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diff --git a/163-h/163-h.htm b/163-h/163-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6690375 --- /dev/null +++ b/163-h/163-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,5632 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" +"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Flower Fables, by Louisa May Alcott</title> +<link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover.jpg" /> +<style type="text/css"> + +body { margin-left: 20%; + margin-right: 20%; + text-align: justify; } + +h1, h2, h3, h4, h5 {text-align: center; font-style: normal; font-weight: +normal; line-height: 1.5; margin-top: .5em; margin-bottom: .5em;} + +h1 {font-size: 300%; + margin-top: 0.6em; + margin-bottom: 0.6em; + letter-spacing: 0.12em; + word-spacing: 0.2em; + text-indent: 0em;} +h2 {font-size: 150%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 1em;} +h3 {font-size: 130%; margin-top: 1em;} +h4 {font-size: 120%;} +h5 {font-size: 110%;} + +.no-break {page-break-before: avoid;} /* for epubs */ + +div.chapter {page-break-before: always; margin-top: 4em;} + +hr {width: 80%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em;} + +p {text-indent: 1em; + margin-top: 0.25em; + margin-bottom: 0.25em; } + +p.poem {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-size: 90%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; } + +p.center {text-align: center; + text-indent: 0em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; } + +div.fig { display:block; + margin:0 auto; + text-align:center; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em;} + +a:link {color:blue; text-decoration:none} +a:visited {color:blue; text-decoration:none} +a:hover {color:red} + +</style> + +</head> + +<body> + +<div style='text-align:center; font-size:1.2em; font-weight:bold'>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Flower Fables, by Louisa May Alcott</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and +most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms +of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online +at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you +are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the +country where you are located before using this eBook. +</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: Flower Fables</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Louisa May Alcott</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: September, 1994 [eBook #163]<br /> +[Most recently updated: August 3, 2021]</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Character set encoding: UTF-8</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Produced by: John Hamm and Miriam Bobkoff. HTML version by Al Haines.</div> +<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FLOWER FABLES ***</div> + +<div class="fig" style="width:55%;"> +<img src="images/cover.jpg" style="width:100%;" alt="[Illustration]" /> +</div> + +<h1>Flower Fables</h1> + +<h2 class="no-break">by Louisa May Alcott</h2> + +<hr /> + +<h2>Contents</h2> + +<table summary="" style=""> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap01">FLOWER FABLES</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap02">The Frost King: or, The Power of Love</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap03">Eva’s Visit to Fairy-Land</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap04">The Flower’s Lesson</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap05">Lily-Bell and Thistledown</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap06">Little Bud</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap07">Clover-Blossom</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap08">Little Annie’s Dream: or, The Fairy Flower</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap09">Ripple, the Water-Spirit</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap10">Fairy Song</a></td> +</tr> + +</table> + +<p class="poem"> +“Pondering shadows, colors, clouds<br/> +Grass-buds, and caterpillar shrouds<br/> +Boughs on which the wild bees settle,<br/> +Tints that spot the violet’s petal.”<br/> +<span style="margin-left: 13em">EMERSON’S WOOD-NOTES.</span><br/> +</p> + +<p class="center"> +TO<br/> +ELLEN EMERSON,<br/> +FOR WHOM THEY WERE FANCIED,<br/> +THESE FLOWER FABLES<br/> +ARE INSCRIBED,<br/> +BY HER FRIEND, +</p> + +<p> +<span style="margin-left: 20em">THE AUTHOR.</span><br/> +</p> + +<p> +Boston, Dec. 9, 1854. +</p> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap01"></a>FLOWER FABLES.</h2> + +<p> +The summer moon shone brightly down upon the sleeping earth, while +far away from mortal eyes danced the Fairy folk. Fire-flies hung +in bright clusters on the dewy leaves, that waved in the cool +night-wind; and the flowers stood gazing, in very wonder, at the +little Elves, who lay among the fern-leaves, swung in the vine-boughs, +sailed on the lake in lily cups, or danced on the mossy ground, +to the music of the hare-bells, who rung out their merriest peal +in honor of the night. +</p> + +<p> +Under the shade of a wild rose sat the Queen and her little +Maids of Honor, beside the silvery mushroom where the feast +was spread. +</p> + +<p> +“Now, my friends,” said she, “to while away the time till the bright +moon goes down, let us each tell a tale, or relate what we have done +or learned this day. I will begin with you, Sunny Lock,” added she, +turning to a lovely little Elf, who lay among the fragrant leaves +of a primrose. +</p> + +<p> +With a gay smile, “Sunny Lock” began her story. +</p> + +<p> +“As I was painting the bright petals of a blue bell, it told me +this tale.” +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap02"></a> +THE FROST-KING:<br/> +OR,<br/> +THE POWER OF LOVE. +</h2> + +<p> +Three little Fairies sat in the fields eating their breakfast; +each among the leaves of her favorite flower, Daisy, Primrose, +and Violet, were happy as Elves need be. +</p> + +<p> +The morning wind gently rocked them to and fro, and the sun +shone warmly down upon the dewy grass, where butterflies spread +their gay wings, and bees with their deep voices sung +among the flowers; while the little birds hopped merrily about +to peep at them. +</p> + +<p> +On a silvery mushroom was spread the breakfast; little cakes +of flower-dust lay on a broad green leaf, beside a crimson +strawberry, which, with sugar from the violet, and cream +from the yellow milkweed, made a fairy meal, and their drink was +the dew from the flowers’ bright leaves. +</p> + +<p> +“Ah me,” sighed Primrose, throwing herself languidly back, +“how warm the sun grows! give me another piece of strawberry, +and then I must hasten away to the shadow of the ferns. But +while I eat, tell me, dear Violet, why are you all so sad? +I have scarce seen a happy face since my return from Rose Land; +dear friend, what means it?” +</p> + +<p> +“I will tell you,” replied little Violet, the tears gathering +in her soft eyes. “Our good Queen is ever striving to keep +the dear flowers from the power of the cruel Frost-King; many ways +she tried, but all have failed. She has sent messengers to his court +with costly gifts; but all have returned sick for want of sunlight, +weary and sad; we have watched over them, heedless of sun or shower, +but still his dark spirits do their work, and we are left to weep +over our blighted blossoms. Thus have we striven, and in vain; +and this night our Queen holds council for the last time. Therefore +are we sad, dear Primrose, for she has toiled and cared for us, +and we can do nothing to help or advise her now.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is indeed a cruel thing,” replied her friend; “but as we cannot +help it, we must suffer patiently, and not let the sorrows of others +disturb our happiness. But, dear sisters, see you not how high +the sun is getting? I have my locks to curl, and my robe to prepare +for the evening; therefore I must be gone, or I shall be brown as +a withered leaf in this warm light.” So, gathering a tiny mushroom +for a parasol, she flew away; Daisy soon followed, and Violet was +left alone. +</p> + +<p> +Then she spread the table afresh, and to it came fearlessly the busy +ant and bee, gay butterfly and bird; even the poor blind mole and +humble worm were not forgotten; and with gentle words she gave to all, +while each learned something of their kind little teacher; and the +love that made her own heart bright shone alike on all. +</p> + +<p> +The ant and bee learned generosity, the butterfly and bird +contentment, the mole and worm confidence in the love of others; +and each went to their home better for the little time they had been +with Violet. +</p> + +<p> +Evening came, and with it troops of Elves to counsel their good Queen, +who, seated on her mossy throne, looked anxiously upon the throng +below, whose glittering wings and rustling robes gleamed like +many-colored flowers. +</p> + +<p> +At length she rose, and amid the deep silence spoke thus:— +</p> + +<p> +“Dear children, let us not tire of a good work, hard though it be +and wearisome; think of the many little hearts that in their sorrow +look to us for help. What would the green earth be without its +lovely flowers, and what a lonely home for us! Their beauty fills +our hearts with brightness, and their love with tender thoughts. +Ought we then to leave them to die uncared for and alone? They give +to us their all; ought we not to toil unceasingly, that they may +bloom in peace within their quiet homes? We have tried to gain +the love of the stern Frost-King, but in vain; his heart is hard as +his own icy land; no love can melt, no kindness bring it back to +sunlight and to joy. How then may we keep our frail blossoms +from his cruel spirits? Who will give us counsel? Who will be +our messenger for the last time? Speak, my subjects.” +</p> + +<p> +Then a great murmuring arose, and many spoke, some for costlier gifts, +some for war; and the fearful counselled patience and submission. +</p> + +<p> +Long and eagerly they spoke, and their soft voices rose high. +</p> + +<p> +Then sweet music sounded on the air, and the loud tones were hushed, +as in wondering silence the Fairies waited what should come. +</p> + +<p> +Through the crowd there came a little form, a wreath of pure +white violets lay among the bright locks that fell so softly +round the gentle face, where a deep blush glowed, as, kneeling at +the throne, little Violet said:— +</p> + +<p> +“Dear Queen, we have bent to the Frost-King’s power, we have borne +gifts unto his pride, but have we gone trustingly to him and +spoken fearlessly of his evil deeds? Have we shed the soft light +of unwearied love around his cold heart, and with patient tenderness +shown him how bright and beautiful love can make even the darkest lot? +</p> + +<p> +“Our messengers have gone fearfully, and with cold looks and +courtly words offered him rich gifts, things he cared not for, +and with equal pride has he sent them back. +</p> + +<p> +“Then let me, the weakest of your band, go to him, trusting +in the love I know lies hidden in the coldest heart. +</p> + +<p> +“I will bear only a garland of our fairest flowers; these +will I wind about him, and their bright faces, looking lovingly +in his, will bring sweet thoughts to his dark mind, and their +soft breath steal in like gentle words. Then, when he sees them +fading on his breast, will he not sigh that there is no warmth there +to keep them fresh and lovely? This will I do, dear Queen, and +never leave his dreary home, till the sunlight falls on flowers +fair as those that bloom in our own dear land.” +</p> + +<p> +Silently the Queen had listened, but now, rising and placing her hand +on little Violet’s head, she said, turning to the throng below:— +“We in our pride and power have erred, while this, the weakest and +lowliest of our subjects, has from the innocence of her own pure heart +counselled us more wisely than the noblest of our train. +All who will aid our brave little messenger, lift your wands, +that we may know who will place their trust in the Power of Love.” +</p> + +<p> +Every fairy wand glistened in the air, as with silvery voices +they cried, “Love and little Violet.” +</p> + +<p> +Then down from the throne, hand in hand, came the Queen and Violet, +and till the moon sank did the Fairies toil, to weave a wreath +of the fairest flowers. Tenderly they gathered them, with the +night-dew fresh upon their leaves, and as they wove chanted sweet +spells, and whispered fairy blessings on the bright messengers +whom they sent forth to die in a dreary land, that their gentle +kindred might bloom unharmed. +</p> + +<p> +At length it was done; and the fair flowers lay glowing +in the soft starlight, while beside them stood the Fairies, singing +to the music of the wind-harps:— +</p> + +<br/> + +<p class="poem"> +We are sending you, dear flowers,<br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1em">Forth alone to die,</span><br/> +Where your gentle sisters may not weep<br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1em">O’er the cold graves where you lie;</span><br/> +But you go to bring them fadeless life<br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1em">In the bright homes where they dwell,</span><br/> +And you softly smile that ’t is so,<br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1em">As we sadly sing farewell.</span><br/> +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +O plead with gentle words for us,<br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1em">And whisper tenderly</span><br/> +Of generous love to that cold heart,<br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1em">And it will answer ye;</span><br/> +And though you fade in a dreary home,<br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1em">Yet loving hearts will tell</span><br/> +Of the joy and peace that you have given:<br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1em">Flowers, dear flowers, farewell!”</span><br/> +</p> + +<br/> + +<p> +The morning sun looked softly down upon the broad green earth, +which like a mighty altar was sending up clouds of perfume from its +breast, while flowers danced gayly in the summer wind, and birds sang +their morning hymn among the cool green leaves. Then high above, +on shining wings, soared a little form. The sunlight rested softly +on the silken hair, and the winds fanned lovingly the bright face, +and brought the sweetest odors to cheer her on. +</p> + +<p> +Thus went Violet through the clear air, and the earth looked +smiling up to her, as, with the bright wreath folded in her +arms, she flew among the soft, white clouds. +</p> + +<p> +On and on she went, over hill and valley, broad rivers and +rustling woods, till the warm sunlight passed away, the winds +grew cold, and the air thick with falling snow. Then far below +she saw the Frost-King’s home. Pillars of hard, gray ice supported +the high, arched roof, hung with crystal icicles. Dreary gardens +lay around, filled with withered flowers and bare, drooping trees; +while heavy clouds hung low in the dark sky, and a cold wind +murmured sadly through the wintry air. +</p> + +<p> +With a beating heart Violet folded her fading wreath more closely +to her breast, and with weary wings flew onward to the dreary palace. +</p> + +<p> +Here, before the closed doors, stood many forms with dark faces and +harsh, discordant voices, who sternly asked the shivering little Fairy +why she came to them. +</p> + +<p> +Gently she answered, telling them her errand, beseeching them +to let her pass ere the cold wind blighted her frail blossoms. +Then they flung wide the doors, and she passed in. +</p> + +<p> +Walls of ice, carved with strange figures, were around her; +glittering icicles hung from the high roof, and soft, white snow +covered the hard floors. On a throne hung with clouds sat +the Frost-King; a crown of crystals bound his white locks, and +a dark mantle wrought with delicate frost-work was folded over +his cold breast. +</p> + +<p> +His stern face could not stay little Violet, and on through +the long hall she went, heedless of the snow that gathered on +her feet, and the bleak wind that blew around her; while the King +with wondering eyes looked on the golden light that played upon the +dark walls as she passed. +</p> + +<p> +The flowers, as if they knew their part, unfolded their bright leaves, +and poured forth their sweetest perfume, as, kneeling at the throne, +the brave little Fairy said,— +</p> + +<p> +“O King of blight and sorrow, send me not away till I have +brought back the light and joy that will make your dark home bright +and beautiful again. Let me call back to the desolate gardens the +fair forms that are gone, and their soft voices blessing you will +bring to your breast a never failing joy. Cast by your icy crown +and sceptre, and let the sunlight of love fall softly on your heart. +</p> + +<p> +“Then will the earth bloom again in all its beauty, and your dim eyes +will rest only on fair forms, while music shall sound through these +dreary halls, and the love of grateful hearts be yours. Have pity +on the gentle flower-spirits, and do not doom them to an early death, +when they might bloom in fadeless beauty, making us wiser by their +gentle teachings, and the earth brighter by their lovely forms. +These fair flowers, with the prayers of all Fairy Land, I lay +before you; O send me not away till they are answered.” +</p> + +<p> +And with tears falling thick and fast upon their tender leaves, +Violet laid the wreath at his feet, while the golden light grew ever +brighter as it fell upon the little form so humbly kneeling there. +</p> + +<p> +The King’s stern face grew milder as he gazed on the gentle Fairy, +and the flowers seemed to look beseechingly upon him; while their +fragrant voices sounded softly in his ear, telling of their dying +sisters, and of the joy it gives to bring happiness to the weak +and sorrowing. But he drew the dark mantle closer over his breast +and answered coldly,— +</p> + +<p> +“I cannot grant your prayer, little Fairy; it is my will +the flowers should die. Go back to your Queen, and tell her +that I cannot yield my power to please these foolish flowers.