwasgoingtobeacatastropheatall.ItseemedthemostfortunatethingintheworldthatthePrince'sgodmother,theFairyZigzag,shouldmanagetoarrivejust in time to drink her godson's health. Most people would think that acatastrophe was far more likely to have occurred if the King and Queen hadforgottentoinvitetheFairyZigzag.Thatonlyshowshowlittlemostofusknowabout fairy godmothers. The truth is that the Fairy Zigzagwas not like othergodmothersatall.Shedidnotlikebanquetsandshedidnotlikenoise;andshewouldmuch sooner have sent her present by post. Itwould never have done,however,torefusetheQueen'sinvitation,forthatiswhatnofairygodmotherhasever been known to do; so she came at the very lastminutewith a very badgrace,andshemeanttogoawayagainassoonasshecould.

Bang!Whatanoiseshemadeasshecamedownthechimneyinacloudofbluesmoke!Ifshehadnotbeenquitesocrossshewouldhavearrivedthroughthewindow inher best chariot drawnby sea-gulls; but shewasdetermined totake as little trouble as possible over the matter, and no one could take lesstroubleoveranythingthantocomestraightdownthechimney.

"Oh!"saideveryonewithalittlescream;andthePrincewassostartledthathecut anextremelycrooked sliceof cake.As soonas theblue smokeclearedaway, however, and he saw that it was his fairy godmother, he recovered hisgoodmannerswithoutanydifficulty,andwalkedacrosstheroomtogreether.

"Iamdelightedtoseeyou,deargodmother,"saidPrincePerfectionwithhisbest birthday smile,whichhe hadbeen savingup all dayonpurpose. "Wouldyouliketohaveapieceofcake?"

His parents beamed with pleasure at the charming manners of Prince

Perfection;andthelittlePrincessrubbedthesleepoutofhereyes,andwonderedhowlongitwouldtaketolivethroughtwowholeyears,sothatshemighthaveabirthday party and a birthday cake, and a visit fromher fairy godmother. TheFairyZigzag,however,didnotseematallimpressedbythecharmingmannersofhergodson.

"Inevereatcake,"shesaid,withoutgivingsomuchasalookatthecrookedsliceofcakewhichthePrincewashandingheronarealgoldplate.Hergodsonput down the cake immediately, and took up a silver goblet filled to the brimwithsparklingginger-beer.

"Youhavecomejust in time,deargodmother, todrinkmyhealth,"hesaid,justaspolitelyasever.

"Ineverdrinkhealths,"saidtheFairyZigzag,frowning."Ihaveplentyofmyown,thankyou.What'sthematterwithyourhealththatyouwanteveryonetodrinkitup?You'dbetterkeepit:itmaycomeinuseful,lateron."

Thiswassuchanentirelynewviewofthematterthatacompletesilencefellon every one in the room; and all the guests put down their glasses of gingerbeer,andstaredintothemtoseeifthePrince'shealthwasfloatingaboutonthetop.Inthemidstofthepause,theFairyZigzagstalkedtothetable,noddedtotheroyal parents, and took the seat that had been reserved for her at theQueen'srighthand.

"So good of you to come," murmured the Queen, nervously. "We neverthoughtyouwouldgiveussogreatapleasure."

"Oh,didn'tyou?Then,whydidyouinviteme?"snappedthefairygodmother.TheQueensaidnothing,forshedidnotknowwhattosay.TheKingdidhisbesttoputmattersright.

"ThePrincehasbeen looking forward toyourvisitallday,"hehastened tosay."Thedearboyhashardlyknownhowtowaituntilthisevening."

"Rubbish," said the Fairy Zigzag, laughing most unpleasantly. "It is quitetimeforthedearboytobeinbed.Whatisthatotherchilddoing,overthere?"

ShepointedwithherwandatthelittlePrincessPansy,whoseeyeswerenowsofullofsleepthatshecouldhardlykeepthemopen.When,however,shesaw

the Fairy Zigzag pointing at her, she instantly becamewide awake, and grewquite pink with pleasure at being noticed. It was the first time any one hadnoticedherallthatday;butofcourse,onemustexpecttobeforgottenwhenitissomebodyelse'sbirthday.

"Oh!"criedPrincessPansy,holdingoutbothherhandstothecrossoldFairyZigzag."Areyoureallyafairygodmother?Ihaveneverseenarealfairybefore,andIamsogladyouhavecome!"

TheKing andQueenwere horrified at the familiarway inwhich the littlePrincesswasspeakingtosuchanimportantguestasthefairygodmother.Itwastruethatshewasonlyeightyearsold,butitwasquitetimeshelearntsomeofthecharmingmannersforwhichherbrotherthePrincewassoremarkable.IftheFairyZigzaghadturnedherintoatoad,oramarblestatue,orsomethingchillylikethat,theywouldnothavebeenintheleastsurprised.ButtheFairyZigzagdidnothingofthesort.ShejusttookthetwohandsthePrincessPansyheldouttoher,andlookedherfullintheface;anddirectlyshedidthatallthecrossnessfaded out of her own, and instead of being just a disagreeable old fairy shesuddenly appeared quite good-natured and pleasant. This, indeed, was nowonder; for it would have been difficult to look at the little Princess withoutfeeling happier for it. TheKing andQueen, however,mistook her silence foranger.

"Prayforgiveher,"theysaid,tremblingly."Sheissoyoung,andshedoesn'tknowanybetter.Wehave tried invain to teachhergoodmanners.Doubtless,whensheisasoldasthePrincePerfectionshewillhavelearnttobeaspoliteasheis."

"Itistobehopednot,"saidtheFairyZigzag,turningoncemoretotheroyalparents. "And if I know anything about it, she will never be as polite as thePrincePerfection.Thatchildisarealchild,andnoneofuswillevermakeheranythingelse.Now,Idon'tmeantowasteanymoretime;socomehere,godson,andtellmewhatyouwouldlikeforabirthdaypresent."

The Prince Perfection did not know what to say. He longed to ask for asteamboatthatwentbyrealsteam,oracannonthatwouldfirerealgunpowder,oraballoonthatwouldtakehimwhereverhewishedtogo;buthefeltthatonlyanordinaryboywouldhaveaskedforsuchthingsasthese,andPrincePerfectionhadalwaysbeentoldbyhisnursesthathewasnotanordinaryboy.

"Pleasegivemewhateveryoulike,deargodmother,"hesaid,andhopedverymuchthatitwouldbeasteamboatwithrealsteam.

"Thedearboydoesnotliketoappeargreedy,"saidtheQueen.

"Fiddlesticks!"saidtheFairyZigzag,andthenshepointedagainatthelittlePrincessPansy."IfIweretogiveyouapresent,doyouthinkyouwouldknowwhattochoose?"sheaskedher,smiling.

"Oh,howbeautiful!"exclaimedPrincessPansy,clappingherhands.Tohaveapresentwithoutabirthdaywasmorethanshehadeverbelievedpossible.

"Whatwill youhave?" asked theFairy, raisingherwand.ThePrincessdidnotstoptothink.

"I will have a wax doll, please, with blue eyes and yellow hair and pinkcheeks,dressed inawhitesilkfrockwith lotsof little frills,"shesaid, rapidly."And,ifyoucouldmanageit,"sheadded,glancingsidewaysatthePrince,herbrother,"IthinkIshouldlikeonethatdoesn'tmeltwhenyouputitnearthefire."