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Violet hung the wreath above the throne, and with weary foot +went forth again, out into the cold, dark gardens, and still the +golden shadows followed her, and wherever they fell, flowers bloomed +and green leaves rustled. +</p> + +<p> +Then came the Frost-Spirits, and beneath their cold wings the +flowers died, while the Spirits bore Violet to a low, dark cell, +saying as they left her, that their King was angry that she had dared +to stay when he had bid her go. +</p> + +<p> +So all alone she sat, and sad thoughts of her happy home came back +to her, and she wept bitterly. But soon came visions of the gentle +flowers dying in their forest homes, and their voices ringing +in her ear, imploring her to save them. Then she wept no longer, +but patiently awaited what might come. +</p> + +<p> +Soon the golden light gleamed faintly through the cell, and she heard +little voices calling for help, and high up among the heavy cobwebs +hung poor little flies struggling to free themselves, while their +cruel enemies sat in their nets, watching their pain. +</p> + +<p> +With her wand the Fairy broke the bands that held them, tenderly bound +up their broken wings, and healed their wounds; while they lay in the +warm light, and feebly hummed their thanks to their kind deliverer. +</p> + +<p> +Then she went to the ugly brown spiders, and in gentle words +told them, how in Fairy Land their kindred spun all the elfin cloth, +and in return the Fairies gave them food, and then how happily they +lived among the green leaves, spinning garments for their neighbors. +“And you too,” said she, “shall spin for me, and I will give you +better food than helpless insects. You shall live in peace, +and spin your delicate threads into a mantle for the stern King; +and I will weave golden threads amid the gray, that when folded over +his cold heart gentle thoughts may enter in and make it their home.” +</p> + +<p> +And while she gayly sung, the little weavers spun their silken +threads, the flies on glittering wings flew lovingly above her head, +and over all the golden light shone softly down. +</p> + +<p> +When the Frost-Spirits told their King, he greatly wondered and +often stole to look at the sunny little room where friends and enemies +worked peacefully together. Still the light grew brighter, and +floated out into the cold air, where it hung like bright clouds +above the dreary gardens, whence all the Spirits’ power could not +drive it; and green leaves budded on the naked trees, and +flowers bloomed; but the Spirits heaped snow upon them, and +they bowed their heads and died. +</p> + +<p> +At length the mantle was finished, and amid the gray threads +shone golden ones, making it bright; and she sent it to the King, +entreating him to wear it, for it would bring peace and love +to dwell within his breast. +</p> + +<p> +But he scornfully threw it aside, and bade his Spirits take her +to a colder cell, deep in the earth; and there with harsh words +they left her. +</p> + +<p> +Still she sang gayly on, and the falling drops kept time so musically, +that the King in his cold ice-halls wondered at the low, sweet sounds +that came stealing up to him. +</p> + +<p> +Thus Violet dwelt, and each day the golden light grew stronger; and +from among the crevices of the rocky walls came troops of little +velvet-coated moles, praying that they might listen to the sweet +music, and lie in the warm light. +</p> + +<p> +“We lead,” said they, “a dreary life in the cold earth; the +flower-roots are dead, and no soft dews descend for us to drink, +no little seed or leaf can we find. Ah, good Fairy, let us be +your servants: give us but a few crumbs of your daily bread, and we +will do all in our power to serve you.” +</p> + +<p> +And Violet said, Yes; so day after day they labored to make +a pathway through the frozen earth, that she might reach the roots +of the withered flowers; and soon, wherever through the dark galleries +she went, the soft light fell upon the roots of flowers, and they +with new life spread forth in the warm ground, and forced fresh sap +to the blossoms above. Brightly they bloomed and danced in the +soft light, and the Frost-Spirits tried in vain to harm them, for when +they came beneath the bright clouds their power to do evil left them. +</p> + +<p> +From his dark castle the King looked out on the happy flowers, +who nodded gayly to him, and in sweet colors strove to tell him +of the good little Spirit, who toiled so faithfully below, +that they might live. And when he turned from the brightness without, +to his stately palace, it seemed so cold and dreary, that he folded +Violet’s mantle round him, and sat beneath the faded wreath upon his +ice-carved throne, wondering at the strange warmth that came from it; +till at length he bade his Spirits bring the little Fairy from +her dismal prison. +</p> + +<p> +Soon they came hastening back, and prayed him to come and see +how lovely the dark cell had grown. The rough floor was spread +with deep green moss, and over wall and roof grew flowery vines, +filling the air with their sweet breath; while above played the clear, +soft light, casting rosy shadows on the glittering drops that lay +among the fragrant leaves; and beneath the vines stood Violet, +casting crumbs to the downy little moles who ran fearlessly about +and listened as she sang to them. +</p> + +<p> +When the old King saw how much fairer she had made the dreary cell +than his palace rooms, gentle thoughts within whispered him to grant +her prayer, and let the little Fairy go back to her friends and home; +but the Frost-Spirits breathed upon the flowers and bid him see how +frail they were, and useless to a King. Then the stern, cold thoughts +came back again, and he harshly bid her follow him. +</p> + +<p> +With a sad farewell to her little friends she followed him, and +before the throne awaited his command. When the King saw how pale and +sad the gentle face had grown, how thin her robe, and weak her wings, +and yet how lovingly the golden shadows fell around her and brightened +as they lay upon the wand, which, guided by patient love, had made +his once desolate home so bright, he could not be cruel to the one +who had done so much for him, and in kindly tone he said,— +</p> + +<p> +“Little Fairy, I offer you two things, and you may choose +between them. If I will vow never more to harm the flowers you may +love, will you go back to your own people and leave me and my Spirits +to work our will on all the other flowers that bloom? The earth +is broad, and we can find them in any land, then why should you care +what happens to their kindred if your own are safe? Will you do this?” +</p> + +<p> +“Ah!” answered Violet sadly, “do you not know that beneath +the flowers’ bright leaves there beats a little heart that loves +and sorrows like our own? And can I, heedless of their beauty, +doom them to pain and grief, that I might save my own dear blossoms +from the cruel foes to which I leave them? Ah no! sooner would I +dwell for ever in your darkest cell, than lose the love of those +warm, trusting hearts.” +</p> + +<p> +“Then listen,” said the King, “to the task I give you. You shall +raise up for me a palace fairer than this, and if you can work +that miracle I will grant your prayer or lose my kingly crown. +And now go forth, and begin your task; my Spirits shall not harm you, +and I will wait till it is done before I blight another flower.” +</p> + +<p> +Then out into the gardens went Violet with a heavy heart; for +she had toiled so long, her strength was nearly gone. But the +flowers whispered their gratitude, and folded their leaves as if they +blessed her; and when she saw the garden filled with loving friends, +who strove to cheer and thank her for her care, courage and strength +returned; and raising up thick clouds of mist, that hid her from the +wondering flowers, alone and trustingly she began her work. +</p> + +<p> +As time went by, the Frost-King feared the task had been +too hard for the Fairy; sounds were heard behind the walls of mist, +bright shadows seen to pass within, but the little voice was never +heard. Meanwhile the golden light had faded from the garden, +the flowers bowed their heads, and all was dark and cold as when +the gentle Fairy came. +</p> + +<p> +And to the stern King his home seemed more desolate and sad; for +he missed the warm light, the happy flowers, and, more than all, +the gay voice and bright face of little Violet. So he wandered +through his dreary palace, wondering how he had been content +to live before without sunlight and love. +</p> + +<p> +And little Violet was mourned as dead in Fairy-Land, and many tears +were shed, for the gentle Fairy was beloved by all, from the Queen +down to the humblest flower. Sadly they watched over every bird +and blossom which she had loved, and strove to be like her in +kindly words and deeds. They wore cypress wreaths, and spoke of her +as one whom they should never see again. +</p> + +<p> +Thus they dwelt in deepest sorrow, till one day there came to them an +unknown messenger, wrapped in a dark mantle, who looked with wondering +eyes on the bright palace, and flower-crowned elves, who kindly +welcomed him, and brought fresh dew and rosy fruit to refresh the +weary stranger. Then he told them that he came from the Frost-King, +who begged the Queen and all her subjects to come and see the palace +little Violet had built; for the veil of mist would soon be withdrawn, +and as she could not make a fairer home than the ice-castle, the King +wished her kindred near to comfort and to bear her home. And while +the Elves wept, he told them how patiently she had toiled, how +her fadeless love had made the dark cell bright and beautiful. +</p> + +<p> +These and many other things he told them; for little Violet had won +the love of many of the Frost-Spirits, and even when they killed the +flowers she had toiled so hard to bring to life and beauty, she spoke +gentle words to them, and sought to teach them how beautiful is love. +Long stayed the messenger, and deeper grew his wonder that the Fairy +could have left so fair a home, to toil in the dreary palace of his +cruel master, and suffer cold and weariness, to give life and joy to +the weak and sorrowing. When the Elves had promised they would come, +he bade farewell to happy Fairy-Land, and flew sadly home. +</p> + +<p> +At last the time arrived, and out in his barren garden, under a canopy +of dark clouds, sat the Frost-King before the misty wall, behind which +were heard low, sweet sounds, as of rustling trees and warbling birds. +</p> + +<p> +Soon through the air came many-colored troops of Elves. First the +Queen, known by the silver lilies on her snowy robe and the bright +crown in her hair, beside whom flew a band of Elves in crimson and +gold, making sweet music on their flower-trumpets, while all around, +with smiling faces and bright eyes, fluttered her loving subjects. +</p> + +<p> +On they came, like a flock of brilliant butterflies, their shining +wings and many-colored garments sparkling in the dim air; and soon +the leafless trees were gay with living flowers, and their sweet +voices filled the gardens with music. Like his subjects, the King +looked on the lovely Elves, and no longer wondered that little Violet +wept and longed for her home. Darker and more desolate seemed his +stately home, and when the Fairies asked for flowers, he felt ashamed +that he had none to give them. +</p> + +<p> +At length a warm wind swept through the gardens, and the mist-clouds +passed away, while in silent wonder looked the Frost-King and +the Elves upon the scene before them. +</p> + +<p> +Far as eye could reach were tall green trees whose drooping boughs +made graceful arches, through which the golden light shone softly, +making bright shadows on the deep green moss below, where the fairest +flowers waved in the cool wind, and sang, in their low, sweet voices, +how beautiful is Love. +</p> + +<p> +Flowering vines folded their soft leaves around the trees, +making green pillars of their rough trunks. Fountains threw their +bright waters to the roof, and flocks of silver-winged birds flew +singing among the flowers, or brooded lovingly above their nests. +Doves with gentle eyes cooed among the green leaves, snow-white clouds +floated in the sunny sky, and the golden light, brighter than before, +shone softly down. +</p> + +<p> +Soon through the long aisles came Violet, flowers and green leaves +rustling as she passed. On she went to the Frost-King’s throne, +bearing two crowns, one of sparkling icicles, the other of pure +white lilies, and kneeling before him, said,— +</p> + +<p> +“My task is done, and, thanks to the Spirits of earth and air, I have +made as fair a home as Elfin hands can form. You must now decide. +Will you be King of Flower-Land, and own my gentle kindred for your +loving friends? Will you possess unfading peace and joy, and the +grateful love of all the green earth’s fragrant children? Then take +this crown of flowers. But if you can find no pleasure here, +go back to your own cold home, and dwell in solitude and darkness, +where no ray of sunlight or of joy can enter. +</p> + +<p> +“Send forth your Spirits to carry sorrow and desolation over +the happy earth, and win for yourself the fear and hatred of those +who would so gladly love and reverence you. Then take this glittering +crown, hard and cold as your own heart will be, if you will shut out +all that is bright and beautiful. Both are before you. Choose.” +</p> + +<p> +The old King looked at the little Fairy, and saw how lovingly +the bright shadows gathered round her, as if to shield her +from every harm; the timid birds nestled in her bosom, and the +flowers grew fairer as she looked upon them; while her gentle friends, +with tears in their bright eyes, folded their hands beseechingly, +and smiled on her. +</p> + +<p> +Kind thought came thronging to his mind, and he turned to look at +the two palaces. Violet’s, so fair and beautiful, with its rustling +trees, calm, sunny skies, and happy birds and flowers, all created +by her patient love and care. His own, so cold and dark and dreary, +his empty gardens where no flowers could bloom, no green trees dwell, +or gay birds sing, all desolate and dim;—and while he gazed, his own +Spirits, casting off their dark mantles, knelt before him and besought +him not to send them forth to blight the things the gentle Fairies +loved so much. “We have served you long and faithfully,” said they, +“give us now our freedom, that we may learn to be beloved by the sweet +flowers we have harmed so long. Grant the little Fairy’s prayer; +and let her go back to her own dear home. She has taught us that +Love is mightier than Fear. Choose the Flower crown, and we will be +the truest subjects you have ever had.” +</p> + +<p> +Then, amid a burst of wild, sweet music, the Frost-King placed +the Flower crown on his head, and knelt to little Violet; while far +and near, over the broad green earth, sounded the voices of flowers, +singing their thanks to the gentle Fairy, and the summer wind +was laden with perfumes, which they sent as tokens of their gratitude; +and wherever she went, old trees bent down to fold their slender +branches round her, flowers laid their soft faces against her own, +and whispered blessings; even the humble moss bent over the little +feet, and kissed them as they passed. +</p> + +<p> +The old King, surrounded by the happy Fairies, sat in Violet’s +lovely home, and watched his icy castle melt away beneath the bright +sunlight; while his Spirits, cold and gloomy no longer, danced +with the Elves, and waited on their King with loving eagerness. +Brighter grew the golden light, gayer sang the birds, and the +harmonious voices of grateful flowers, sounding over the earth, +carried new joy to all their gentle kindred. +</p> + +<br/> + +<p class="poem"> +Brighter shone the golden shadows;<br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">On the cool wind softly came</span><br/> +The low, sweet tones of happy flowers,<br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Singing little Violet’s name.</span><br/> +’Mong the green trees was it whispered,<br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">And the bright waves bore it on</span><br/> +To the lonely forest flowers,<br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Where the glad news had not gone.</span><br/> +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +Thus the Frost-King lost his kingdom,<br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">And his power to harm and blight.</span><br/> +Violet conquered, and his cold heart<br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Warmed with music, love, and light;</span><br/> +And his fair home, once so dreary,<br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Gay with lovely Elves and flowers,</span><br/> +Brought a joy that never faded<br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Through the long bright summer hours.</span><br/> +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +Thus, by Violet’s magic power,<br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">All dark shadows passed away,</span><br/> +And o’er the home of happy flowers<br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">The golden light for ever lay.</span><br/> +Thus the Fairy mission ended,<br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">And all Flower-Land was taught</span><br/> +The “Power of Love,” by gentle deeds<br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">That little Violet wrought.</span><br/> +</p> + +<br/> + +<p> +As Sunny Lock ceased, another little Elf came forward; and this was +the tale “Silver Wing” told. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap03"></a> +EVA’S VISIT TO FAIRY-LAND. +</h2> + +<p> +Down among the grass and fragrant clover lay little Eva by the +brook-side, watching the bright waves, as they went singing by under +the drooping flowers that grew on its banks. As she was wondering +where the waters went, she heard a faint, low sound, as of far-off +music. She thought it was the wind, but not a leaf was stirring, +and soon through the rippling water came a strange little boat. +</p> + +<p> +It was a lily of the valley, whose tall stem formed the mast, +while the broad leaves that rose from the roots, and drooped again +till they reached the water, were filled with gay little Elves, +who danced to the music of the silver lily-bells above, that rang +a merry peal, and filled the air with their fragrant breath. +</p> + +<p> +On came the fairy boat, till it reached a moss-grown rock; and here +it stopped, while the Fairies rested beneath the violet-leaves, +and sang with the dancing waves. +</p> + +<p> +Eva looked with wonder on their gay faces and bright garments, and +in the joy of her heart sang too, and threw crimson fruit for the +little folks to feast upon. +</p> + +<p> +They looked kindly on the child, and, after whispering long among +themselves, two little bright-eyed Elves flew over the shining water, +and, lighting on the clover-blossoms, said gently, “Little maiden, +many thanks for your kindness; and our Queen bids us ask if you will +go with us to Fairy-Land, and learn what we can teach you.” +</p> + +<p> +“Gladly would I go with you, dear Fairies,” said Eva, “but I cannot +sail in your little boat. See! I can hold you in my hand, and could +not live among you without harming your tiny kingdom, I am so large.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the Elves laughed gayly, as they folded their arms about her, +saying, “You are a good child, dear Eva, to fear doing harm to those +weaker than yourself. You cannot hurt us now. Look in the water +and see what we have done.” +</p> + +<p> +Eva looked into the brook, and saw a tiny child standing between +the Elves. “Now I can go with you,” said she, “but see, I can +no longer step from the bank to yonder stone, for the brook seems now +like a great river, and you have not given me wings like yours.” +</p> + +<p> +But the Fairies took each a hand, and flew lightly over the stream. +The Queen and her subjects came to meet her, and all seemed glad to +say some kindly word of welcome to the little stranger. They placed +a flower-crown upon her head, laid their soft faces against her own, +and soon it seemed as if the gentle Elves had always been her friends. +</p> + +<p> +“Now must we go home,” said the Queen, “and you shall go with us, +little one.” +</p> + +<p> +Then there was a great bustle, as they flew about on shining wings, +some laying cushions of violet leaves in the boat, others folding the +Queen’s veil and mantle more closely round her, lest the falling dews +should chill her. +</p> + +<p> +The cool waves’ gentle plashing against the boat, and the sweet chime +of the lily-bells, lulled little Eva to sleep, and when she woke +it was in Fairy-Land. A faint, rosy light, as of the setting sun, +shone on the white pillars of the Queen’s palace as they passed in, +and the sleeping flowers leaned gracefully on their stems, dreaming +beneath their soft green curtains. All was cool and still, and the +Elves glided silently about, lest they should break their slumbers. +They led Eva to a bed of pure white leaves, above which drooped +the fragrant petals of a crimson rose. +</p> + +<p> +“You can look at the bright colors till the light fades, and then +the rose will sing you to sleep,” said the Elves, as they folded the +soft leaves about her, gently kissed her, and stole away. +</p> + +<p> +Long she lay watching the bright shadows, and listening to the song +of the rose, while through the long night dreams of lovely things +floated like bright clouds through her mind; while the rose bent +lovingly above her, and sang in the clear moonlight. +</p> + +<p> +With the sun rose the Fairies, and, with Eva, hastened away to +the fountain, whose cool waters were soon filled with little forms, +and the air ringing with happy voices, as the Elves floated in the +blue waves among the fair white lilies, or sat on the green moss, +smoothing their bright locks, and wearing fresh garlands of dewy +flowers. At length the Queen came forth, and her subjects gathered +round her, and while the flowers bowed their heads, and the trees +hushed their rustling, the Fairies sang their morning hymn to +the Father of birds and blossoms, who had made the earth so fair a +home for them. +</p> + +<p> +Then they flew away to the gardens, and soon, high up among the +tree-tops, or under the broad leaves, sat the Elves in little groups, +taking their breakfast of fruit and pure fresh dew; while the +bright-winged birds came fearlessly among them, pecking the same +ripe berries, and dipping their little beaks in the same flower-cups, +and the Fairies folded their arms lovingly about them, smoothed their +soft bosoms, and gayly sang to them. +</p> + +<p> +“Now, little Eva,” said they, “you will see that Fairies are not +idle, wilful Spirits, as mortals believe. Come, we will show you +what we do.” +</p> + +<p> +They led her to a lovely room, through whose walls of deep green +leaves the light stole softly in. Here lay many wounded insects, +and harmless little creatures, whom cruel hands had hurt; and pale, +drooping flowers grew beside urns of healing herbs, from whose fresh +leaves came a faint, sweet perfume. +</p> + +<p> +Eva wondered, but silently followed her guide, little Rose-Leaf, +who with tender words passed among the delicate blossoms, +pouring dew on their feeble roots, cheering them with her loving words +and happy smile. +</p> + +<p> +Then she went to the insects; first to a little fly who lay in a +flower-leaf cradle. +</p> + +<p> +“Do you suffer much, dear Gauzy-Wing?” asked the Fairy. “I will +bind up your poor little leg, and Zephyr shall rock you to sleep.” +So she folded the cool leaves tenderly about the poor fly, bathed his +wings, and brought him refreshing drink, while he hummed his thanks, +and forgot his pain, as Zephyr softly sung and fanned him with her +waving wings. +</p> + +<p> +They passed on, and Eva saw beside each bed a Fairy, who with gentle +hands and loving words soothed the suffering insects. At length +they stopped beside a bee, who lay among sweet honeysuckle flowers, +in a cool, still place, where the summer wind blew in, and the green +leaves rustled pleasantly. Yet he seemed to find no rest, and +murmured of the pain he was doomed to bear. “Why must I lie here, +while my kindred are out in the pleasant fields, enjoying the sunlight +and the fresh air, and cruel hands have doomed me to this dark place +and bitter pain when I have done no wrong? Uncared for and forgotten, +I must stay here among these poor things who think only of themselves. +Come here, Rose-Leaf, and bind up my wounds, for I am far more useful +than idle bird or fly.” +</p> + +<p> +Then said the Fairy, while she bathed the broken wing,— +</p> + +<p> +“Love-Blossom, you should not murmur. We may find happiness in +seeking to be patient even while we suffer. You are not forgotten or +uncared for, but others need our care more than you, and to those +who take cheerfully the pain and sorrow sent, do we most gladly give +our help. You need not be idle, even though lying here in darkness +and sorrow; you can be taking from your heart all sad and discontented +feelings, and if love and patience blossom there, you will be better +for the lonely hours spent here. Look on the bed beside you; this +little dove has suffered far greater pain than you, and all our care +can never ease it; yet through the long days he hath lain here, not an +unkind word or a repining sigh hath he uttered. Ah, Love-Blossom, +the gentle bird can teach a lesson you will be wiser and better for.” +</p> + +<p> +Then a faint voice whispered, “Little Rose-Leaf, come quickly, or +I cannot thank you as I ought for all your loving care of me.” +</p> + +<p> +So they passed to the bed beside the discontented bee, and here upon +the softest down lay the dove, whose gentle eyes looked gratefully +upon the Fairy, as she knelt beside the little couch, smoothed the +soft white bosom, folded her arms about it and wept sorrowing tears, +while the bird still whispered its gratitude and love. +</p> + +<p> +“Dear Fairy, the fairest flowers have cheered me with their sweet +breath, fresh dew and fragrant leaves have been ever ready for me, +gentle hands to tend, kindly hearts to love; and for this I can only +thank you and say farewell.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the quivering wings were still, and the patient little dove +was dead; but the bee murmured no longer, and the dew from the flowers +fell like tears around the quiet bed. +</p> + +<p> +Sadly Rose-Leaf led Eva away, saying, “Lily-Bosom shall have a grave +tonight beneath our fairest blossoms, and you shall see that +gentleness and love are prized far above gold or beauty, here in +Fairy-Land. Come now to the Flower Palace, and see the Fairy Court.” +</p> + +<p> +Beneath green arches, bright with birds and flowers, beside singing +waves, went Eva into a lofty hall. The roof of pure white lilies +rested on pillars of green clustering vines, while many-colored +blossoms threw their bright shadows on the walls, as they danced below +in the deep green moss, and their low, sweet voices sounded softly +through the sunlit palace, while the rustling leaves kept time. +</p> + +<p> +Beside the throne stood Eva, and watched the lovely forms around her, +as they stood, each little band in its own color, with glistening +wings, and flower wands. +</p> + +<p> +Suddenly the music grew louder and sweeter, and the Fairies knelt, +and bowed their heads, as on through the crowd of loving subjects +came the Queen, while the air was filled with gay voices singing +to welcome her. +</p> + +<p> +She placed the child beside her, saying, “Little Eva, you shall see +now how the flowers on your great earth bloom so brightly. A band +of loving little gardeners go daily forth from Fairy-Land, to tend +and watch them, that no harm may befall the gentle spirits that dwell +beneath their leaves. This is never known, for like all good it is +unseen by mortal eyes, and unto only pure hearts like yours do we +make known our secret. The humblest flower that grows is visited by +our messengers, and often blooms in fragrant beauty unknown, unloved +by all save Fairy friends, who seek to fill the spirits with all sweet +and gentle virtues, that they may not be useless on the earth; for the +noblest mortals stoop to learn of flowers. Now, Eglantine, what have +you to tell us of your rosy namesakes on the earth?” +</p> + +<p> +From a group of Elves, whose rose-wreathed wands showed the flower +they loved, came one bearing a tiny urn, and, answering the Queen, +she said,— +</p> + +<p> +“Over hill and valley they are blooming fresh and fair as summer sun +and dew can make them. No drooping stem or withered leaf tells of any +evil thought within their fragrant bosoms, and thus from the fairest +of their race have they gathered this sweet dew, as a token of their +gratitude to one whose tenderness and care have kept them pure and +happy; and this, the loveliest of their sisters, have I brought to +place among the Fairy flowers that never pass away.” +</p> + +<p> +Eglantine laid the urn before the Queen, and placed the fragrant rose +on the dewy moss beside the throne, while a murmur of approval went +through the hall, as each elfin wand waved to the little Fairy +who had toiled so well and faithfully, and could bring so fair a gift +to their good Queen. +</p> + +<p> +Then came forth an Elf bearing a withered leaf, while her many-colored +robe and the purple tulips in her hair told her name and charge. +</p> + +<p> +“Dear Queen,” she sadly said, “I would gladly bring as pleasant +tidings as my sister, but, alas! my flowers are proud and wilful, +and when I went to gather my little gift of colored leaves for royal +garments, they bade me bring this withered blossom, and tell you +they would serve no longer one who will not make them Queen over all +the other flowers. They would yield neither dew nor honey, but +proudly closed their leaves and bid me go.” +</p> + +<p> +“Your task has been too hard for you,” said the Queen kindly, as she +placed the drooping flower in the urn Eglantine had given, “you will +see how this dew from a sweet, pure heart will give new life and +loveliness even to this poor faded one. So can you, dear Rainbow, by +loving words and gentle teachings, bring back lost purity and peace +to those whom pride and selfishness have blighted. Go once again +to the proud flowers, and tell them when they are queen of their own +hearts they will ask no fairer kingdom. Watch more tenderly than ever +over them, see that they lack neither dew nor air, speak lovingly +to them, and let no unkind word or deed of theirs anger you. Let them +see by your patient love and care how much fairer they might be, +and when next you come, you will be laden with gifts from humble, +loving flowers.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus they told what they had done, and received from their Queen some +gentle chiding or loving word of praise. +</p> + +<p> +“You will be weary of this,” said little Rose-Leaf to Eva; “come now +and see where we are taught to read the tales written on flower-leaves, +and the sweet language of the birds, and all that can make a Fairy +heart wiser and better.” +</p> + +<p> +Then into a cheerful place they went, where were many groups of +flowers, among whose leaves sat the child Elves, and learned from +their flower-books all that Fairy hands had written there. Some +studied how to watch the tender buds, when to spread them to the +sunlight, and when to shelter them from rain; how to guard the +ripening seeds, and when to lay them in the warm earth or send them +on the summer wind to far off hills and valleys, where other Fairy +hands would tend and cherish them, till a sisterhood of happy flowers +sprang up to beautify and gladden the lonely spot where they had +fallen. Others learned to heal the wounded insects, whose frail limbs +a breeze could shatter, and who, were it not for Fairy hands, would +die ere half their happy summer life had gone. Some learned how by +pleasant dreams to cheer and comfort mortal hearts, by whispered words +of love to save from evil deeds those who had gone astray, to fill +young hearts with gentle thoughts and pure affections, that no sin +might mar the beauty of the human flower; while others, like mortal +children, learned the Fairy alphabet. Thus the Elves made loving +friends by care and love, and no evil thing could harm them, for +those they helped to cherish and protect ever watched to shield and +save them. +</p> + +<p> +Eva nodded to the gay little ones, as they peeped from among the +leaves at the stranger, and then she listened to the Fairy lessons. +Several tiny Elves stood on a broad leaf while the teacher sat +among the petals of a flower that bent beside them, and asked +questions that none but Fairies would care to know. +</p> + +<p> +“Twinkle, if there lay nine seeds within a flower-cup and the wind +bore five away, how many would the blossom have?” “Four,” replied the +little one. +</p> + +<p> +“Rosebud, if a Cowslip opens three leaves in one day and four the +next, how many rosy leaves will there be when the whole flower +has bloomed?” +</p> + +<p> +“Seven,” sang the gay little Elf. +</p> + +<p> +“Harebell, if a silkworm spin one yard of Fairy cloth in an hour, +how many will it spin in a day?” +</p> + +<p> +“Twelve,” said the Fairy child. +</p> + +<p> +“Primrose, where lies Violet Island?” +</p> + +<p> +“In the Lake of Ripples.” +</p> + +<p> +“Lilla, you may bound Rose Land.” +</p> + +<p> +“On the north by Ferndale, south by Sunny Wave River, east by the hill +of Morning Clouds, and west by the Evening Star.” +</p> + +<p> +“Now, little ones,” said the teacher, “you may go to your painting, +that our visitor may see how we repair the flowers that earthly hands +have injured.