"I think I canmanage it," said theFairyZigzag, anddowncameherwandwithasharptaponthetable.PrincessPansygaveacryofdelight.Infrontofherlay the most beautiful wax doll any little girl of eight years old has everpossessed.Shehadblueeyesandyellowcurlsandpinkcheeks;shewasdressedin awhite silk frockwith rows and rowsof little frills; she had a gold crownperchedonherhead,andsheworehigh-heeledshoesonherdaintyfeet;shehadarealpocketwithareallacehandkerchiefstickingoutofit;shecarriedafaninone hand and a scent bottle in the other; and she actually possessed real six-buttoned gloves, which could be drawn on and off her little hands. PrincessPansywasbreathless.Shehadneverseenanythingsobeautifulbefore.

"YoumustthanktheFairyZigzag,"whisperedtheKingandQueen.ThelittlePrincessgaveasighandlookedup;itseemedsostupidtosay"Thankyou"forsuchasuperbdollyashers.Afterall,shehadtosaynothingwhatever, for theFairy Zigzagwas no longer there; she had gone awaywithout a chariot, or acloudofbluesmoke,orevenabang!

"Shehasgivennothingtohergodson,"saidthecourtierstooneanother;andthey fully expected that Prince Perfectionwould fly into a passion.However,PrincePerfectiondidnotflyintoapassion.HelookedatthelittlePrincessasshe

laughed with joy over her beautiful new doll; he thought just once of thesteamboatthatwouldhavegonebyrealsteam,andthecannonthatwouldhavefired real gunpowder, and theballoon thatwouldhave takenhimwhereverhewished togo;and thenheremembered thathewas tenyearsoldandaPrince,andheflungbackhisheadandbegantowhistle.

"Itdoesn'tmatter,"hesaid,indifferently."Ihavefivehundredandfifty-fourpresentsupstairs,andIdon'tcarefordolls."

LittlePrincessPansyhadneverbeen so contented in thewholeof her life.Thepalaceseemedadifferentplacetoher,nowthatitcontainedthedollthathadcome from Fairyland; and she immediately named her the Lady Emmelina,which was the most important name she could remember on the spur of themoment.From that day thePrincess andherdollwerenever separated.Whenthe Prince and Princess went for a drive, the Lady Emmelina sat up stifflybetweenthem;whentheProfessorscametogivethechildrentheirlessons,theyfoundthat theyhadtogive themalso toa little ladyinawhitesilkfrockwithrows and rows of little frills, who stared at them solemnly with her large,impassive blue eyes, and never answered a word to any of their questions.PrincessPansyno longerwished tobe tenyearsold;sheno longerwishedforanything:shehadeverythingshewanted in theunchangeableLadyEmmelina.FortheLadyEmmelinanevervaried;thePrincessmighthaveasmanymoodsasshepleased,buttheLadyEmmelinamerelysmiled.Foraconstantcompanion,itwould have been difficult to find any one more delightful than the LadyEmmelina. The Prince Perfection, however, took a very different view of thematter.ThankstotheLadyEmmelina,hehadnoonetoplaywith.Hehadneverbeenleftsomuchtohimselfinhislife,andinspiteofhisexcellentopinionofhimselfhefoundhimselfextremelydull.Hecouldnolongerplaycricket,sincethePrincesswasnottheretobowlforhim;itwasnofuntoplayatsoldiersifthePrincesswasnot there tobeon the losingside;hecouldnotpretend tobe theRoyalExecutioner if thePrincesswasnot there tobeexecuted.Tobesure,hehad five hundred and fifty-four birthday presents; but what consolation couldtheyaffordhimwhenhewasstillwithoutasteamboatthatwentbyrealsteam?TheLadyEmmelinawasthecauseofallhismisfortunes,andhecouldnotbeartheLadyEmmelina.ItwastheLadyEmmelinawhohadcomeintheplaceofhisreal steamboat and his real cannon and his real balloon; it was the LadyEmmelinawhohadbewitched the littlePrincess,his sister, and robbedhimofhis best playfellow. And the Prince Perfection, whatever his faults were, wasextremelyfondofthelittlePrincess.

"If you will come and play cricket with me, I will let you have the firstinnings,"hesaidtoherindespaironesunnyafternoon.

"ItisfartooroughagamefortheLadyEmmelina,"answeredPrincessPansy,shakingherhead.

"Thenchooseanygameyoulike,onlydocomeandplaywithme,"beggedthePrince.Hehadnever had tobeg sohard for anythingbefore, for the littlePrincesshadbeenhiswillingslaveaslongashecouldremember.

"We cannot possibly come this afternoon," answered Princess Pansy. "TheLadyEmmelinaisgoingtohaveatea-party.Iwillaskhertoinviteyouifyoulike."

ThePrince,however,wouldhavenothing todowithLadyEmmelina's tea-party.Hewentandsatbythepondinstead,andthoughthowfinehissteamboatwould have looked if it had gone puffing across the water with real smokecoming out of the funnel. Themere thought of it made him dislike the LadyEmmelinasomuchmorethanbeforethathemadeuphismindtoberevengedonher.Now,thiswasanextremelyboldthingeventothinkabout,forshehadcomestraightfromFairyland,anditisneversafetomeddlewithtoysthathavecomestraightfromFairyland.Forallthat,thePrincecreptintothenurserythatverysamenight,wheneveryoneinthepalacewasasleep,andpreparedtohavehisrevengeonthewaxenLadyEmmelina.Thereshesatinallhermagnificenceonthenurserytable,withbothherglovestightlybuttoned,andbothherpointedtoesturnedupwards.TheverysightofherannoyedthejealouslittlePrince.Hepatteredacrosstheflooronhisbarefeet,andseizedtheLadyEmmelinabythearm.Shegreetedhimwithashrillandangryshriek.

"How dare you? Let me go at once!" she screamed. The Prince was sosurprised thathedroppedheron the tableagain.TheLadyEmmelina,shakingalloverwithfury,begansmoothingoutherrowsofcrumpledfrills.

"Theideaofsuchathing!"shegasped."Ideclare,youhaveactuallypushedmycrownononeside,andthereisnolooking-glassintheroom.IhaveagreatmindtoreportyoutoFairyland."

"Youmaydowhatyoulike,"answeredthePrince,whowasnocowardandhadrecoveredfromhisastonishment."YouhavebewitchedthePrincessPansy,andImeantohideyouwherenoonewillbeabletofindyou."

No sooner had he uttered these words than the Lady Emmelina turnedextremelypale.Ifhehadtriedtomeltheratthefireortocutoffherheadwiththescissors,whichwasthekindofthingheusuallydidtohissister'sdolls,sheknewthatshewouldhavebeensafe;buthehadthreatenedtodotheonethingthateven the fairieswhoprotectedhercouldnotpreventhimfromdoing.Heronlyhopewasthathewouldhidehersomewheresothatsheshouldhavetimetoescape before sunrise; for after sunrise all her powers ofmoving or speakingwoulddesertherandshewouldbenothingbutawaxdollagain.Sheneednothavebeenafraid, for thePrincedidnotmean towasteanymore time thanhecouldhelp;andthenextmomentshewasbeingcarriedswiftlyoutoftheroomunder his arm. Downstairs ran the little Prince, with his hand over the LadyEmmelina's mouth to prevent her from screaming; and along the marblepassageshehastened,untilhecametoalittledoorthatledintothegarden,andthis he unlocked with the diamond key that usually hung on the nail on thenurserywall. It is not pleasant to runwithout shoes along a gravel path, andPrincePerfectionsoonturnedasideontothelawn,andtrottedoverthegrassinsearchofahidingplacefortheLadyEmmelina.Alargewhitestonelayinthemiddleofthelawnandgleamedinthemoonlight.ThePrincedidnotrememberhaving seen it there before; indeed, it was not likely that the royal gardenerswouldhaveallowedittoremaininsuchaplaceforamoment.Hestoopeddownandrolleditononeside,andfoundthatitcoveredaneatroundholelinedwithgreenmoss.ItwastheveryplacefortheLadyEmmelina;andhelaidhergentlyintheverymiddleofit.