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Eva saw how, on large, white leaves, the Fairies learned to +imitate the lovely colors, and with tiny brushes to brighten the blush +on the anemone’s cheek, to deepen the blue of the violet’s eye, and +add new light to the golden cowslip. +</p> + +<p> +“You have stayed long enough,” said the Elves at length, “we have +many things to show you. Come now and see what is our dearest work.” +</p> + +<p> +So Eva said farewell to the child Elves, and hastened with little +Rose-Leaf to the gates. Here she saw many bands of Fairies, folded in +dark mantles that mortals might not know them, who, with the child +among them, flew away over hill and valley. Some went to the cottages +amid the hills, some to the sea-side to watch above the humble fisher +folks; but little Rose-Leaf and many others went into the noisy city. +</p> + +<p> +Eva wondered within herself what good the tiny Elves could do in this +great place; but she soon learned, for the Fairy band went among the +poor and friendless, bringing pleasant dreams to the sick and old, +sweet, tender thoughts of love and gentleness to the young, strength +to the weak, and patient cheerfulness to the poor and lonely. +</p> + +<p> +Then the child wondered no longer, but deeper grew her love +for the tender-hearted Elves, who left their own happy home to cheer +and comfort those who never knew what hands had clothed and fed them, +what hearts had given of their own joy, and brought such happiness +to theirs. +</p> + +<p> +Long they stayed, and many a lesson little Eva learned: but when +she begged them to go back, they still led her on, saying, “Our work +is not yet done; shall we leave so many sad hearts when we may +cheer them, so many dark homes that we may brighten? We must stay +yet longer, little Eva, and you may learn yet more.” +</p> + +<p> +Then they went into a dark and lonely room, and here they found +a pale, sad-eyed child, who wept bitter tears over a faded flower. +</p> + +<p> +“Ah,” sighed the little one, “it was my only friend, and I +cherished it with all my lone heart’s love; ’t was all that made +my sad life happy; and it is gone.” +</p> + +<p> +Tenderly the child fastened the drooping stem, and placed it +where the one faint ray of sunlight stole into the dreary room. +</p> + +<p> +“Do you see,” said the Elves, “through this simple flower will we +keep the child pure and stainless amid the sin and sorrow around her. +The love of this shall lead her on through temptation and through +grief, and she shall be a spirit of joy and consolation to the sinful +and the sorrowing.” +</p> + +<p> +And with busy love toiled the Elves amid the withered leaves, +and new strength was given to the flower; while, as day by day the +friendless child watered the growing buds, deeper grew her love for +the unseen friends who had given her one thing to cherish in her +lonely home; sweet, gentle thoughts filled her heart as she bent +above it, and the blossom’s fragrant breath was to her a whispered +voice of all fair and lovely things; and as the flower taught her, +so she taught others. +</p> + +<p> +The loving Elves brought her sweet dreams by night, and happy thoughts +by day, and as she grew in childlike beauty, pure and patient amid +poverty and sorrow, the sinful were rebuked, sorrowing hearts grew +light, and the weak and selfish forgot their idle fears, when they saw +her trustingly live on with none to aid or comfort her. The love +she bore the tender flower kept her own heart innocent and bright, +and the pure human flower was a lesson to those who looked upon it; +and soon the gloomy house was bright with happy hearts, that learned +of the gentle child to bear poverty and grief as she had done, to +forgive those who brought care and wrong to them, and to seek for +happiness in humble deeds of charity and love. +</p> + +<p> +“Our work is done,” whispered the Elves, and with blessings on the +two fair flowers, they flew away to other homes;—to a blind old man +who dwelt alone with none to love him, till through long years of +darkness and of silent sorrow the heart within had grown dim and cold. +No sunlight could enter at the darkened eyes, and none were near +to whisper gentle words, to cheer and comfort. +</p> + +<p> +Thus he dwelt forgotten and alone, seeking to give no joy to others, +possessing none himself. Life was dark and sad till the untiring +Elves came to his dreary home, bringing sunlight and love. They +whispered sweet words of comfort,—how, if the darkened eyes could +find no light without, within there might be never-failing happiness; +gentle feelings and sweet, loving thoughts could make the heart fair, +if the gloomy, selfish sorrow were but cast away, and all would be +bright and beautiful. +</p> + +<p> +They brought light-hearted children, who gathered round him, making +the desolate home fair with their young faces, and his sad heart gay +with their sweet, childish voices. The love they bore he could not +cast away, sunlight stole in, the dark thoughts passed away, and the +earth was a pleasant home to him. +</p> + +<p> +Thus their little hands led him back to peace and happiness, +flowers bloomed beside his door, and their fragrant breath brought +happy thoughts of pleasant valleys and green hills; birds sang to him, +and their sweet voices woke the music in his own soul, that never +failed to calm and comfort. Happy sounds were heard in his once +lonely home, and bright faces gathered round his knee, and listened +tenderly while he strove to tell them all the good that gentleness and +love had done for him. +</p> + +<p> +Still the Elves watched near, and brighter grew the heart as kindly +thoughts and tender feelings entered in, and made it their home; +and when the old man fell asleep, above his grave little feet trod +lightly, and loving hands laid fragrant flowers. +</p> + +<p> +Then went the Elves into the dreary prison-houses, where sad hearts +pined in lonely sorrow for the joy and freedom they had lost. To +these came the loving band with tender words, telling of the peace +they yet might win by patient striving and repentant tears, thus +waking in their bosoms all the holy feelings and sweet affections +that had slept so long. +</p> + +<p> +They told pleasant tales, and sang their sweetest songs to cheer and +gladden, while the dim cells grew bright with the sunlight, and +fragrant with the flowers the loving Elves had brought, and by their +gentle teachings those sad, despairing hearts were filled with patient +hope and earnest longing to win back their lost innocence and joy. +</p> + +<p> +Thus to all who needed help or comfort went the faithful Fairies; and +when at length they turned towards Fairy-Land, many were the grateful, +happy hearts they left behind. +</p> + +<p> +Then through the summer sky, above the blossoming earth, they +journeyed home, happier for the joy they had given, wiser for the good +they had done. +</p> + +<p> +All Fairy-Land was dressed in flowers, and the soft wind went singing +by, laden with their fragrant breath. Sweet music sounded through the +air, and troops of Elves in their gayest robes hastened to the palace +where the feast was spread. +</p> + +<p> +Soon the bright hall was filled with smiling faces and fair forms, and +little Eva, as she stood beside the Queen, thought she had never seen +a sight so lovely. +</p> + +<p> +The many-colored shadows of the fairest flowers played on the pure +white walls, and fountains sparkled in the sunlight, making music +as the cool waves rose and fell, while to and fro, with waving wings +and joyous voices, went the smiling Elves, bearing fruit and honey, +or fragrant garlands for each other’s hair. +</p> + +<p> +Long they feasted, gayly they sang, and Eva, dancing merrily +among them, longed to be an Elf that she might dwell forever +in so fair a home. +</p> + +<p> +At length the music ceased, and the Queen said, as she laid her hand +on little Eva’s shining hair:— +</p> + +<p> +“Dear child, tomorrow we must bear you home, for, much as we long +to keep you, it were wrong to bring such sorrow to your loving earthly +friends; therefore we will guide you to the brook-side, and there say +farewell till you come again to visit us. Nay, do not weep, dear +Rose-Leaf; you shall watch over little Eva’s flowers, and when she +looks at them she will think of you. Come now and lead her to the +Fairy garden, and show her what we think our fairest sight. Weep +no more, but strive to make her last hours with us happy as you can.” +</p> + +<p> +With gentle caresses and most tender words the loving Elves gathered +about the child, and, with Rose-Leaf by her side, they led her through +the palace, and along green, winding paths, till Eva saw what seemed +a wall of flowers rising before her, while the air was filled with the +most fragrant odors, and the low, sweet music as of singing blossoms. +</p> + +<p> +“Where have you brought me, and what mean these lovely sounds?” +asked Eva. +</p> + +<p> +“Look here, and you shall see,” said Rose-Leaf, as she bent aside +the vines, “but listen silently or you cannot hear.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Eva, looking through the drooping vines, beheld a garden filled +with the loveliest flowers; fair as were all the blossoms she had seen +in Fairy-Land, none were so beautiful as these. The rose glowed +with a deeper crimson, the lily’s soft leaves were more purely white, +the crocus and humble cowslip shone like sunlight, and the violet +was blue as the sky that smiled above it. +</p> + +<p> +“How beautiful they are,” whispered Eva, “but, dear Rose-Leaf, why +do you keep them here, and why call you this your fairest sight?” +</p> + +<p> +“Look again, and I will tell you,” answered the Fairy. +</p> + +<p> +Eva looked, and saw from every flower a tiny form come forth to +welcome the Elves, who all, save Rose-Leaf, had flown above the wall, +and were now scattering dew upon the flowers’ bright leaves and +talking gayly with the Spirits, who gathered around them, and seemed +full of joy that they had come. The child saw that each one wore the +colors of the flower that was its home. Delicate and graceful were +the little forms, bright the silken hair that fell about each lovely +face; and Eva heard the low, sweet murmur of their silvery voices and +the rustle of their wings. She gazed in silent wonder, forgetting she +knew not who they were, till the Fairy said,— +</p> + +<p> +“These are the spirits of the flowers, and this the Fairy Home where +those whose hearts were pure and loving on the earth come to bloom in +fadeless beauty here, when their earthly life is past. The humblest +flower that blooms has a home with us, for outward beauty is a +worthless thing if all be not fair and sweet within. Do you see +yonder lovely spirit singing with my sister Moonlight? a clover +blossom was her home, and she dwelt unknown, unloved; yet patient and +content, bearing cheerfully the sorrows sent her. We watched and saw +how fair and sweet the humble flower grew, and then gladly bore her +here, to blossom with the lily and the rose. The flowers’ lives +are often short, for cruel hands destroy them; therefore is it our +greatest joy to bring them hither, where no careless foot or wintry +wind can harm them, where they bloom in quiet beauty, repaying our +care by their love and sweetest perfumes.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will never break another flower,” cried Eva; “but let me go +to them, dear Fairy; I would gladly know the lovely spirits, and ask +forgiveness for the sorrow I have caused. May I not go in?” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay, dear Eva, you are a mortal child, and cannot enter here; but I +will tell them of the kind little maiden who has learned to love them, +and they will remember you when you are gone. Come now, for you have +seen enough, and we must be away.” +</p> + +<p> +On a rosy morning cloud, surrounded by the loving Elves, went Eva +through the sunny sky. The fresh wind bore them gently on, and soon +they stood again beside the brook, whose waves danced brightly as if +to welcome them. +</p> + +<p> +“Now, ere we say farewell,” said the Queen, as they gathered nearer +to the child, “tell me, dear Eva, what among all our Fairy gifts +will make you happiest, and it shall be yours.” +</p> + +<p> +“You good little Fairies,” said Eva, folding them in her arms, for +she was no longer the tiny child she had been in Fairy-Land, “you dear +good little Elves, what can I ask of you, who have done so much +to make me happy, and taught me so many good and gentle lessons, +the memory of which will never pass away? I can only ask of you the +power to be as pure and gentle as yourselves, as tender and loving +to the weak and sorrowing, as untiring in kindly deeds to all. Grant +me this gift, and you shall see that little Eva has not forgotten +what you have taught her.” +</p> + +<p> +“The power shall be yours,” said the Elves, and laid their soft hands +on her head; “we will watch over you in dreams, and when you would have +tidings of us, ask the flowers in your garden, and they will tell you +all you would know. Farewell. Remember Fairy-Land and all your +loving friends.” +</p> + +<p> +They clung about her tenderly, and little Rose-Leaf placed a flower +crown on her head, whispering softly, “When you would come to us +again, stand by the brook-side and wave this in the air, and we will +gladly take you to our home again. Farewell, dear Eva. Think of your +little Rose-Leaf when among the flowers.” +</p> + +<p> +Long Eva watched their shining wings, and listened to the music of +their voices as they flew singing home, and when at length the last +little form had vanished among the clouds, she saw that all around her +where the Elves had been, the fairest flowers had sprung up, and the +lonely brook-side was a blooming garden. +</p> + +<p> +Thus she stood among the waving blossoms, with the Fairy garland in +her hair, and happy feelings in her heart, better and wiser for her +visit to Fairy-Land. +</p> + +<p> +“Now, Star-Twinkle, what have you to teach?” asked the Queen. +</p> + +<p> +“Nothing but a little song I heard the hare-bells singing,” replied +the Fairy, and, taking her harp, sang, in a low, sweet voice:— +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap04"></a> +THE FLOWER’S LESSON. +</h2> + +<p class="poem"> +There grew a fragrant rose-tree where the brook flows,<br/> +With two little tender buds, and one full rose;<br/> +When the sun went down to his bed in the west,<br/> +The little buds leaned on the rose-mother’s breast,<br/> +While the bright eyed stars their long watch kept,<br/> +And the flowers of the valley in their green cradles slept;<br/> +Then silently in odors they communed with each other,<br/> +The two little buds on the bosom of their mother.<br/> +“O sister,” said the little one, as she gazed at the sky,<br/> +“I wish that the Dew Elves, as they wander lightly by,<br/> +Would bring me a star; for they never grow dim,<br/> +And the Father does not need them to burn round him.<br/> +The shining drops of dew the Elves bring each day<br/> +And place in my bosom, so soon pass away;<br/> +But a star would glitter brightly through the long summer hours,<br/> +And I should be fairer than all my sister flowers.<br/> +That were better far than the dew-drops that fall<br/> +On the high and the low, and come alike to all.<br/> +I would be fair and stately, with a bright star to shine<br/> +And give a queenly air to this crimson robe of mine.”<br/> +And proudly she cried, “These fire-flies shall be<br/> +My jewels, since the stars can never come to me.”<br/> +Just then a tiny dew-drop that hung o’er the dell<br/> +On the breast of the bud like a soft star fell;<br/> +But impatiently she flung it away from her leaf,<br/> +And it fell on her mother like a tear of grief,<br/> +While she folded to her breast, with wilful pride,<br/> +A glittering fire-fly that hung by her side.<br/> +“Heed,” said the mother rose, “daughter mine,<br/> +Why shouldst thou seek for beauty not thine?<br/> +The Father hath made thee what thou now art;<br/> +And what he most loveth is a sweet, pure heart.<br/> +Then why dost thou take with such discontent<br/> +The loving gift which he to thee hath sent?<br/> +For the cool fresh dew will render thee far<br/> +More lovely and sweet than the brightest star;<br/> +They were made for Heaven, and can never come to shine<br/> +Like the fire-fly thou hast in that foolish breast of thine.<br/> +O my foolish little bud, do listen to thy mother;<br/> +Care only for true beauty, and seek for no other.<br/> +There will be grief and trouble in that wilful little heart;<br/> +Unfold thy leaves, my daughter, and let the fly depart.”<br/> +But the proud little bud would have her own will,<br/> +And folded the fire-fly more closely still;<br/> +Till the struggling insect tore open the vest<br/> +Of purple and green, that covered her breast.<br/> +When the sun came up, she saw with grief<br/> +The blooming of her sister bud leaf by leaf.<br/> +While she, once as fair and bright as the rest,<br/> +Hung her weary head down on her wounded breast.<br/> +Bright grew the sunshine, and the soft summer air<br/> +Was filled with the music of flowers singing there;<br/> +But faint grew the little bud with thirst and pain,<br/> +And longed for the cool dew; but now ’t was in vain.<br/> +Then bitterly she wept for her folly and pride,<br/> +As drooping she stood by her fair sister’s side.<br/> +Then the rose mother leaned the weary little head<br/> +On her bosom to rest, and tenderly she said:<br/> +“Thou hast learned, my little bud, that, whatever may betide,<br/> +Thou canst win thyself no joy by passion or by pride.<br/> +The loving Father sends the sunshine and the shower,<br/> +That thou mayst become a perfect little flower;—<br/> +The sweet dews to feed thee, the soft wind to cheer,<br/> +And the earth as a pleasant home, while thou art dwelling here.<br/> +Then shouldst thou not be grateful for all this kindly care,<br/> +And strive to keep thyself most innocent and fair?<br/> +Then seek, my little blossom, to win humility;<br/> +Be fair without, be pure within, and thou wilt happy be.<br/> +So when the quiet Autumn of thy fragrant life shall come,<br/> +Thou mayst pass away, to bloom in the Flower Spirits’ home.”<br/> +Then from the mother’s breast, where it still lay hid,<br/> +Into the fading bud the dew-drop gently slid;<br/> +Stronger grew the little form, and happy tears fell,<br/> +As the dew did its silent work, and the bud grew well,<br/> +While the gentle rose leaned, with motherly pride,<br/> +O’er the fair little ones that bloomed at her side.<br/> +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +Night came again, and the fire-flies flew;<br/> +But the bud let them pass, and drank of the dew;<br/> +While the soft stars shone, from the still summer heaven,<br/> +On the happy little flower that had learned the lesson given.