"Ihopeyouwillnotbeverycramped,"saidPrincePerfection,politely.

LadyEmmelinalaymotionlessonthemossyground,andstaredatthemoon.Noonewouldhavethought thatshewasthesamedollywhohadscreamedsoangrilyinthenurserytenminutesago.

"It is the nicest place I could have found in thewhole garden," continuedPrincePerfectionalittleanxiously.Afterall,shewasaverybeautifuldoll,andshehadcomestraightfromFairyland.

StilltheLadyEmmelinastaredintentlyatthemoon,withherlargeblueeyes.

"I should never have thought of putting you anywhere if you had notbewitched the Princess," declared Prince Perfection, feeling still moreuncomfortable.Itwasnoteasytogoonapologisingtosomeonewhopersisted

instaringatthemoonjustasthoughnoonewasspeakingtoher.

"Why did you bewitch the Princess Pansy?" cried the little Prince. "If youwillpromisenot tobewitchher anymore, Iwill takeyou straightback to thenursery."

But although hewaited eagerly for her answer, not aword came from theLady Emmelina; and the Prince ceased to feel sorry for her, and gave upapologising.

"It is your own fault, and I don't care a bit," he said, impatiently; and herolled the large white stone over the hole, until the doll from Fairyland wascompletelyhidden.Itisawonderthefairiesdidnotinterfere;butperhapstheyhadtheirreasons.

TherewasnopeaceforanyoneinthepalacewhenthePrincessdiscoveredthat theLadyEmmelinawas gone; and she discovered it before breakfast thevery nextmorning. It was in vain that the Prince offered to give her his fivehundred and fifty-four birthday presents if she would only stop crying: thePrincesswantedherdollfromFairyland,andnothingbutherdollfromFairylandwouldconsoleher.EveryonewholovedthelittlePrincess—andthatwaseveryoneinthepalace—beganlookingfortheLadyEmmelina;butnoonesucceededin finding a trace of her. This, however, was by nomeans so surprising as itsounds, for the largewhitestonewasno longer in themiddleof the lawn,andtheneat roundhole linedwithgreenmosshaddisappeared just ascompletely.ThePrincewasno lessunhappy thanhissister.Nothingwas turningoutashehad expected; for, instead of being ready to play with him again, the littlePrincesswasfartoomiserabletothinkofplayingatall.Hetriedalldaylongtocoaxher intoagoodhumour;butbedtimecame,andhehadnotwona singlesmilefromher.Itwasthenthathemadeuphismindtogooutintotheworldandfind the Lady Emmelina. So that night the Prince once more unhooked thediamondkeyfromthenailonthenurserywall,andstoleintothegardeninthemoonlight. This time, however, he had not forgotten to put on his shoes andstockings and his second-best court suit, for when a prince goes out into theworldhemust at leastdohisbest to look like aprince.Whenhecame to thelawnhestoppedandstaredwithamazement;forthere,inthemoonlight,laythelargewhitestoneunderwhichhehadhiddenthedollfromFairyland.Overjoyedatreachingtheendofhisjourneysosoon,heranforwardandrolledthestoneononeside.There,tobesure,wastheneatroundholelinedwithgreenmoss;butin

themiddleof it sat a largegrasshopper, andnot a signof theLadyEmmelinawastobeseen.

The Prince was so disappointed that he had the greatest difficulty inrememberingthathewastenyearsold,andthatcryingwasthereforeoutofthequestion.Thegrasshopperwaswinkingathimasthoughheunderstoodhowhefelt.

"I guessed you would come," he said, in a kind voice. "I just waited onpurpose."

"Wherehasshegone?"askedPrincePerfection,dolefully.

"Askmesomethingeasierthanthat,"answeredthegrasshopper."Ididn'tseehergo.IhappenedtolookinasIwaspassing;andwhenIfoundshewasgoneIthoughtI'djustwaitandtellyoushewasgone,don'tyousee?"

"WhatisthegoodofwaitingtotellmesomethingIcouldhavefoundoutformyself?"askedPrincePerfection. "Ifyoucan'thelpme to findher,youmightjustaswellnotbethere."

"I didn't say I couldn't help you to find her," said the grasshopper, lookinghurt;"thoughifyouaregoingtobecrossaboutitIdon'tknowthatIwill."

"Oh,"criedPrincePerfection, "Iwillneverbecrossagain, ifyouwillhelpmetofindtheLadyEmmelina."

"Thenwhydidyouhideher in thefirstplace?"asked thegrasshopper.ThePrincelookedfoolish.

"BecauseIhadnoonetoplaywith,"hesaid.

"Ifyoudo findher," continued thegrasshopper, "doyou think thePrincesswillplaywithyouagain?"

"Oh, no," sighed the Prince. "She will only want to play with the LadyEmmelina."

"Thendon'ttrytofindtheLadyEmmelina,"saidthegrasshopper,promptly.

"Imust,"saidPrincePerfection."AnythingisbetterthanseeingthePrincesscry.Itookherdollaway,yousee,anditismyfaultthatPansyissounhappy.Idon'tmeantogohomeagainuntilIhavefoundtheLadyEmmelina."

"Rightyouare,"saidthegrasshopper."You'rethemanforme.I'llhelpyouasfarasIcan,butyoumustcomedownherefirst;Ican'tgoonshoutinglikethis."

"Downthere?"saidthePrince."Theholeismuchtoosmall."

"Nonsense!Comeandtry,"saidthegrasshopper,andindeed,beforehetriedatall,thePrincefoundhimselfinsidetheneatroundhole,withthemossywallsreachingfarabovehishead,andthegrasshoppershakinghandswithhim.

"Feelallright?"askedthegrasshopper."Sitdownandgetyourbreath.Thesesuddenchangesareapttobeexhaustingifyouarenotusedtothem."

"Are youused to them?" asked thePrince,whenhe had recovered enoughbreathtospeak.

"Dearme,yes!"saidthegrasshopperwithachuckle."WhenIgetupinthemorningIneverknowhowmanychangesImaynothavetogothroughbeforethedayisover.Don'tthinkIamcomplainingthough,forofcourseitispartofmyprofession."

"Whatisyourprofession?"askedthePrince.

"ChiefSpyinParticulartotheFairyQueen,"answeredthegrasshopper."It'svery hard work, I can tell you; some days I haven't a moment tomyself. Ofcourse,Ifindoutagreatdealthatnobodyelseknows,whichisalwaysamusing.Yesterday, for instance, if I hadn't been a cockchafer, a doll's teapot, a gardenseat,arosetreeandanurserytable,Ishouldn'tknowasmuchasIdoaboutyouandtheLadyEmmelina."

"Thenplease tellmewhat Imust do inorder to find theLadyEmmelina,"beggedthePrince.

"By all means," said the grasshopper, cheerfully. "Go straight on withoutturning to the right or the left; and whenever some one greets you, ask himpolitelytogiveyouwhatheisthinkingabout,andthenyouwillbeabletofindtheLadyEmmelina."

It seemed rather a roundabout way of finding anything; but, as thegrasshopperdisappeareddirectlyhehadfinishedspeaking,therewasnothingtodobuttofollowhisadvice.Thefirstpartwaseasyenough,forjust infrontofhimthePrincenoticedalittledoorinthegreenmossywall,whichhewasquitesure had not been there before; and through this he straightway walked. Heimmediately foundhimself inablazeofsunshineon thesea-shore,withgreenwavesstretchingbeforehimasfarashecouldsee,andnothingoneithersideofhimexcepttheflatstonybeach."It'sallverywelltotellanyonetogostraighton,buthowamItogetacrossthesea?"thoughtthePrince.Hehadneverbeenafraidofanythinginhislife,however,soherandownthebeachandputonefootintothewhitefoamattheedge.

"Good-daytoyou!"saidavoice."Whoareyou,andwhatdoyouwant?"

"IamPrincePerfection,andIwantwhatyouarethinkingabout,"answeredthePrince,boldly,althoughhecouldnotseewhowasspeaking.

"Thatisastrangethingtowant,"saidthevoice;"forIwasjustthinkingaboutalittlesteamboatthatwouldgobyrealsteam;andhowyoucanpossiblywantsuchathingasthatismorethanIcanunderstand."

Atthatmomenttherewasafaintpuffingsoundinthedistance,whichcamenearer and nearer; and presently over the waves rode a most perfect littlesteamboat,with real smokecomingoutof the funnel. Itwas just largeenoughforthePrince,andhesteppedonboarddirectlyitcamenearenough,andputhishandonthelittlebrasswheel.

"Thankyouverymuch,"hesaidas loudlyashecould, in thehope that theownerof themysteriousvoicewouldhearhim.Nobodyansweredhim;buthewondered why an old crab, who was shuffling along the beach, chose thatparticularmomenttowinkathim.

Certainly,noonehaseverreachedtheshoreontheoppositesideoftheseasoquickly asPrincePerfection in his real steamboat. Itwas a pleasure to hear itpuffasitcutthroughthebiggreenwaves;andhestoodlikearealcaptainwithhis hand on the little brasswheel, and steered it right into a bay that seemedwaiting on purpose for it. Itwas very sad that it should disappear directly hesteppedoutofit;butasithadcomefromnowhereatallbecausehewantedit,hecouldnot complainbecause itwent back to nowhere at allwhenhehaddone

with it. So he sighed twice, and thenwalked straight ahead as before, up thebeachandoveraflatgrassyplain,coveredwithyellowpoppiesandgorsebushesand purple heather. Nothing could have been easier than this; and PrincePerfectionhadnottheslightestwishtoturntotherightortheleft,untilhecamesuddenlyuponathickclumpofgorsebusheswhichlayintheverymiddleofhispath.Hemadetwoattemptstoclamberoverit;but,eachtime,hewascaughtinthegorsebushesandwasscratchedallover;andevenifoneistenyearsoldanda prince, it is hard to bear being scratched all over by a gorse bush. PrincePerfectionbegantowonderifitwouldbeverywrongtofollowthepathtotherightuntilheshouldcometoanopening,butbeforehehadtimetodecidesuchadifficultquestionashrillvoicebrokethesilenceoncemore.

"Good-daytoyou,"itsaid."Whoareyou,andwhatdoyouwant?"

"IamPrincePerfection,andIwantwhatyouarethinkingabout,"answeredthePrince,boldly.

"Howridiculous!"laughedthevoice."Why,Iamthinkingaboutacannon,areal cannon that will fire real gunpowder. Surely, you can want nothing souselessasthat?"

"Indeed, I do," said the Prince; and there stood themost perfect little realcannon,loadedwithrealshot,andinhishandwasalightedmatchreadytofireitwith.Helostnotimeinpointingitstraightattheclumpoffurzebushes,andthereal gunpowder made a flash and a splutter, and the shot went right into themiddleoftheyellowgorseandblewitallawaysocompletelythatnotatraceofitwas left, exceptone smallbush that thePrincehadnodifficulty in jumpingover.Thecannonwentbacktonowhereatall,justasthesteamboathaddone.

"Thankyouverymuch,"saidthePrincePerfectionasloudlyashecould;andagainnooneansweredhim.Hewasmuchsurprised,however,whenhelookedbackandfound that thegorsebushhaddisappearedassoonashehad jumpedoverit.Afterthathewalkedonforalongway;andjustashewasbeginningtofeeltired,andthesunwasbeginningtothinkaboutsetting,hetumbledrightupagainstabig iceberg.It isnotusualfor icebergs todropdownsuddenlyin themiddleof theroad,but that iswhat thisparticular icebergdid,and that iswhythePrincetumbledagainstit.

"Dear me," sighed Prince Perfection, for even a prince's legs are not very

longwhenhe is only tenyears old, and it is not pleasant to have to climb anicebergat theendofa longwalk.Therewasnohelpfor it,however, for therewastheicebergwaitingtobeclimbed;sothelittlePrincewentstraightatitasbravely as he could.Any onewho is accustomed to climbing icebergswill atonce know how difficult Prince Perfection found it; and he tried seven timeswithoutbeingabletogetupasingleyardofit.

"Good-daytoyou,"saidavoice,whichsoundedasthoughitcamefromtheverymiddleoftheiceberg."Whoareyou,andwhatdoyouwant?"

"I am so glad you have come!" exclaimed the Prince; although, for thatmatter,noonehadcomeatall."IamPrincePerfection,andIwantwhatyouarethinkingabout."

"Therecertainlyisnoaccountingfortastes,"observedthevoice."IwasjustthinkingaboutarealballoonthatwouldtakemewhereverIwantedtogo;andwhatusethatwouldbetoyouIcannotimagine."

ThePrincedidnottroubletoexplainwhatuseitwouldbetohim,foratthatvery instant theballoon floateddown towardshim,andhestepped into itasamatterofcourse.Itwasfarmorebeautifulthananythinghehadeverbeenabletoimagine,however;andthemovementofitwassodeliciousthathefellsoundasleepthemomentitbegantocarryhimupwards;andhecouldnotkeepawakelongenougheventothankthesenderofit.Whenheawoke,hewaslyingonthegrass under a silver birch tree, and in front of himwas a red brick fort withbattlementsandadrawbridge.Itwassolikethefortinwhichhekeptallhistinsoldiersinthenurseryathomethathewasnotatallsurprisedwhenasentinelwithoutaheadcameoutinanswertohisknock.Herememberedmeltingoffthehead of that particular tin soldier only two days before, and he was muchrelievedwhenheshowednosignsofrecognisinghim.Asthepoortinfellowhadnohead,thiswashardlytobewonderedat.

"Makehaste,andletdownthedrawbridge,"saidthePrince,bangingawayatthewoodengatewithhisfists;"IwanttoseeiftheLadyEmmelinaisinside."