<br/> +</p> + +<br/> + +<p> +The music-loving Elves clapped their hands, as Star-Twinkle ceased; +and the Queen placed a flower crown, with a gentle smile, upon the +Fairy’s head, saying,— +</p> + +<p> +“The little bud’s lesson shall teach us how sad a thing is pride, +and that humility alone can bring true happiness to flower and Fairy. +You shall come next, Zephyr.” +</p> + +<p> +And the little Fairy, who lay rocking to and fro upon a fluttering +vine-leaf, thus began her story:— +</p> + +<p> +“As I lay resting in the bosom of a cowslip that bent above the brook, +a little wind, tired of play, told me this tale of +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap05"></a> +LILY-BELL AND THISTLEDOWN. +</h2> + +<p> +Once upon a time, two little Fairies went out into the world, to +seek their fortune. Thistledown was as gay and gallant a little Elf +as ever spread a wing. His purple mantle, and doublet of green, were +embroidered with the brightest threads, and the plume in his cap +came always from the wing of the gayest butterfly. +</p> + +<p> +But he was not loved in Fairy-Land, for, like the flower whose +name and colors he wore, though fair to look upon, many were the +little thorns of cruelty and selfishness that lay concealed by his +gay mantle. Many a gentle flower and harmless bird died by his hand, +for he cared for himself alone, and whatever gave him pleasure must +be his, though happy hearts were rendered sad, and peaceful homes +destroyed. +</p> + +<p> +Such was Thistledown; but far different was his little friend, +Lily-Bell. Kind, compassionate, and loving, wherever her gentle face +was seen, joy and gratitude were found; no suffering flower or insect, +that did not love and bless the kindly Fairy; and thus all Elf-Land +looked upon her as a friend. +</p> + +<p> +Nor did this make her vain and heedless of others; she humbly dwelt +among them, seeking to do all the good she might; and many a houseless +bird and hungry insect that Thistledown had harmed did she feed and +shelter, and in return no evil could befall her, for so many +friends were all about her, seeking to repay her tenderness and love +by their watchful care. +</p> + +<p> +She would not now have left Fairy-Land, but to help and counsel her +wild companion, Thistledown, who, discontented with his quiet home, +WOULD seek his fortune in the great world, and she feared he would +suffer from his own faults for others would not always be as gentle +and forgiving as his kindred. So the kind little Fairy left her home +and friends to go with him; and thus, side by side, they flew beneath +the bright summer sky. +</p> + +<p> +On and on, over hill and valley, they went, chasing the gay +butterflies, or listening to the bees, as they flew from flower to +flower like busy little housewives, singing as they worked; till +at last they reached a pleasant garden, filled with flowers and green, +old trees. +</p> + +<p> +“See,” cried Thistledown, “what a lovely home is here; let us rest +among the cool leaves, and hear the flowers sing, for I am sadly tired +and hungry.” +</p> + +<p> +So into the quiet garden they went, and the winds gayly welcomed them, +while the flowers nodded on their stems, offering their bright leaves +for the Elves to rest upon, and fresh, sweet honey to refresh them. +</p> + +<p> +“Now, dear Thistle, do not harm these friendly blossoms,” said +Lily-Bell; “see how kindly they spread their leaves, and offer us +their dew. It would be very wrong in you to repay their care with +cruelty and pain. You will be tender for my sake, dear Thistle.” +</p> + +<p> +Then she went among the flowers, and they bent lovingly before her, +and laid their soft leaves against her little face, that she might see +how glad they were to welcome one so good and gentle, and kindly +offered their dew and honey to the weary little Fairy, who sat among +their fragrant petals and looked smilingly on the happy blossoms, who, +with their soft, low voices, sang her to sleep. +</p> + +<p> +While Lily-Bell lay dreaming among the rose-leaves, Thistledown went +wandering through the garden. First he robbed the bees of their +honey, and rudely shook the little flowers, that he might get the dew +they had gathered to bathe their buds in. Then he chased the bright +winged flies, and wounded them with the sharp thorn he carried for a +sword; he broke the spider’s shining webs, lamed the birds, and soon +wherever he passed lay wounded insects and drooping flowers; while +the winds carried the tidings over the garden, and bird and blossom +looked upon him as an evil spirit, and fled away or closed their +leaves, lest he should harm them. +</p> + +<p> +Thus he went, leaving sorrow and pain behind him, till he came to the +roses where Lily-Bell lay sleeping. There, weary of his cruel sport, +he stayed to rest beneath a graceful rose-tree, where grew one +blooming flower and a tiny bud. +</p> + +<p> +“Why are you so slow in blooming, little one? You are too old to be +rocked in your green cradle longer, and should be out among your +sister flowers,” said Thistle, as he lay idly in the shadow of the +tree. +</p> + +<p> +“My little bud is not yet strong enough to venture forth,” replied the +rose, as she bent fondly over it; “the sunlight and the rain would +blight her tender form, were she to blossom now, but soon she will be +fit to bear them; till then she is content to rest beside her mother, +and to wait.” +</p> + +<p> +“You silly flower,” said Thistledown, “see how quickly I will make you +bloom! your waiting is all useless.” And speaking thus, he pulled +rudely apart the folded leaves, and laid them open to the sun and air; +while the rose mother implored the cruel Fairy to leave her little bud +untouched. +</p> + +<p> +“It is my first, my only one,” said she, “and I have watched over it +with such care, hoping it would soon bloom beside me; and now you have +destroyed it. How could you harm the little helpless one, that never +did aught to injure you?” And while her tears fell like summer rain, +she drooped in grief above the little bud, and sadly watched it fading +in the sunlight; but Thistledown, heedless of the sorrow he had given, +spread his wings and flew away. +</p> + +<p> +Soon the sky grew dark, and heavy drops began to fall. Then Thistle +hastened to the lily, for her cup was deep, and the white leaves +fell like curtains over the fragrant bed; he was a dainty little Elf, +and could not sleep among the clovers and bright buttercups. But +when he asked the flower to unfold her leaves and take him in, she +turned her pale, soft face away, and answered sadly, “I must shield my +little drooping sisters whom you have harmed, and cannot let you in.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Thistledown was very angry, and turned to find shelter among the +stately roses; but they showed their sharp thorns, and, while their +rosy faces glowed with anger, told him to begone, or they would repay +him for the wrong he had done their gentle kindred. +</p> + +<p> +He would have stayed to harm them, but the rain fell fast, and he +hurried away, saying, “The tulips will take me in, for I have praised +their beauty, and they are vain and foolish flowers.” +</p> + +<p> +But when he came, all wet and cold, praying for shelter among their +thick leaves, they only laughed and said scornfully, “We know you, +and will not let you in, for you are false and cruel, and will +only bring us sorrow. You need not come to us for another mantle, +when the rain has spoilt your fine one; and do not stay here, or +we will do you harm.” +</p> + +<p> +Then they waved their broad leaves stormily, and scattered the heavy +drops on his dripping garments. +</p> + +<p> +“Now must I go to the humble daisies and blue violets,” said Thistle, +“they will be glad to let in so fine a Fairy, and I shall die in +this cold wind and rain.” +</p> + +<p> +So away he flew, as fast as his heavy wings would bear him, to the +daisies; but they nodded their heads wisely, and closed their leaves +yet closer, saying sharply,— +</p> + +<p> +“Go away with yourself, and do not imagine we will open our leaves +to you, and spoil our seeds by letting in the rain. It serves you +rightly; to gain our love and confidence, and repay it by such +cruelty! You will find no shelter here for one whose careless hand +wounded our little friend Violet, and broke the truest heart that ever +beat in a flower’s breast. We are very angry with you, wicked Fairy; +go away and hide yourself.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ah,” cried the shivering Elf, “where can I find shelter? I will go +to the violets: they will forgive and take me in.” +</p> + +<p> +But the daisies had spoken truly; the gentle little flower was dead, +and her blue-eyed sisters were weeping bitterly over her faded leaves. +</p> + +<p> +“Now I have no friends,” sighed poor Thistledown, “and must die of +cold. Ah, if I had but minded Lily-Bell, I might now be dreaming +beneath some flower’s leaves.” +</p> + +<p> +“Others can forgive and love, beside Lily-Bell and Violet,” said +a faint, sweet voice; “I have no little bud to shelter now, and you +can enter here.” It was the rose mother that spoke, and Thistle saw +how pale the bright leaves had grown, and how the slender stem was +bowed. Grieved, ashamed, and wondering at the flower’s forgiving +words, he laid his weary head on the bosom he had filled with sorrow, +and the fragrant leaves were folded carefully about him. +</p> + +<p> +But he could find no rest. The rose strove to comfort him; but when +she fancied he was sleeping, thoughts of her lost bud stole in, and +the little heart beat so sadly where he lay, that no sleep came; while +the bitter tears he had caused to flow fell more coldly on him than +the rain without. Then he heard the other flowers whispering among +themselves of his cruelty, and the sorrow he had brought to their +happy home; and many wondered how the rose, who had suffered most, +could yet forgive and shelter him. +</p> + +<p> +“Never could I forgive one who had robbed me of my children. I could +bow my head and die, but could give no happiness to one who had taken +all my own,” said Hyacinth, bending fondly over the little ones that +blossomed by her side. +</p> + +<p> +“Dear Violet is not the only one who will leave us,” sobbed little +Mignonette; “the rose mother will fade like her little bud, and we +shall lose our gentlest teacher. Her last lesson is forgiveness; +let us show our love for her, and the gentle stranger Lily-Bell, +by allowing no unkind word or thought of him who has brought us all +this grief.” +</p> + +<p> +The angry words were hushed, and through the long night nothing was +heard but the dropping of the rain, and the low sighs of the rose. +</p> + +<p> +Soon the sunlight came again, and with it Lily-Bell seeking for +Thistledown; but he was ashamed, and stole away. +</p> + +<p> +When the flowers told their sorrow to kind-hearted Lily-Bell, she wept +bitterly at the pain her friend had given, and with loving words +strove to comfort those whom he had grieved; with gentle care she +healed the wounded birds, and watched above the flowers he had harmed, +bringing each day dew and sunlight to refresh and strengthen, till all +were well again; and though sorrowing for their dead friends, still +they forgave Thistle for the sake of her who had done so much for +them. Thus, erelong, buds fairer than that she had lost lay on the +rose mother’s breast, and for all she had suffered she was well repaid +by the love of Lily-Bell and her sister flowers. +</p> + +<p> +And when bird, bee, and blossom were strong and fair again, the gentle +Fairy said farewell, and flew away to seek her friend, leaving behind +many grateful hearts, who owed their joy and life to her. +</p> + +<p> +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile, over hill and dale went Thistledown, and for a time was +kind and gentle to every living thing. He missed sadly the little +friend who had left her happy home to watch over him, but he was +too proud to own his fault, and so went on, hoping she would find him. +</p> + +<p> +One day he fell asleep, and when he woke the sun had set, and the dew +began to fall; the flower-cups were closed, and he had nowhere to go, +till a friendly little bee, belated by his heavy load of honey, bid +the weary Fairy come with him. +</p> + +<p> +“Help me to bear my honey home, and you can stay with us tonight,” +he kindly said. +</p> + +<p> +So Thistle gladly went with him, and soon they came to a pleasant +garden, where among the fairest flowers stood the hive, covered with +vines and overhung with blossoming trees. Glow-worms stood at the +door to light them home, and as they passed in, the Fairy thought how +charming it must be to dwell in such a lovely place. The floor of wax +was pure and white as marble, while the walls were formed of golden +honey-comb, and the air was fragrant with the breath of flowers. +</p> + +<p> +“You cannot see our Queen to-night,” said the little bee, “but +I will show you to a bed where you can rest.” +</p> + +<p> +And he led the tired Fairy to a little cell, where on a bed of +flower-leaves he folded his wings and fell asleep. +</p> + +<p> +As the first ray of sunlight stole in, he was awakened by sweet music. +It was the morning song of the bees. +</p> + +<br/> + +<p class="poem"> +“Awake! awake! for the earliest gleam<br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Of golden sunlight shines</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">On the rippling waves, that brightly flow</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Beneath the flowering vines.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Awake! awake! for the low, sweet chant</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Of the wild-birds’ morning hymn</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Comes floating by on the fragrant air,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Through the forest cool and dim;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 3.5em">Then spread each wing,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 3.5em">And work, and sing,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Through the long, bright sunny hours;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 3.5em">O’er the pleasant earth</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 3.5em">We journey forth,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">For a day among the flowers.</span><br/> +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +“Awake! awake! for the summer wind<br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Hath bidden the blossoms unclose,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Hath opened the violet’s soft blue eye,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">And wakened the sleeping rose.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">And lightly they wave on their slender stems</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Fragrant, and fresh, and fair,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Waiting for us, as we singing come</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">To gather our honey-dew there.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 3.5em">Then spread each wing,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 3.5em">And work, and sing,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Through the long, bright sunny hours;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 3.5em">O’er the pleasant earth</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 3.5em">We journey forth,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">For a day among the flowers!”</span><br/> +</p> + +<br/> + +<p> +Soon his friend came to bid him rise, as the Queen desired to speak +with him. So, with his purple mantle thrown gracefully over his +shoulder, and his little cap held respectfully in his hand, he +followed Nimble-Wing to the great hall, where the Queen was being +served by her little pages. Some bore her fresh dew and honey, some +fanned her with fragrant flower-leaves, while others scattered the +sweetest perfumes on the air. +</p> + +<p> +“Little Fairy,” said the Queen, “you are welcome to my palace; and +we will gladly have you stay with us, if you will obey our laws. +We do not spend the pleasant summer days in idleness and pleasure, but +each one labors for the happiness and good of all. If our home is +beautiful, we have made it so by industry; and here, as one large, +loving family, we dwell; no sorrow, care, or discord can enter in, +while all obey the voice of her who seeks to be a wise and gentle +Queen to them. If you will stay with us, we will teach you many +things. Order, patience, industry, who can teach so well as they +who are the emblems of these virtues? +</p> + +<p> +“Our laws are few and simple. You must each day gather your share of +honey, see that your cell is sweet and fresh, as you yourself must be; +rise with the sun, and with him to sleep. You must harm no flower in +doing your work, nor take more than your just share of honey; for they +so kindly give us food, it were most cruel to treat them with aught +save gentleness and gratitude. Now will you stay with us, and learn +what even mortals seek to know, that labor brings true happiness?” +</p> + +<p> +And Thistle said he would stay and dwell with them; for he was tired +of wandering alone, and thought he might live here till Lily-Bell +should come, or till he was weary of the kind-hearted bees. Then they +took away his gay garments, and dressed him like themselves, in the +black velvet cloak with golden bands across his breast. +</p> + +<p> +“Now come with us,” they said. So forth into the green fields +they went, and made their breakfast among the dewy flowers; and then +till the sun set they flew from bud to blossom, singing as they went; +and Thistle for a while was happier than when breaking flowers and +harming gentle birds. +</p> + +<p> +But he soon grew tired of working all day in the sun, and longed to be +free again. He could find no pleasure with the industrious bees, and +sighed to be away with his idle friends, the butterflies; so while the +others worked he slept or played, and then, in haste to get his share, +he tore the flowers, and took all they had saved for their own food. +Nor was this all; he told such pleasant tales of the life he led +before he came to live with them, that many grew unhappy and +discontented, and they who had before wished no greater joy than +the love and praise of their kind Queen, now disobeyed and blamed her +for all she had done for them. +</p> + +<p> +Long she bore with their unkind words and deeds; and when at length +she found it was the ungrateful Fairy who had wrought this trouble in +her quiet kingdom, she strove, with sweet, forgiving words, to show +him all the wrong he had done; but he would not listen, and still went +on destroying the happiness of those who had done so much for him. +</p> + +<p> +Then, when she saw that no kindness could touch his heart, she said:— +</p> + +<p> +“Thistledown, we took you in, a friendless stranger, fed and clothed +you, and made our home as pleasant to you as we could; and in return +for all our care, you have brought discontent and trouble to my +subjects, grief and care to me. I cannot let my peaceful kingdom +be disturbed by you; therefore go and seek another home. You may find +other friends, but none will love you more than we, had you been +worthy of it; so farewell.” And the doors of the once happy home +he had disturbed were closed behind him. +</p> + +<p> +Then he was very angry, and determined to bring some great sorrow on +the good Queen. So he sought out the idle, wilful bees, whom he had +first made discontented, bidding them follow him, and win the honey +the Queen had stored up for the winter. +</p> + +<p> +“Let us feast and make merry in the pleasant summer-time,” said +Thistle; “winter is far off, why should we waste these lovely days, +toiling to lay up the food we might enjoy now. Come, we will take +what we have made, and think no more of what the Queen has said.” +</p> + +<p> +So while the industrious bees were out among the flowers, he led +the drones to the hive, and took possession of the honey, destroying +and laying waste the home of the kind bees; then, fearing that +in their grief and anger they might harm him, Thistle flew away to +seek new friends. +</p> + +<br/> + +<p> +After many wanderings, he came at length to a great forest, and here +beside a still lake he stayed to rest. Delicate wood-flowers grew near +him in the deep green moss, with drooping heads, as if they listened +to the soft wind singing among the pines. Bright-eyed birds peeped +at him from their nests, and many-colored insects danced above the +cool, still lake. +</p> + +<p> +“This is a pleasant place,” said Thistle; “it shall be my home for a +while. Come hither, blue dragon-fly, I would gladly make a friend of +you, for I am all alone.” +</p> + +<p> +The dragon-fly folded his shining wings beside the Elf, listened to +the tale he told, promised to befriend the lonely one, and strove +to make the forest a happy home to him. +</p> + +<p> +So here dwelt Thistle, and many kind friends gathered round him, +for he spoke gently to them, and they knew nothing of the cruel deeds +he had done; and for a while he was happy and content. But at length +he grew weary of the gentle birds, and wild-flowers, and sought new +pleasure in destroying the beauty he was tired of; and soon the +friends who had so kindly welcomed him looked upon him as an evil +spirit, and shrunk away as he approached. +</p> + +<p> +At length his friend the dragon-fly besought him to leave the quiet +home he had disturbed. Then Thistle was very angry, and while the +dragon-fly was sleeping among the flowers that hung over the lake, he +led an ugly spider to the spot, and bade him weave his nets about the +sleeping insect, and bind him fast. The cruel spider gladly obeyed +the ungrateful Fairy; and soon the poor fly could move neither leg nor +wing. Then Thistle flew away through the wood, leaving sorrow and +trouble behind him. +</p> + +<p> +He had not journeyed far before he grew weary, and lay down to rest. +Long he slept, and when he awoke, and tried to rise, his hands and +wings were bound; while beside him stood two strange little figures, +with dark faces and garments, that rustled like withered leaves; who +cried to him, as he struggled to get free,— +</p> + +<p> +“Lie still, you naughty Fairy, you are in the Brownies’ power, and +shall be well punished for your cruelty ere we let you go.” +</p> + +<p> +So poor Thistle lay sorrowfully, wondering what would come of it, +and wishing Lily-Bell would come to help and comfort him; but he had +left her, and she could not help him now. +</p> + +<p> +Soon a troop of Brownies came rustling through the air, and gathered +round him, while one who wore an acorn-cup on his head, and was their +King, said, as he stood beside the trembling Fairy,— +</p> + +<p> +“You have done many cruel things, and caused much sorrow to happy +hearts; now you are in my power, and I shall keep you prisoner +till you have repented. You cannot dwell on the earth without harming +the fair things given you to enjoy, so you shall live alone in +solitude and darkness, till you have learned to find happiness in +gentle deeds, and forget yourself in giving joy to others. When you +have learned this, I will set you free.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the Brownies bore him to a high, dark rock, and, entering a +little door, led him to a small cell, dimly lighted by a crevice +through which came a single gleam of sunlight; and there, through +long, long days, poor Thistle sat alone, and gazed with wistful eyes +at the little opening, longing to be out on the green earth. No one +came to him, but the silent Brownies who brought his daily food; and +with bitter tears he wept for Lily-Bell, mourning his cruelty and +selfishness, seeking to do some kindly deed that might atone for his +wrong-doing. +</p> + +<p> +A little vine that grew outside his prison rock came creeping up, +and looked in through the crevice, as if to cheer the lonely Fairy, +who welcomed it most gladly, and daily sprinkled its soft leaves +with his small share of water, that the little vine might live, +even if it darkened more and more his dim cell. +</p> + +<p> +The watchful Brownies saw this kind deed, and brought him fresh +flowers, and many things, which Thistle gratefully received, though +he never knew it was his kindness to the vine that gained for him +these pleasures. +</p> + +<p> +Thus did poor Thistle strive to be more gentle and unselfish, and +grew daily happier and better. +</p> + +<p> +Now while Thistledown was a captive in the lonely cell, Lily-Bell was +seeking him far and wide, and sadly traced him by the sorrowing hearts +he had left behind. +</p> + +<p> +She healed the drooping flowers, cheered the Queen Bee’s grief, +brought back her discontented subjects, restored the home to peace +and order, and left them blessing her. +</p> + +<p> +Thus she journeyed on, till she reached the forest where Thistledown +had lost his freedom. She unbound the starving dragon-fly, and tended +the wounded birds; but though all learned to love her, none could tell +where the Brownies had borne her friend, till a little wind came +whispering by, and told her that a sweet voice had been heard, singing +Fairy songs, deep in a moss-grown rock. +</p> + +<p> +Then Lily-Bell went seeking through the forest, listening for the +voice. Long she looked and listened in vain; when one day, as she was +wandering through a lonely dell, she heard a faint, low sound of +music, and soon a distant voice mournfully singing,— +</p> + +<br/> + +<p class="poem"> +“Bright shines the summer sun,<br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1em">Soft is the summer air;</span><br/> +Gayly the wood-birds sing,<br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1em">Flowers are blooming fair.</span><br/> +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +“But, deep in the dark, cold rock,<br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1em">Sadly I dwell,</span><br/> +Longing for thee, dear friend,<br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1em">Lily-Bell! Lily-Bell!”</span><br/> +</p> + +<br/> + +<p> +“Thistle, dear Thistle, where are you?” joyfully cried Lily-Bell, +as she flew from rock to rock. But the voice was still, and she +would have looked in vain, had she not seen a little vine, whose green +leaves fluttering to and fro seemed beckoning her to come; and as she +stood among its flowers she sang,— +</p> + +<br/> + +<p class="poem"> +“Through sunlight and summer air<br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1em">I have sought for thee long,</span><br/> +Guided by birds and flowers,<br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1em">And now by thy song.</span><br/> +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +“Thistledown! Thistledown!<br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1em">O’er hill and dell</span><br/> +Hither to comfort thee<br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1em">Comes Lily-Bell.”</span><br/> +</p> + +<br/> + +<p> +Then from the vine-leaves two little arms were stretched out to her, +and Thistledown was found. So Lily-Bell made her home in the shadow +of the vine, and brought such joy to Thistle, that his lonely cell +seemed pleasanter to him than all the world beside; and he grew daily +more like his gentle friend. But it did not last long, for one day +she did not come. He watched and waited long, for the little face +that used to peep smiling in through the vine-leaves. He called and +beckoned through the narrow opening, but no Lily-Bell answered; and +he wept sadly as he thought of all she had done for him, and that now +he could not go to seek and help her, for he had lost his freedom +by his own cruel and wicked deeds. +</p> + +<p> +At last he besought the silent Brownie earnestly to tell him +whither she had gone. +</p> + +<p> +“O let me go to her,” prayed Thistle; “if she is in sorrow, I will +comfort her, and show my gratitude for all she has done for me: dear +Brownie, set me free, and when she is found I will come and be your +prisoner again. I will bear and suffer any danger for her sake.” +</p> + +<p> +“Lily-Bell is safe,” replied the Brownie; “come, you shall learn +the trial that awaits you.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he led the wondering Fairy from his prison, to a group of tall, +drooping ferns, beneath whose shade a large white lily had been +placed, forming a little tent, within which, on a couch of thick green +moss, lay Lily-Bell in a deep sleep; the sunlight stole softly in, +and all was cool and still. +</p> + +<p> +“You cannot wake her,” said the Brownie, as Thistle folded his arms +tenderly about her. “It is a magic slumber, and she will not wake +till you shall bring hither gifts from the Earth, Air, and Water +Spirits. ’T is a long and weary task, for you have made no friends +to help you, and will have to seek for them alone. This is the trial +we shall give you; and if your love for Lily-Bell be strong enough +to keep you from all cruelty and selfishness, and make you kind and +loving as you should be, she will awake to welcome you, and love you +still more fondly than before.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Thistle, with a last look on the little friend he loved so well, +set forth alone to his long task. +</p> + +<br/> + +<p> +The home of the Earth Spirits was the first to find, and no one +would tell him where to look. So far and wide he wandered, through +gloomy forests and among lonely hills, with none to cheer him when +sad and weary, none to guide him on his way. +</p> + +<p> +On he went, thinking of Lily-Bell, and for her sake bearing all; +for in his quiet prison many gentle feelings and kindly thoughts had +sprung up in his heart, and he now strove to be friends with all, and +win for himself the love and confidence of those whom once he sought +to harm and cruelly destroy. +</p> + +<p> +But few believed him; for they remembered his false promises and +evil deeds, and would not trust him now; so poor Thistle found few +to love or care for him. +</p> + +<p> +Long he wandered, and carefully he sought; but could not find the +Earth Spirits’ home. And when at length he reached the pleasant +garden where he and Lily-Bell first parted, he said within himself,— +</p> + +<p> +“Here I will stay awhile, and try to win by kindly deeds the flowers’ +forgiveness for the pain and sorrow I brought them long ago; and they +may learn to love and trust me. So, even if I never find the Spirits, +I shall be worthier of Lily-Bell’s affection if I strive to atone for +the wrong I have done.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he went among the flowers, but they closed their leaves, and +shrank away, trembling with fear; while the birds fled to hide +among the leaves as he passed. +</p> + +<p> +This grieved poor Thistle, and he longed to tell them how changed +he had become; but they would not listen. So he tried to show, by +quiet deeds of kindness, that he meant no harm to them; and soon +the kind-hearted birds pitied the lonely Fairy, and when he came near +sang cheering songs, and dropped ripe berries in his path, for he +no longer broke their eggs, or hurt their little ones. +</p> + +<p> +And when the flowers saw this, and found the once cruel Elf now +watering and tending little buds, feeding hungry insects, and +helping the busy ants to bear their heavy loads, they shared the pity +of the birds, and longed to trust him; but they dared not yet. +</p> + +<p> +He came one day, while wandering through the garden, to the little +rose he had once harmed so sadly. Many buds now bloomed beside her, +and her soft face glowed with motherly pride, as she bent fondly over +them. But when Thistle came, he saw with sorrow how she bade them +close their green curtains, and conceal themselves beneath the leaves, +for there was danger near; and, drooping still more closely over them, +she seemed to wait with trembling fear the cruel Fairy’s coming. +</p> + +<p> +But no rude hand tore her little ones away, no unkind words were +spoken; but a soft shower of dew fell lightly on them, and Thistle, +bending tenderly above them, said,— +</p> + +<p> +“Dear flower, forgive the sorrow I once brought you, and trust me now +for Lily-Bell’s sake. Her gentleness has changed my cruelty to +kindness, and I would gladly repay all for the harm I have done; +but none will love and trust me now.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the little rose looked up, and while the dew-drops shone +like happy tears upon her leaves, she said,— +</p> + +<p> +“I WILL love and trust you, Thistle, for you are indeed much +changed. Make your home among us, and my sister flowers will soon +learn to love you as you deserve. Not for sweet Lily-Bell’s sake, +but for your own, will I become your friend; for you are kind and +gentle now, and worthy of our love. Look up, my little ones, there is +no danger near; look up, and welcome Thistle to our home.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the little buds raised their rosy faces, danced again upon +their stems, and nodded kindly at Thistle, who smiled on them through +happy tears, and kissed the sweet, forgiving rose, who loved and +trusted him when most forlorn and friendless. +</p> + +<p> +But the other flowers wondered among themselves, and Hyacinth said,— +</p> + +<p> +“If Rose-Leaf is his friend, surely we may be; yet still I fear he may +soon grow weary of this gentleness, and be again the wicked Fairy he +once was, and we shall suffer for our kindness to him now.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ah, do not doubt him!” cried warm-hearted little Mignonette; “surely +some good spirit has changed the wicked Thistle into this good little +Elf. See how tenderly he lifts aside the leaves that overshadow pale +Harebell, and listen now how softly he sings as he rocks little +Eglantine to sleep. He has done many friendly things, though none +save Rose-Leaf has been kind to him, and he is very sad. Last night +when I awoke to draw my curtains closer, he sat weeping in the +moonlight, so bitterly, I longed to speak a kindly word to him. +Dear sisters, let us trust him.” +</p> + +<p> +And they all said little Mignonette was right; and, spreading wide +their leaves, they bade him come, and drink their dew, and lie among +the fragrant petals, striving to cheer his sorrow. Thistle told them +all, and, after much whispering together, they said,— +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, we will help you to find the Earth Spirits, for you are striving +to be good, and for love of Lily-Bell we will do much for you.” +</p> + +<p> +So they called a little bright-eyed mole, and said, “Downy-Back, +we have given you a pleasant home among our roots, and you are +a grateful little friend; so will you guide dear Thistle to the +Earth Spirits’ home?” +</p> + +<p> +Downy-Back said, “Yes,” and Thistle, thanking the kindly flowers, +followed his little guide, through long, dark galleries, deeper +and deeper into the ground; while a glow-worm flew before to light +the way. On they went, and after a while, reached a path lit up by +bright jewels hung upon the walls. Here Downy-Back, and Glimmer, +the glow-worm, left him, saying,— +</p> + +<p> +“We can lead you no farther; you must now go on alone, and the music +of the Spirits will guide you to their home.” +</p> + +<p> +Then they went quickly up the winding path, and Thistle, guided +by the sweet music, went on alone. +</p> + +<p> +He soon reached a lovely spot, whose golden halls were bright +with jewels, which sparkled brightly, and threw many-colored shadows +on the shining garments of the little Spirits, who danced below +to the melody of soft, silvery bells. +</p> + +<p> +Long Thistle stood watching the brilliant forms that flashed and +sparkled round him; but he missed the flowers and the sunlight, +and rejoiced that he was not an Earth Spirit. +</p> + +<p> +At last they spied him out, and, gladly welcoming him, bade him join +in their dance. But Thistledown was too sad for that, and when he +told them all his story they no longer urged, but sought to comfort +him; and one whom they called little Sparkle (for her crown and robe +shone with the brightest diamonds), said: “You will have to work +for us, ere you can win a gift to show the Brownies; do you see +those golden bells that make such music, as we wave them to and fro? +We worked long and hard ere they were won, and you can win one of +those, if you will do the task we give you.” +</p> + +<p> +And Thistle said, “No task will be too hard for me to do for dear +Lily-Bell’s sake.” +</p> + +<p> +Then they led him to a strange, dark place, lit up with torches; +where troops of Spirits flew busily to and fro, among damp rocks, and +through dark galleries that led far down into the earth. “What do +they here?” asked Thistle. +</p> + +<p> +“I will tell,” replied little Sparkle, “for I once worked here +myself. Some of them watch above the flower-roots, and keep them +fresh and strong; others gather the clear drops that trickle from the +damp rocks, and form a little spring, which, growing ever larger, +rises to the light above, and gushes forth in some green field or +lonely forest; where the wild-birds come to drink, and wood-flowers +spread their thirsty leaves above the clear, cool waves, as they go +dancing away, carrying joy and freshness wherever they go. Others +shape the bright jewels into lovely forms, and make the good-luck +pennies which we give to mortals whom we love. And here you must toil +till the golden flower is won.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Thistle went among the Spirits, and joined in their tasks; +he tended the flower-roots, gathered the water-drops, and formed the +good-luck pennies. Long and hard he worked, and was often sad and +weary, often tempted by unkind and selfish thoughts; but he thought +of Lily-Bell, and strove to be kind and loving as she had been; and +soon the Spirits learned to love the patient Fairy, who had left his +home to toil among them for the sake of his gentle friend. +</p> + +<p> +At length came little Sparkle to him, saying, “You have done enough; +come now, and dance and feast with us, for the golden flower is won.” +</p> + +<p> +But Thistle could not stay, for half his task was not yet done; and +he longed for sunlight and Lily-Bell. So, taking a kind farewell, +he hastened through the torch-lit path up to the light again; and, +spreading his wings, flew over hill and dale till he reached the +forest where Lily-Bell lay sleeping. +</p> + +<p> +It was early morning, and the rosy light shone brightly through the +lily-leaves upon her, as Thistle entered, and laid his first gift +at the Brownie King’s feet. +</p> + +<p> +“You have done well,” said he, “we hear good tidings of you from +bird and flower, and you are truly seeking to repair the evil +you have done. Take now one look at your little friend, and then +go forth to seek from the Air Spirits your second gift.