Hethoughthecoulddowhathelikedwithhisownproperty,butthesoldierwithoutaheadwasevidentlyofanotheropinion.Hedidnotattempttoletdownthedrawbridge,andheansweredthePrinceinarhymewhichheseemedtohavemadeupfortheoccasion:

"WhataridiculousclatterOversuchasmallmatter!IwaspeacefullynappingWhenyoucamewithyourtapping;YouarevastlymistakenIfyouthinkI'veforsakenMyofficialpositionBecausenophysicianCouldgivemeacraniumLikeapotofgeranium.Andthesearemyorders—NoonepassesthesebordersUnlessheisable,Insong,rhyme,orfable,Thereal,trueintentionOfhiscomingtomention!"

Tobesure,itwasnotmuchofarhyme,butitwasnotbadforasoldierwhohadnohead.Whenhehad finished it hewent away again, and thePrince satdown disconsolately under the silver birch tree. He felt more convinced thanbefore that theLadyEmmelinawas inside thefort;butalthoughhe thoughtasmuch asmost people would over an ordinary arithmetic lesson, he could notthinkofasinglerhyme.

"Good-daytoyou,"saidavoicethatseemedtocomefromtheverytopofthebirchtree."Whoareyou,andwhatdoyouwant?"

"IamPrincePerfection,andIwantwhatyouarethinkingabout,"answeredthe Prince, although he hardly hoped, this time, that he would get what hewanted.

"Doyoureallymeanit?"remarkedthevoice."Iwasjustcomposingasongabout a charming little lady in a white silk frock, who lives behind thatdrawbridgeoverthere.Itisnotverylikelyyoucanwantthat!"

"Hurrah!"shoutedthelittlePrince,standingonhisheadforjoy."Then,itistheLadyEmmelina!"

"Thefactis,"continuedthevoice,withoutnoticingtheinterruption,"Ialwaysmakepoetrywhenthere isnothingelse todo.Sodoes the tinsoldier.Hecan'thelpit,poorfellow,becausehehaslosthishead,yousee.Ifyouhavelostyourheadyoucannotbeexpectedtomakeanythingexceptpoetry."

"Haveyoulostyourhead,too,mayIask?"saidthePrince,aspolitelyashecouldputsuchanawkwardquestion.

"ForthetimebeingIhavenoheadtolose,"answeredthevoice."ThatishowI happened to be inventing a song just as you cameby.Are you sure there isnothing else you would like better? A nightmare, for instance, or a thunder-storm?"

ThePrincewassurehewouldlikenothingbetter;andthevoiceinthebirchtreesanghimthefollowingsong,verysoftly:

"HereI'vecomeasIwasbiddenToseekthedollyyouhavehidden—Thedollywiththeyellowhair,Withcheekssopinkandeyessofair,Withhandsthatmoveandfeetthatstand—ThedollthatcamefromFairyland.

"Doyoupretendyou'veneverseenher,ThedaintyLadyEmmelina?Iprayyouletthedrawbridgedown,I'mtenyearsoldandIcanfrown!Imeantofindher—here'smyhand!IwantthedollfromFairyland.

"ThesongI'msinging—letmemention—Isnotasongofmyinvention;Itcomeslikesteamboatssometimesdo,Likerealballoonsandcannonstoo;Itcomeslikeallthat'srealandgrand,AllthewayfromFairyland!"

"Why,"saidPrincePerfection,"onewouldalmostthinkyouhadmadeupthesongonpurposeforme!"

Whatthebirchtreethoughtaboutithasneverbeenknown,forwhenthelittlePrincelookedupagainithadgoneawaytonowhereatall.

Thesoldierwithoutaheadletthedrawbridgedown,whenheheardthesongthathadcomeallthewayfromFairyland.ThePrincedidnotstoptothankhim,buthastened into the fortand looked roundanxiously for theLadyEmmelina.Hehadverylittledifficultyinfindingher,however,forsheoccupiednearlythewholeofthegroundfloor.Shewassittingupagainstthewall,supportedonone

sidebyanambulancewaggon,andontheotherbyacamp-firewhich,strangetosay,hadnotevensingedherelegantfan,althoughitburnedwiththebrightestofredandyellowflames.

"There you are! Will you come home with me?" said the Prince, rathernervously; forhewasnotmuchbigger than shewas,now, andhewas a littleafraidlestsheshouldhaveunpleasantrecollectionsoftheneatroundholelinedwithgreenmoss.Tohisrelief,sheseemedquitegladtoseehim.

"TobesureIwill,"saidtheLadyEmmelina."IshouldnotbefittobeseenifIstayedmuchlongerinthisdustyoldplace!"

Sotheywenthometogether,andofcoursethatdidnottakethemlong,forthewayhome isalways the shortestway in theworld.Tobeginwith, theballoonwaswaitingforthemastheycameoutofthefort;anditcarriedthemallthewaytothesea-shorebeforetheyhadtimetonoticethattheywereinaballoonatall.Whentheyreachedthesea-shoretheyfoundthatthesteamboatwaswaitingforthem, too;and thesteamboat landedthemontheoppositesideof theseaevenbefore they knew that they had stepped out of the balloon; and after that thePrinceneverknewwhatdidhappen, for thenext thinghenoticedwas thathehad grown to his proper size again, andwas standing oncemore in the royalnurserywiththeLadyEmmelinatuckedunderhisarm.ThereatthetableinthemiddleoftheroomsatthelittlePrincessPansy,andinfrontofherwasalargebowlofbreadandmilk.

"Oh!Oh!You have come back at last!" cried the Princess, jumping downfromherchair."Iamsoglad,Iamsoglad!"

"Ithoughtyouwouldbegladtoseeheragain,"saidPrincePerfection,andhehandedherthedollfromFairyland.

"Ididn'tmean that!" exclaimed the littlePrincess.And then, sadas it is torelate, theybothforgotallabout theLadyEmmelina;andthenextminute,shefoundherselflyingfacedownwardsonthefloor,whilethePrinceandPrincesshuggedeachother.Anditwasofnousefortheroyalnursestotalkaboutbreadandmilk,fornotathingwouldthetwochildrentouchuntiltheyhadtalkedasmuchastheywanted.

"Youwillnotcryanymore,nowthatyouhavetheLadyEmmelinatoplaywith,willyou?"saidPrincePerfection,who,strangetosay,didnotfeel in the

leastbitjealousoftheLadyEmmelinaaslongasshelayfacedownwardsonthefloor.

"I don't think I want to play with the Lady Emmelina much," answeredPrincessPansy."IthinkIwouldratherplaywithyou.Ithasbeensodullwhileyou have been away." For, although the Prince did not know it, he had beenawayforawholemonth.

"I am delighted to hear it," cried the little Prince. "Let us play at RoyalExecutioner,andyoushallbeexecutioner."

"Oh,no,"saidthelittlePrincess."Iwouldmuchsoonerbeexecuted."

Astheydisputedthepointpolitely,thegrasshoppersuddenlyjumpedinatthewindowandnoddedatthem.

"Good-day to you," he said. "I was just thinking at that moment about asteamboatandacannonandarealballoon.Strange,wasn'tit?"

ImmediatelythePrincefoundasteamboatinhisrighthandandacannoninhisleft;whileoutsidethewindowfloatedacharmingballoon,justlargeenoughforhimselfandPrincessPansy.

"Wait a minute," cried the Prince, as the grasshopper jumped on to thewindow-sillagain."Iwanttotellyouallabout—"

"Noneedtodothat,"chuckledthegrasshopper."Youdon'tsupposeI'vebeena crab and agorsebush and an iceberg and a silverbirch tree for nothing, doyou?"