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Thistle said farewell again to Lily-Bell, and flew far and wide +among the clouds, seeking the Air Spirits; but though he wandered till +his weary wings could bear him no longer, it was in vain. So, faint +and sad, he lay down to rest on a broad vine-leaf, that fluttered +gently in the wind; and as he lay, he saw beneath him the home +of the kind bees whom he had so disturbed, and Lily-Bell had helped +and comforted. +</p> + +<p> +“I will seek to win their pardon, and show them that I am no longer +the cruel Fairy who so harmed them,” thought Thistle, “and when they +become again my friends, I will ask their help to find the Air +Spirits; and if I deserve it, they will gladly aid me on my way.” +</p> + +<p> +So he flew down into the field below, and hastened busily from +flower to flower, till he had filled a tiny blue-bell with sweet, +fresh honey. Then he stole softly to the hive, and, placing it near +the door, concealed himself to watch. Soon his friend Nimble-Wing +came flying home, and when he spied the little cup, he hummed with +joy, and called his companions around him. +</p> + +<p> +“Surely, some good Elf has placed it here for us,” said they; “let us +bear it to our Queen; it is so fresh and fragrant it will be a fit +gift for her”; and they joyfully took it in, little dreaming who had +placed it there. +</p> + +<p> +So each day Thistle filled a flower-cup, and laid it at the door; +and each day the bees wondered more and more, for many strange things +happened. The field-flowers told of the good spirit who watched +above them, and the birds sang of the same kind little Elf bringing +soft moss for their nests, and food for their hungry young ones; +while all around the hive had grown fairer since the Fairy came. +</p> + +<p> +But the bees never saw him, for he feared he had not yet done enough +to win their forgiveness and friendship; so he lived alone among the +vines, daily bringing them honey, and doing some kindly action. +</p> + +<p> +At length, as he lay sleeping in a flower-bell, a little bee came +wandering by, and knew him for the wicked Thistle; so he called his +friends, and, as they flew murmuring around him, he awoke. +</p> + +<p> +“What shall we do to you, naughty Elf?” said they. “You are in +our power, and we will sting you if you are not still.” +</p> + +<p> +“Let us close the flower-leaves around him and leave him here +to starve,” cried one, who had not yet forgotten all the sorrow +Thistle had caused them long ago. +</p> + +<p> +“No, no, that were very cruel, dear Buzz,” said little Hum; “let us +take him to our Queen, and she will tell us how to show our anger for +the wicked deeds he did. See how bitterly he weeps; be kind to him, +he will not harm us more.” +</p> + +<p> +“You good little Hum!” cried a kind-hearted robin who had hopped near +to listen to the bees. “Dear friends, do you not know that this is +the good Fairy who has dwelt so quietly among us, watching over bird +and blossom, giving joy to all he helps? It is HE who brings the +honey-cup each day to you, and then goes silently away, that you may +never know who works so faithfully for you. Be kind to him, for if +he has done wrong, he has repented of it, as you may see.” +</p> + +<p> +“Can this be naughty Thistle?” said Nimble-Wing. +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, it is I,” said Thistle, “but no longer cruel and unkind. I have +tried to win your love by patient industry. Ah, trust me now, and you +shall see I am not naughty Thistle any more.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the wondering bees led him to their Queen, and when he had told +his tale, and begged their forgiveness, it was gladly given; and +all strove to show him that he was loved and trusted. Then he asked +if they could tell him where the Air Spirits dwelt, for he must not +forget dear Lily-Bell; and to his great joy the Queen said, “Yes,” +and bade little Hum guide Thistle to Cloud-Land. +</p> + +<p> +Little Hum joyfully obeyed; and Thistle followed him, as he flew +higher and higher among the soft clouds, till in the distance they saw +a radiant light. +</p> + +<p> +“There is their home, and I must leave you now, dear Thistle,” said +the little bee; and, bidding him farewell, he flew singing back; while +Thistle, following the light, soon found himself in the Air Spirits’ +home. +</p> + +<p> +The sky was gold and purple like an autumn sunset, and long walls of +brilliant clouds lay round him. A rosy light shone through the silver +mist, on gleaming columns and the rainbow roof; soft, fragrant winds +went whispering by, and airy little forms were flitting to and fro. +</p> + +<p> +Long Thistle wondered at the beauty round him; and then he went +among the shining Spirits, told his tale, and asked a gift. +</p> + +<p> +But they answered like the Earth Spirits. “You must serve us first, +and then we will gladly give you a robe of sunlight like our own.” +</p> + +<p> +And then they told him how they wafted flower-seeds over the earth, +to beautify and brighten lonely spots; how they watched above the +blossoms by day, and scattered dews at night, brought sunlight +into darkened places, and soft winds to refresh and cheer. +</p> + +<p> +“These are the things we do,” said they, “and you must aid us +for a time.” +</p> + +<p> +And Thistle gladly went with the lovely Spirits; by day he joined +the sunlight and the breeze in their silent work; by night, with +Star-Light and her sister spirits, he flew over the moon-lit earth, +dropping cool dew upon the folded flowers, and bringing happy dreams +to sleeping mortals. Many a kind deed was done, many a gentle word +was spoken; and each day lighter grew his heart, and stronger his +power of giving joy to others. +</p> + +<p> +At length Star-Light bade him work no more, and gladly gave him +the gift he had won. Then his second task was done, and he flew gayly +back to the green earth and slumbering Lily-Bell. +</p> + +<p> +The silvery moonlight shone upon her, as he came to give his second +gift; and the Brownie spoke more kindly than before. +</p> + +<p> +“One more trial, Thistle, and she will awake. Go bravely forth and +win your last and hardest gift.” +</p> + +<br/> + +<p> +Then with a light heart Thistle journeyed away to the brooks and +rivers, seeking the Water Spirits. But he looked in vain; till, +wandering through the forest where the Brownies took him captive, +he stopped beside the quiet lake. +</p> + +<p> +As he stood here he heard a sound of pain, and, looking in the tall +grass at his side, he saw the dragon-fly whose kindness he once +repayed by pain and sorrow, and who now lay suffering and alone. +</p> + +<p> +Thistle bent tenderly beside him, saying, “Dear Flutter, do not +fear me. I will gladly ease your pain, if you will let me; I am your +friend, and long to show you how I grieve for all the wrong I did you, +when you were so kind to me. Forgive, and let me help and comfort +you.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he bound up the broken wing, and spoke so tenderly that Flutter +doubted him no longer, and was his friend again. +</p> + +<p> +Day by day did Thistle watch beside him, making little beds of +cool, fresh moss for him to rest upon, fanning him when he slept, +and singing sweet songs to cheer him when awake. And often when +poor Flutter longed to be dancing once again over the blue waves, +the Fairy bore him in his arms to the lake, and on a broad leaf, +with a green flag for a sail, they floated on the still water; while +the dragon-fly’s companions flew about them, playing merry games. +</p> + +<p> +At length the broken wing was well, and Thistle said he must again +seek the Water Spirits. “I can tell you where to find them,” said +Flutter; “you must follow yonder little brook, and it will lead you +to the sea, where the Spirits dwell. I would gladly do more for you, +dear Thistle, but I cannot, for they live deep beneath the waves. +You will find some kind friend to aid you on your way; and so +farewell.” +</p> + +<p> +Thistle followed the little brook, as it flowed through field and +valley, growing ever larger, till it reached the sea. Here the wind +blew freshly, and the great waves rolled and broke at Thistle’s feet, +as he stood upon the shore, watching the billows dancing and sparkling +in the sun. +</p> + +<p> +“How shall I find the Spirits in this great sea, with none to help or +guide me? Yet it is my last task, and for Lily-Bell’s sake I must not +fear or falter now,” said Thistle. So he flew hither and thither +over the sea, looking through the waves. Soon he saw, far below, +the branches of the coral tree. +</p> + +<p> +“They must be here,” thought he, and, folding his wings, he plunged +into the deep, cold sea. But he saw only fearful monsters and dark +shapes that gathered round him; and, trembling with fear, he struggled +up again. +</p> + +<p> +The great waves tossed him to and fro, and cast him bruised and faint +upon the shore. Here he lay weeping bitterly, till a voice beside him +said, “Poor little Elf, what has befallen you? These rough waves are +not fit playmates for so delicate a thing as you. Tell me your +sorrow, and I will comfort you.” +</p> + +<p> +And Thistle, looking up, saw a white sea-bird at his side, who tried +with friendly words to cheer him. So he told all his wanderings, +and how he sought the Sea Spirits. +</p> + +<p> +“Surely, if bee and blossom do their part to help you, birds should +aid you too,” said the Sea-bird. “I will call my friend, the +Nautilus, and he will bear you safely to the Coral Palace where the +Spirits dwell.” +</p> + +<p> +So, spreading his great wings, he flew away, and soon Thistle saw +a little boat come dancing over the waves, and wait beside the shore +for him. +</p> + +<p> +In he sprang. Nautilus raised his little sail to the wind, and the +light boat glided swiftly over the blue sea. At last Thistle cried, +“I see lovely arches far below; let me go, it is the Spirits’ home.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nay, close your eyes, and trust to me. I will bear you safely down,” +said Nautilus. +</p> + +<p> +So Thistle closed his eyes, and listened to the murmur of the sea, +as they sank slowly through the waves. The soft sound lulled him +to sleep, and when he awoke the boat was gone, and he stood among +the Water Spirits, in their strange and lovely home. +</p> + +<p> +Lofty arches of snow-white coral bent above him, and the walls +of brightly tinted shells were wreathed with lovely sea-flowers, and +the sunlight shining on the waves cast silvery shadows on the ground, +where sparkling stones glowed in the sand. A cool, fresh wind swept +through the waving garlands of bright sea-moss, and the distant murmur +of dashing waves came softly on the air. Soon troops of graceful +Spirits flitted by, and when they found the wondering Elf, they +gathered round him, bringing pearl-shells heaped with precious stones, +and all the rare, strange gifts that lie beneath the sea. But Thistle +wished for none of these, and when his tale was told, the kindly +Spirits pitied him; and little Pearl sighed, as she told him of the +long and weary task he must perform, ere he could win a crown of +snow-white pearls like those they wore. But Thistle had gained +strength and courage in his wanderings, and did not falter now, when +they led him to a place among the coral-workers, and told him he must +labor here, till the spreading branches reached the light and air, +through the waves that danced above. +</p> + +<p> +With a patient hope that he might yet be worthy of Lily-Bell, +the Fairy left the lovely spirits and their pleasant home, to toil +among the coral-builders, where all was strange and dim. Long, long, +he worked; but still the waves rolled far above them, and his task was +not yet done; and many bitter tears poor Thistle shed, and sadly he +pined for air and sunlight, the voice of birds, and breath of flowers. +Often, folded in the magic garments which the Spirits gave him, that +he might pass unharmed among the fearful creatures dwelling there, +he rose to the surface of the sea, and, gliding through the waves, +gazed longingly upon the hills, now looking blue and dim so far away, +or watched the flocks of summer birds, journeying to a warmer land; +and they brought sad memories of green old forests, and sunny fields, +to the lonely little Fairy floating on the great, wild sea. +</p> + +<p> +Day after day went by, and slowly Thistle’s task drew towards an end. +Busily toiled the coral-workers, but more busily toiled he; insect +and Spirit daily wondered more and more, at the industry and patience +of the silent little Elf, who had a friendly word for all, though +he never joined them in their sport. +</p> + +<p> +Higher and higher grew the coral-boughs, and lighter grew the Fairy’s +heart, while thoughts of dear Lily-Bell cheered him on, as day by day +he steadily toiled; and when at length the sun shone on his work, +and it was done, he stayed but to take the garland he had won, and +to thank the good Spirits for their love and care. Then up through +the cold, blue waves he swiftly glided, and, shaking the bright drops +from his wings, soared singing up to the sunny sky. +</p> + +<br/> + +<p> +On through the fragrant air went Thistle, looking with glad face +upon the fair, fresh earth below, where flowers looked smiling up, +and green trees bowed their graceful heads as if to welcome him. Soon +the forest where Lily-Bell lay sleeping rose before him, and as he +passed along the cool, dim wood-paths, never had they seemed so fair. +</p> + +<p> +But when he came where his little friend had slept, it was no longer +the dark, silent spot where he last saw her. Garlands hung from every +tree, and the fairest flowers filled the air with their sweet breath. +Bird’s gay voices echoed far and wide, and the little brook went +singing by, beneath the arching ferns that bent above it; green +leaves rustled in the summer wind, and the air was full of music. +But the fairest sight was Lily-Bell, as she lay on the couch of +velvet moss that Fairy hands had spread. The golden flower lay +beside her, and the glittering robe was folded round her little form. +The warmest sunlight fell upon her, and the softest breezes lifted +her shining hair. +</p> + +<p> +Happy tears fell fast, as Thistle folded his arms around her, +crying, “O Lily-Bell, dear Lily-Bell, awake! I have been true to you, +and now my task is done.” +</p> + +<p> +Then, with a smile, Lily-Bell awoke, and looked with wondering eyes +upon the beauty that had risen round her. +</p> + +<p> +“Dear Thistle, what mean these fair things, and why are we in this +lovely place?” +</p> + +<p> +“Listen, Lily-Bell,” said the Brownie King, as he appeared beside her. +And then he told all that Thistle had done to show his love for her; +how he had wandered far and wide to seek the Fairy gifts, and toiled +long and hard to win them; how he had been loving, true, and tender, +when most lonely and forsaken. +</p> + +<p> +“Bird, bee, and blossom have forgiven him, and none is more loved +and trusted now by all, than the once cruel Thistle,” said the King, +as he bent down to the happy Elf, who bowed low before him. +</p> + +<p> +“You have learned the beauty of a gentle, kindly heart, dear Thistle; +and you are now worthy to become the friend of her for whom you have +done so much. Place the crown upon her head, for she is Queen of all +the Forest Fairies now.” +</p> + +<p> +And as the crown shone on the head that Lily-Bell bent down on +Thistle’s breast, the forest seemed alive with little forms, who +sprang from flower and leaf, and gathered round her, bringing gifts +for their new Queen. +</p> + +<p> +“If I am Queen, then you are King, dear Thistle,” said the Fairy. +“Take the crown, and I will have a wreath of flowers. You have toiled +and suffered for my sake, and you alone should rule over these little +Elves whose love you have won.” +</p> + +<p> +“Keep your crown, Lily-Bell, for yonder come the Spirits with their +gifts to Thistle,” said the Brownie. And, as he pointed with his +wand, out from among the mossy roots of an old tree came trooping +the Earth Spirits, their flower-bells ringing softly as they came, +and their jewelled garments glittering in the sun. On to where +Thistledown stood beneath the shadow of the flowers, with Lily-Bell +beside him, went the Spirits; and then forth sprang little Sparkle, +waving a golden flower, whose silvery music filled the air. “Dear +Thistle,” said the shining Spirit, “what you toiled so faithfully +to win for another, let us offer now as a token of our love for you.” +</p> + +<p> +As she ceased, down through the air came floating bands of lovely +Air Spirits, bringing a shining robe, and they too told their love +for the gentle Fairy who had dwelt with them. +</p> + +<p> +Then softly on the breeze came distant music, growing ever nearer, +till over the rippling waves came the singing Water Spirits, in their +boats of many-colored shells; and as they placed their glittering +crown on Thistle’s head, loud rang the flowers, and joyously sang +the birds, while all the Forest Fairies cried, with silvery voices, +“Lily-Bell and Thistledown! Long live our King and Queen!” +</p> + +<p> +“Have you a tale for us too, dear Violet-Eye?” said the Queen, as +Zephyr ceased. The little Elf thus named looked from among the +flower-leaves where she sat, and with a smile replied, “As I was +weaving garlands in the field, I heard a primrose tell this tale +to her friend Golden-Rod.” +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap06"></a> +LITTLE BUD. +</h2> + +<p> +In a great forest, high up among the green boughs, lived Bird +Brown-Breast, and his bright-eyed little mate. They were now very +happy; their