That time he really hopped away to nowhere at all, and the children haveneverseenhimsince.Thisdoesnotmatterintheleast,however,fortheyarenotlikely towanthishelpagain; theLadyEmmelina isalwayskept inherproperplacenow,andthePrincessisnolongerbewitchedbyher.Itisonlyreasonableto suppose that the Fairy Zigzag had something to dowith the change in theLadyEmmelina,buttheFairyZigzagsaysthatshenevertroubledherselfaboutitatall.Howeverthatmaybe,thechildrenhaveneverhadanunhappymomentsincePrincePerfectionwentoutintotheworldtofindthedollthatcamestraightfromFairyland.

"WILLYOUCOMEANDPLAYWITHME,LITTLEWISDOM?"

THOSEWYMPSAGAIN

Therewas great consternation in Fairyland, for itwas suddenly discoveredthatthesunhadbeenshiningcrookedlyallthemorning.Itwasconsequentlytwohours later than anybody thought itwas; and this, as it happened,was a veryseriousmatter,forallthefairieshadbeeninvitedtothechristeningofthelittlePrinceCharming,and itwouldneverdofor themtoarrive late.Ofcourse, thewympswereatthebottomofitandthesunhadnoideathathewasnotshiningquite inhisusualway;butnoone inFairylandhad time to troubleabout that,and,withoutwaitingevenfor thebutterfliestobeharnessed,awayflewall thefairies in a regular scurry. Now, even fairies are apt to do stupid thingssometimes, especially when they are flustered and the wymps have been atwork;sotheremaybesomeexcuseforwhattheydidonthatparticularmorning.The fact is, they were so anxious to arrive in time to give their christeningpresentstotheroyalbaby,thatwhentheymetachristeningpartycomingalongtheroadtheyneverstoppedtoseewhetheritwastherightchristeningpartyornot,butjustflewdownandpresentedtheirgiftstothebaby,oneafteranother,asfastastheycouldspeak.

"Igiveyoubeauty,"saidone."AndI,thoughtfulness,"saidanother."AndI,wisdom," said a third. "And I, patience," said a fourth. "And I, contentment,"saidafifth;andsoon,untilallthegiftsofFairylandhadbeengiventothebabyin the nurse's arms. Then, when they had quite finished speaking, the poor,flurriedlittlefairiesdiscoveredthatthebabywasthedaughterofapoorpeasantandhiswife,whilePrinceCharminglivedinquiteanothercountry,averylongwayoff. Itwas a great calamity, nodoubt, but nothing couldbedone, for thefairieshadnomoregiftsleft;sotheyreturnedverysadlytoFairyland,andhopedthatthewympswouldnotfinditout.Ofcourse,thewympsdidfinditout,fortheyhadarrangedthewholethingfromtheverybeginning.Still,thewympsarenot nearly so bad as they pretend to be; andwhen theyhad finished laughingover their joke theydid theirbest tomake thingsrightagainbygoing in largenumberstoPrinceCharming'schristening.Theybehavedverynoisilywhentheygotthere;andtheyateeverybitofthechristeningcakeandendedingivingthe

babyPrincetheonlynicegiftthewympshavethepowertogive;andthatisthenicestgiftintheworld,foritiscalledLaughter.Tobesure,therehadneverbeensuch a topsy-turvey christening party before; but all the guests enjoyed itthoroughly, and that cannot be said of all the parties to which the fairies areinvited.TheFairyQueencouldnothelpsmilingwhensheheardwhathappened."Nevermind!"shesaid."Someday,PrinceCharmingshallhaveallthegiftsofFairyland, too. Meanwhile, he has something far better than we should havegivenhim."

The peasant's daughter grewup as beautiful and aswise as all the gifts ofFairylandcouldmakeher.Everythingshedidwasaswelldoneasthecleverestpeopleintheworld,allputtogether,couldhavedoneit;andeverythingshesaidwas as wise as the contents of all the books in the King's library.When shecooked theSundaydinner, shemade it taste like abanquetof twenty courses;she had only to look at the flowers in the garden, and they bloomed asluxuriantlyasthoughtheyhadbeenbroughtstraightfromFairyland.Shehelpedallthevillagepeoplewhentheywereinadifficulty,forheradvicewastheverybestthatcouldbehad;andtheysoonforgotthatshewasonlyachild,andtheycalledher"LittleWisdom"insteadoftheordinarynamebywhichshehadbeenchristened.Shelovedtositbyherself inthecherryorchard,andshewonderedhowtheotherchildrencouldlaughandplaywhentherewassomuchthinkingtobe done. She never laughed nor played herself, for the fairies had been soanxioustomakeherwiseandbeautiful,thattheyhadnotthoughtofgivingheranythingsoordinaryashappiness.Everyoneenviedherparentsforhavingsuchawonderfuldaughter;butforallthatthepeasantandhiswifewerenotsatisfied.

"Itisagreatpity,"grumbledherfather,"thatallthegiftsofFairylandshouldhavebeenwastedonagirl. If thechildhadbeenaboy,now, shewouldhavemadesomestirintheworld."

"Formypart,"sighedhermother,"IwouldgladlyseeherloseallthegiftsofFairylandifshewouldonlylaughandcrylikeotherchildren."

InthemeantimethelittlePrinceCharmingwasgrowingupwithoutthehelpof a single gift from Fairyland. Never had the palace contained such an idle,careless little Prince; he laughed at everything that happened,morning, noon,andnight;heplayedtricksonallhisProfessorsinsteadoflearninghislessons,andhecouldnotkeepgrave longenougheven tosay thealphabet.Hewassodeterminedtolookonthebrightsideofeverything,thatwhenpeoplewereangry

withhimhethoughtitwasonlytheirwayofbeingamusing;andwhentheytriedto punish him, he found it such a good joke that they very soon gave up theattempt.Thepeople, one andall, loved themerry littlePrincewho laughedatlifefromhisroyalnurseryandrefusedtogrowanyolder;buttheKingviewedthematterinquiteanotherlight.

"Whatwill become of the country," said hisMajesty, "if the boy does notlearntobeserious?"

"Heissohappy,"saidtheQueen,apologetically."Isnotthatenough?"

TheKing evidently thought it was not nearly enough, for he despatched apage at once to fetch Prince Charming from the nursery. The Prince camewhistlingintotheroom,withhishandsinhispockets,whichwasnotaprincelywayofbehaving,tobeginwith.

"Youareelevenyearsold,"begantheKing,solemnly.

"Everybodytellsmethat,"saidthePrince,smilinggaily.Hesupposedgrown-uppeoplecouldnothelpsayingthesamethingsooften;atalleventshedidnotmeantoletittroublehim.

"Itistimeyoulearnedtobeserious,"continuedtheKing,stillmoresolemnly.

"To be serious?What is that? Is it a new game?" asked Prince Charming,eagerly.

"Hush!"whisperedtheQueen,anxiously."It iswhateveryonehastobe,—thePrimeMinister,andtheHeadCook,andeverybody."

"Surely,"laughedthelittlePrince,"ifsomanypeopleareoccupiedinbeingseriousthereisnoneedformetobotheraboutit!"

"Youcannotevenread,"saidtheKing,frowning.

"No;butmyProfessorcan,"saidPrinceCharming."Hecanreadthelongestwordsinthedictionarywithouttakingbreath.Whenanyoneinthekingdomcanreadsobeautifullyasthat,itwouldsurelybeimpolitetotrytoimitatehim!"

"Thepoorestchildreninthekingdomknowfarmorethanyoudo,"saidthe

King,whowasrapidlylosingpatience.

"Then there are plenty of people to tell me everything I want to know,"smiledthePrince."Whatistheuseofknowingjustasmuchaseverybodyelse?Therewouldbenothinglefttotalkabout."

TheKinglookedattheQueenindespair.

"Itisnottheboy'sfault,"saidtheQueensoothingly;"yousee,thefairiesdidnotcometohischristening."

"And thewymps did," sighed theKing. "I suppose that iswhywe have astupidsonwithoutanideainhishead."

PrinceCharmingtookoffhiscrownandfelthisheadverycarefully.

"Whatisanidea?"heasked."AndwhyhaveInoideainmyhead?Haveyougotoneinyourhead,father?"

TheKingwassoangryatbeingaskedwhetherhehadan idea inhishead,thathesentPrinceCharmingstraightbacktothenursery.However,asthatwaswherethePrincelikedbesttobe,helaughedmorethaneverandwasnotintheleastbitashamedofhimself.

Now,PrinceCharmingwasknowntobesolight-heartedandsocareless,thatalltheflowersandalltheanimalstoldhimtheirsecrets;foritisalwayssafetotell a secret to some onewho is not taken seriously by other people.And thePrince,forhispart,delightedintalkingtotheflowersandtheanimals,becausethey never reminded him that he was eleven years old, nor told him to stoplaughing as all the other people did, thepeoplewhowere too clever toworrytheirheadsaboutflowersandanimalsatall.SothePrincesoonjumpedoutofthe nursery window into his own little garden, where his name was writtenseveral times inmustard and cress, andwhere the tiger lilies fought with thescarletpoppiesbecause theyhadbeenplantedoneon the topof theother,andwheretheguinea-pigsandtherabbitsandthewhitemiceranwildanddidwhatthey liked.He took a very largewatering-can andwateredhimself and a verysmallrosetreeforthethirdtimesincesunrise,andthensatdownandlookedatthemouldonhisfingers.

"Howfunnyeverythingis,"saidPrinceCharming,laughingheartily."Ihave

done nothing butwatermy rose tree, and yet allmy fingers are coveredwithmould!Now,thePrimeMinistermightwaterfiftyrosetreesandhewouldnevergetaspeckofmouldevenonhisshoebuckles.IsupposeitisbecausethePrimeMinisterhaslearnttobeserious.Ohdear!IdowishIhadanideainmyhead!"

"What are you saying?" asked the rose tree, shaking off the effects of thePrince's overwhelming attentions. "Why do youwish to have an idea in yourhead?"

"Justtoseewhatitwouldfeellike,"answeredthePrince."Idon'tevenknowwhatanideais.Doyou?"

"An idea," replied the rose tree in a superior tone, "is what somebodyrememberstohaveheardsomebodyelsesay."

"I shall never have an idea, then," said Prince Charming; "for I neverrememberwhatanybodysays.Istherenootherwayofgettinganidea?"

"Tobesurethereis,"answeredtherosetree;"butveryfewpeopleknowofit.YoucangototheRedRockGoblin, ifyoulike,andgetawholenewideaforyourself. He has quantities of ideas, piled up in heaps; but very few peoplesucceedingettingone."

"Ishallneversucceed,then,"saidthePrince;"forIamthestupidestboyintheworld."

"Thatdoesn'tmatter,"saidtherosetree."TheRedRockGoblindoesnotcaremuchaboutcleverpeople,Ifancy.Goandtry."

"IthinkIwill,"saidthePrince."Itissuretobeamusing,atallevents.WhatmustIdotogetthere?"

"Itisofnousetodoanything,"answeredtherosetree."Ifyouaretherightsortofboyyouwillfindyourselfthere,that'sall."

Evidently,PrinceCharmingwastherightsortofboy;forashelookedattherosetree,itgrewlargerandlarger,andredderandredder,untilitwasnolongerarosetreeatall,butjustalarge,square,redrock.ThelittlePrincewassoamusedatthetransformationthatheburstoutlaughing;andwhenhelookedroundandfound that the garden and the palace had disappeared too, and that he was

standinginthemiddleofnothingatall,helaughedevenmorethanbeforeattheabsurdityofitall.

"Hullo!"saidavoicefrominsidethesquareredrock."Whatareyoulaughingat?"

"I am laughing at everything," said the little Prince. "I always laugh ateverything;butthatmaybebecauseIhaven'tanideainmyhead."

"Iamgladtohearthat,"saidthevoice."MostofthepeoplewhocomeherehavesomanyideasoftheirownthatItakegoodcarenottoletthemstealoneofmine.However,stepinside,andyoushallhaveoneofmyverybestideas."

ThePrincecouldhardlybesaidtohaveacceptedthisinvitation,forhehadnotimetomovebeforehefoundhimselftransportedtotheinterioroftherock;andtherehestoodinthemiddleofalarge,squareroom,thathungdimlylightedbyaredlanternfromtheroof.TheRedRockGoblinsatfacinghim,atalittleroundtable.Hehadabushyredbeardthattrailedontheground,andinhismouthwasalongpipefromwhichringsofredsmokeslowlycurleduptowardstheroof.

"Doyoufeelafraid?"askedtheGoblin,blowingaparticularlylongthinlineofredsmokeintotheair,whichcurledroundandroundthelittlePrinceuntilhecouldhardlybreathe.Hecouldstilllaugh,however;anddirectlyhedidthat,thered smoke cleared away again and raced up to the roof, as though it werefrightenedattheverysoundofthePrince'slaugh.

"I'mnotatallafraid,thankyou,"saidPrinceCharming."MyProfessorsaysthatIamfartoostupidtounderstandthemeaningoffear.Besides,whatistheretobeafraidof?"

TheRedRockGoblinwavedhis long, red, bonyhand towards the shelvesthatcoveredthefourwalls.

"Thoseshelvesarepackedwithnewideas,"hesaid."Mostpeopleareafraidofnewideas."

"How stupid of them!" said the Prince, beginning towhistle. "A new ideamustbemoreamusingtoplaywiththananoldone,Ishouldthink!"

"Of course it is," answered the Goblin. "That is what new ideas are for.

However,asyoudon'tseemafraid,Iwillfindyouanewideatoplaywith."

Heputhispipeonthetable,andfetchedapairofsteps,andclimbeduptothehighest shelf of all.When he came down again, he held a small bottle in hishand,whichheuncorked;and from thishepouredsomething intoa redmetalbowlonthetable.Immediatelyadelightfulsmellofpinewoodsandstrawberryjamandsea-airandhotcakesandchrysanthemumsfilledtheair;andthePrincedrankitinandlaughedwithpleasure.

"Ah!"hecriedsuddenly,puttinghishandtohishead,asthecontentsofthebottlefizzedandbubbledintheredmetalbowlandthesmellofpinewoodsandalltheotherthingsgrewstronger."Soitisallbecausethesunshonecrookedlyonmychristeningday!"

"Justso,"answeredtheRedRockGoblin,lookingintentlyintotheredmetalbowl."That iswhyall thegiftsofFairyland,whichought tohavebeenyours,weregiventoLittleWisdom.Now,ifyouweretogostraightoffandfindLittleWisdom—"

"That'snotabadidea!"shoutedthePrince.

"Ofcourseitisn't,"snappedtheGoblin,drawinghimselfupindignantly."Itisaverygoodidea;oneofthebestIhaveevermade.Ifyouwantabadidea,youhadbettergosomewhereelseforit."

Therewasnothingforitbuttoapologise,andthisthePrincedidaspolitelyas he could, saying that if he had been a littlemore accustomed to receivingideashewouldhaveknownbetterhowtobehavetothisone.HethenaskedtheGoblin to tell him theway toLittleWisdom'shome, but theGoblin answeredhimjustastherosetreehaddone.

"There isn't away,"he said. "Ifyouare the right sort ofboyyouwill findyourselfthere,that'sall."

TherewasagainnodoubtwhateverthatPrinceCharmingwastherightsortofboy,forthewallsofthesquareredrockfelldownasflatasthewallsofacardhouse,andhefoundhimselfwalking inabeautifulcherryorchard,withbrightgreen grass under his feet and showers of white blossoms falling softly fromabove, with a blue and grey sky overhead, and the sound of bees in the air.Underthelargestcherrytreesatasolemnlittlegirlinastiffwhitefrock,witha

largeredsunshadespreadoverher.ThePrince lookedatherdoubtfully. Ifshehadbeenanordinarylittlegirlinapinafore,withalaughinhervoice,hewouldhaveaskedhertoplaywithhimatonce;butitwasimpossibletobeasfriendlyas thatwitha littlegirl inastiffwhitefrock.Whathefinallydidwaswhathealwaysdidwhenhewasinadifficulty—hebegantolaugh.Thelittlegirlonlystaredathimmoresolemnlythanbefore;andforthefirsttimeinhislifePrinceCharmingfeltthatlaughingwasalittleoutofplace.

"Will you come and playwithme,LittleWisdom?" he said, taking off hiscrownandmakingherhisbestcourtbow.

"I never play," answered the little girl, who possessed all the gifts ofFairyland.

"That is a pity," observed thePrince, "for it is the only thingworth doing.Whatdoyoudoalldayifyoudon'tplay?"

"Ithink,"answeredLittleWisdom,gravely."Ithinkabouteverythingintheworld;andwhenIhavecometotheendIbeginalloveragain."

"Howqueer!" said thePrince. "I have never thought about anything inmywholelife.Itismuchbettertolaugh."

"Isit?"askedLittleWisdom,andshesmoothedoutthefoldsofherstiffwhitefrock thoughtfully. After thinking all day long for eleven years it seemed asthoughitmightmakeachangetolearntolaugh.

"Do you know," continued the Prince, "that you have all the gifts ofFairyland?ThatiswhyIamthestupidestboyintheworld."

"Iknow,"saidLittleWisdomwithoutseemingatallsurprised,whichwas,ofcourse, only natural, for when one knows everything in the world there isnothinglefttobesurprisedat.

"Ifthesunhadshonestraightonmychristeningday,"saidPrinceCharming,"IshouldhavehadallthegiftsofFairylandinsteadofyou."

"Iknow,"saidLittleWisdomagain.Itseemedtoherveryunnecessarytotalksomuchaboutthingsthatshehadalwaysknownwithoutbeingtold.

"AndifIhadallthegiftsofFairylandinsteadofyou,Ishouldhavelearnttobeserious,"continuedPrinceCharming.

"Perhapsyouwould,"saidLittleWisdom.ShewasbeginningtowonderifallstupidboyswereasniceasthislittlePrince,whoseemedtotakeitforgrantedthatshewantedtogoontalkingtohim.

"Ofcourse,"continuedPrinceCharming,"IshouldnotthinkofdeprivingyouofanyofthegiftsfromFairyland;butifyouwillcomebacktothepalacewithmeandteachmehowtobeseriousIwillgiveyouthewymps'giftinexchange.It is not a very nice present, perhaps," he added humbly, "because it makeseverybodycomplainofyousomuch;butitistheonlygiftIhavetoofferyou."

"And what is the wymps' gift?" asked Little Wisdom. She was quiteinterestednow,forhereatlastwassomethingthatshedidnotknow.ThePrinceansweredherwithapealoflaughter;andLittleWisdombegantofeeldecidedlyodd.Firstofall,shefeltacuriousticklingsomewhereat thebackofherhead,and then a widening out of the thinking lines on her forehead, and then atwitching sensation round the corners of her mouth, and then—but it is notdifficulttoguesswhathappenednext.IttakesallthefairiesinFairylandtomakealittlegirlwisewhensheisonlyelevenyearsold;butevenastupidlittlePrincewithoutanideainhisheadcanteachhertolaugh!

Now, when the peasant and his wife heard their daughter laughing in thecherryorchard,theycamehurryingouttoseewhatcouldbethecauseofsuchawonderful event. All the people in the village came running too—men andwomen,boysandgirls,oneon the topof theother;and theystood round inaringandstared,while themerry littlePrinceand thewise littlegirl in thestiffwhitefrocklaughedatnothingatall.

"What is the meaning of it all?" asked the good people. "Is it the fairies'doing?"

"Nothing of the sort," answered thePrince, again taking off his crown andmakingthemallhisbestcourtbow."Itisonlybecausethesunshonecrookedlyonmychristeningday.ThatiswhyIhavecometofetchLittleWisdom.Ireallyhopeyouhavenoobjection?"

Hesaidthissoverycharminglythateverybodyfeltitwouldbemostimpolitetoobject;besides,LittleWisdomhadtakenthePrince'shandandseemedtohave

settledthequestionalready.Asforherparents,theywereoverjoyedattheidea.

"Afterall,"saidherfather,"thechildwillmakesomestirintheworld."Hiswifelaughedandcriedatthesamemoment.

"WeshallloseLittleWisdom,"shesaid;"but,atleast,shewilllearntobelikeotherchildren."

PrinceCharmingwasasusualinagreathurry,forhecouldneverenduretowaitforanythingexcepthislessons;soheturnedtothenearestcherrytreeandaskedittotellhimthewayhome.

"Ifyoudon'tknowthewayhomewithoutbeing told,youarenotatall theright sort of boy," answered the cherry tree. Of course, as we know already,PrinceCharmingwastherightsortofboy;andtheverynextminutehemarchedoncemoreintotheroyalpalace,andbyhissidetrippedasedatelittlegirl inastiffwhitefrock.

"IhavefoundLittleWisdom,"heannouncedtohisparentsandthecourt ingeneral,astheysatovertheirafternoontea."Sheisgoingtostayhereandplaywithmeforeverandever.Isn'titfun?"

"Theboywill never be serious," sighed theKing, althoughhe lookedwithapprovalatthesolemnfaceofthelittlegirlinthestiffwhitefrock.

"Iwillteachhimtobeserious,"saidLittleWisdom,"becausehehasalreadytaughtmehowtolaugh."

Butsheneverdidteachhimtobeserious,forPrinceCharmingdidnothingbutlaughtotheendofhisdays.Thisdidnot,however,matterquitesomuchasmightbesupposed,forwhenoneplaysalldaylongwithsomeonewhoknowseverythingthereistoknow,oneneednotbesoverywiseoneself.Andwhenthetime came forPrinceCharming to rule the country, theQueenwho sat besidehimonthethronewasawiseandbeautifulmaideninastiffwhitefrock.SothePrince laughed asmuch as before, and the countrywas governedwith all thewisdomofthefairies.

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