home was done, the four blue eggs lay in the soft nest, +and the little wife sat still and patient on them, while the husband +sang, and told her charming tales, and brought her sweet berries +and little worms. +</p> + +<p> +Things went smoothly on, till one day she found in the nest a little +white egg, with a golden band about it. +</p> + +<p> +“My friend,” cried she, “come and see! Where can this fine egg have +come from? My four are here, and this also; what think you of it?” +</p> + +<p> +The husband shook his head gravely, and said, “Be not alarmed, my +love; it is doubtless some good Fairy who has given us this, and we +shall find some gift within; do not let us touch it, but do you sit +carefully upon it, and we shall see in time what has been sent us.” +</p> + +<p> +So they said nothing about it, and soon their home had four little +chirping children; and then the white egg opened, and, behold, +a little maiden lay singing within. Then how amazed were they, +and how they welcomed her, as she lay warm beneath the mother’s wing, +and how the young birds did love her. +</p> + +<p> +Great joy was in the forest, and proud were the parents of their +family, and still more of the little one who had come to them; +while all the neighbors flocked in, to see Dame Brown-Breast’s +little child. And the tiny maiden talked to them, and sang so +merrily, that they could have listened for ever. Soon she was +the joy of the whole forest, dancing from tree to tree, making +every nest her home, and none were ever so welcome as little Bud; +and so they lived right merrily in the green old forest. +</p> + +<p> +The father now had much to do to supply his family with food, and +choice morsels did he bring little Bud. The wild fruits were her +food, the fresh dew in the flower-cups her drink, while the green +leaves served her for little robes; and thus she found garments in +the flowers of the field, and a happy home with Mother Brown-Breast; +and all in the wood, from the stately trees to the little mosses +in the turf, were friends to the merry child. +</p> + +<p> +And each day she taught the young birds sweet songs, and as their gay +music rang through the old forest, the stern, dark pines ceased their +solemn waving, that they might hear the soft sounds stealing through +the dim wood-paths, and mortal children came to listen, saying softly, +“Hear the flowers sing, and touch them not, for the Fairies are here.” +</p> + +<p> +Then came a band of sad little Elves to Bud, praying that they might +hear the sweet music; and when she took them by the hand, and spoke +gently to them, they wept and said sadly, when she asked them whence +they came,— +</p> + +<p> +“We dwelt once in Fairy-Land, and O how happy were we then! But alas! +we were not worthy of so fair a home, and were sent forth into the +cold world. Look at our robes, they are like the withered leaves; +our wings are dim, our crowns are gone, and we lead sad, lonely lives +in this dark forest. Let us stay with you; your gay music sounds +like Fairy songs, and you have such a friendly way with you, and speak +so gently to us. It is good to be near one so lovely and so kind; and +you can tell us how we may again become fair and innocent. Say we may +stay with you, kind little maiden.” +</p> + +<p> +And Bud said, “Yes,” and they stayed; but her kind little heart +was grieved that they wept so sadly, and all she could say could not +make them happy; till at last she said,— +</p> + +<p> +“Do not weep, and I will go to Queen Dew-Drop, and beseech her +to let you come back. I will tell her that you are repentant, +and will do anything to gain her love again; that you are sad, and +long to be forgiven. This will I say, and more, and trust she will +grant my prayer.” +</p> + +<p> +“She will not say no to you, dear Bud,” said the poor little Fairies; +“she will love you as we do, and if we can but come again to our lost +home, we cannot give you thanks enough. Go, Bud, and if there be +power in Fairy gifts, you shall be as happy as our hearts’ best love +can make you.” +</p> + +<p> +The tidings of Bud’s departure flew through the forest, and all her +friends came to say farewell, as with the morning sun she would go; +and each brought some little gift, for the land of Fairies was +far away, and she must journey long. +</p> + +<p> +“Nay, you shall not go on your feet, my child,” said Mother +Brown-Breast; “your friend Golden-Wing shall carry you. Call him +hither, that I may seat you rightly, for if you should fall off +my heart would break.” +</p> + +<p> +Then up came Golden-Wing, and Bud was safely seated on the cushion +of violet-leaves; and it was really charming to see her merry little +face, peeping from under the broad brim of her cow-slip hat, as +her butterfly steed stood waving his bright wings in the sunlight. +Then came the bee with his yellow honey-bags, which he begged she +would take, and the little brown spider that lived under the great +leaves brought a veil for her hat, and besought her to wear it, +lest the sun should shine too brightly; while the ant came bringing a +tiny strawberry, lest she should miss her favorite fruit. The mother +gave her good advice, and the papa stood with his head on one side, +and his round eyes twinkling with delight, to think that his +little Bud was going to Fairy-Land. +</p> + +<p> +Then they all sang gayly together, till she passed out of sight +over the hills, and they saw her no more. +</p> + +<p> +</p> + +<p> +And now Bud left the old forest far behind her. Golden-Wing +bore her swiftly along, and she looked down on the green mountains, +and the peasant’s cottages, that stood among overshadowing trees; +and the earth looked bright, with its broad, blue rivers winding +through soft meadows, the singing birds, and flowers, who kept their +bright eyes ever on the sky. +</p> + +<p> +And she sang gayly as they floated in the clear air, while her friend +kept time with his waving wings, and ever as they went along all grew +fairer; and thus they came to Fairy-Land. +</p> + +<p> +As Bud passed through the gates, she no longer wondered that the +exiled Fairies wept and sorrowed for the lovely home they had lost. +Bright clouds floated in the sunny sky, casting a rainbow light on +the Fairy palaces below, where the Elves were dancing; while the +low, sweet voices of the singing flowers sounded softly through the +fragrant air, and mingled with the music of the rippling waves, as +they flowed on beneath the blossoming vines that drooped above them. +</p> + +<p> +All was bright and beautiful; but kind little Bud would not linger, +for the forms of the weeping Fairies were before her; and +though the blossoms nodded gayly on their stems to welcome her, +and the soft winds kissed her cheek, she would not stay, but on +to the Flower Palace she went, into a pleasant hall whose walls +were formed of crimson roses, amid whose leaves sat little Elves, +making sweet music on their harps. When they saw Bud, they gathered +round her, and led her through the flower-wreathed arches to a group +of the most beautiful Fairies, who were gathered about a stately lily, +in whose fragrant cup sat one whose purple robe and glittering crown +told she was their Queen. +</p> + +<p> +Bud knelt before her, and, while tears streamed down her little face, +she told her errand, and pleaded earnestly that the exiled Fairies +might be forgiven, and not be left to pine far from their friends and +kindred. And as she prayed, many wept with her; and when she ceased, +and waited for her answer, many knelt beside her, praying forgiveness +for the unhappy Elves. +</p> + +<p> +With tearful eyes, Queen Dew-Drop replied,— +</p> + +<p> +“Little maiden, your prayer has softened my heart. They shall not be +left sorrowing and alone, nor shall you go back without a kindly word +to cheer and comfort them. We will pardon their fault, and when they +can bring hither a perfect Fairy crown, robe, and wand, they shall be +again received as children of their loving Queen. The task is hard, +for none but the best and purest can form the Fairy garments; yet with +patience they may yet restore their robes to their former brightness. +Farewell, good little maiden; come with them, for but for you they +would have dwelt for ever without the walls of Fairy-Land.” +</p> + +<p> +“Good speed to you, and farewell,” cried they all, as, with loving +messages to their poor friends, they bore her to the gates. +</p> + +<br/> + +<p> +Day after day toiled little Bud, cheering the Fairies, who, +angry and disappointed, would not listen to her gentle words, +but turned away and sat alone weeping. They grieved her kind heart +with many cruel words; but patiently she bore with them, and when +they told her they could never perform so hard a task, and must dwell +for ever in the dark forest, she answered gently, that the snow-white +lily must be planted, and watered with repentant tears, before the +robe of innocence could be won; that the sun of love must shine +in their hearts, before the light could return to their dim crowns, +and deeds of kindness must be performed, ere the power would come +again to their now useless wands. +</p> + +<p> +Then they planted the lilies; but they soon drooped and died, and +no light came to their crowns. They did no gentle deeds, but cared +only for themselves; and when they found their labor was in vain, +they tried no longer, but sat weeping. Bud, with ceaseless toil and +patient care, tended the lilies, which bloomed brightly, the crowns +grew bright, and in her hands the wands had power over birds and +blossoms, for she was striving to give happiness to others, +forgetful of herself. And the idle Fairies, with thankful words, took +the garments from her, and then with Bud went forth to Fairy-Land, +and stood with beating hearts before the gates; where crowds of Fairy +friends came forth to welcome them. +</p> + +<p> +But when Queen Dew-Drop touched them with her wand, as they passed in, +the light faded from their crowns, their robes became like withered +leaves, and their wands were powerless. +</p> + +<p> +Amid the tears of all the Fairies, the Queen led them to the gates, +and said,— +</p> + +<p> +“Farewell! It is not in my power to aid you; innocence and love are +not within your hearts, and were it not for this untiring little +maiden, who has toiled while you have wept, you never would have +entered your lost home. Go and strive again, for till all is once +more fair and pure, I cannot call you mine.” +</p> + +<p> +“Farewell!” sang the weeping Fairies, as the gates closed on their +outcast friends; who, humbled and broken-hearted, gathered around Bud; +and she, with cheering words, guided them back to the forest. +</p> + +<br/> + +<p> +Time passed on, and the Fairies had done nothing to gain their +lovely home again. They wept no longer, but watched little Bud, +as she daily tended the flowers, restoring their strength and beauty, +or with gentle words flew from nest to nest, teaching the little birds +to live happily together; and wherever she went blessings fell, and +loving hearts were filled with gratitude. +</p> + +<p> +Then, one by one, the Elves secretly did some little work of kindness, +and found a quiet joy come back to repay them. Flowers looked +lovingly up as they passed, birds sang to cheer them when sad thoughts +made them weep. And soon little Bud found out their gentle deeds, +and her friendly words gave them new strength. So day after day +they followed her, and like a band of guardian spirits they flew +far and wide, carrying with them joy and peace. +</p> + +<p> +And not only birds and flowers blessed them, but human beings also; +for with tender hands they guided little children from danger, and +kept their young hearts free from evil thoughts; they whispered +soothing words to the sick, and brought sweet odors and fair flowers +to their lonely rooms. They sent lovely visions to the old and blind, +to make their hearts young and bright with happy thoughts. +</p> + +<p> +But most tenderly did they watch over the poor and sorrowing, +and many a poor mother blessed the unseen hands that laid food +before her hungry little ones, and folded warm garments round +their naked limbs. Many a poor man wondered at the fair flowers +that sprang up in his little garden-plot, cheering him with their +bright forms, and making his dreary home fair with their loveliness, +and looked at his once barren field, where now waved the golden corn, +turning its broad leaves to the warm sun, and promising a store of +golden ears to give him food; while the care-worn face grew bright, +and the troubled heart filled with gratitude towards the invisible +spirits who had brought him such joy. +</p> + +<p> +Thus time passed on, and though the exiled Fairies longed often for +their home, still, knowing they did not deserve it, they toiled on, +hoping one day to see the friends they had lost; while the joy of +their own hearts made their life full of happiness. +</p> + +<p> +One day came little Bud to them, saying,— +</p> + +<p> +“Listen, dear friends. I have a hard task to offer you. It is a +great sacrifice for you light loving Fairies to dwell through the long +winter in the dark, cold earth, watching over the flower roots, to keep +them free from the little grubs and worms that seek to harm them. +But in the sunny Spring when they bloom again, their love and +gratitude will give you happy homes among their bright leaves. +</p> + +<p> +“It is a wearisome task, and I can give you no reward for all your +tender care, but the blessings of the gentle flowers you will have +saved from death. Gladly would I aid you; but my winged friends are +preparing for their journey to warmer lands, and I must help them +teach their little ones to fly, and see them safely on their way. +Then, through the winter, must I seek the dwellings of the poor +and suffering, comfort the sick and lonely, and give hope and courage +to those who in their poverty are led astray. These things must I do; +but when the flowers bloom again I will be with you, to welcome back +our friends from over the sea.” +</p> + +<p> +Then, with tears, the Fairies answered, “Ah, good little Bud, you have +taken the hardest task yourself, and who will repay you for all your +deeds of tenderness and mercy in the great world? Should evil befall +you, our hearts would break. We will labor trustingly in the earth, +and thoughts of you shall cheer us on; for without you we had been +worthless beings, and never known the joy that kindly actions bring. +Yes, dear Bud, we will gladly toil among the roots, that the fair +flowers may wear their gayest robes to welcome you.” +</p> + +<p> +Then deep in the earth the Fairies dwelt, and no frost or snow +could harm the blossoms they tended. Every little seed was laid +in the soft earth, watered, and watched. Tender roots were folded +in withered leaves, that no chilling drops might reach them; and +safely dreamed the flowers, till summer winds should call them forth; +while lighter grew each Fairy heart, as every gentle deed was +tenderly performed. +</p> + +<p> +At length the snow was gone, and they heard little voices calling them +to come up; but patiently they worked, till seed and root were green +and strong. Then, with eager feet, they hastened to the earth above, +where, over hill and valley, bright flowers and budding trees smiled +in the warm sunlight, blossoms bent lovingly before them, and rang +their colored bells, till the fragrant air was full of music; while +the stately trees waved their great arms above them, and scattered +soft leaves at their feet. +</p> + +<p> +Then came the merry birds, making the wood alive with their gay +voices, calling to one another, as they flew among the vines, +building their little homes. Long waited the Elves, and at last +she came with Father Brown-Breast. Happy days passed; and +summer flowers were in their fullest beauty, when Bud bade the Fairies +come with her. +</p> + +<br/> + +<p> +Mounted on bright-winged butterflies, they flew over forest and +meadow, till with joyful eyes they saw the flower-crowned walls +of Fairy-Land. +</p> + +<p> +Before the gates they stood, and soon troops of loving Elves +came forth to meet them. And on through the sunny gardens they went, +into the Lily Hall, where, among the golden stamens of a graceful +flower, sat the Queen; while on the broad, green leaves around it +stood the brighteyed little maids of honor. +</p> + +<p> +Then, amid the deep silence, little Bud, leading the Fairies to the +throne, said,— +</p> + +<p> +“Dear Queen, I here bring back your subjects, wiser for their sorrow, +better for their hard trial; and now might any Queen be proud of them, +and bow to learn from them that giving joy and peace to others +brings it fourfold to us, bearing a double happiness in the blessings +to those we help. Through the dreary months, when they might have +dwelt among fair Southern flowers, beneath a smiling sky, they toiled +in the dark and silent earth, filling the hearts of the gentle Flower +Spirits with grateful love, seeking no reward but the knowledge of +their own good deeds, and the joy they always bring. This they have +done unmurmuringly and alone; and now, far and wide, flower blessings +fall upon them, and the summer winds bear the glad tidings unto those +who droop in sorrow, and new joy and strength it brings, as they look +longingly for the friends whose gentle care hath brought such +happiness to their fair kindred. +</p> + +<p> +“Are they not worthy of your love, dear Queen? Have they not won +their lovely home? Say they are pardoned, and you have gained +the love of hearts pure as the snow-white robes now folded over them.” +</p> + +<p> +As Bud ceased, she touched the wondering Fairies with her wand, +and the dark faded garments fell away; and beneath, the robes +of lily-leaves glittered pure and spotless in the sun-light. +Then, while happy tears fell, Queen Dew-Drop placed the bright crowns +on the bowed heads of the kneeling Fairies, and laid before them +the wands their own good deeds had rendered powerful. +</p> + +<p> +They turned to thank little Bud for all her patient love, +but she was gone; and high above, in the clear air, they saw +the little form journeying back to the quiet forest. +</p> + +<p> +She needed no reward but the joy she had given. The Fairy hearts +were pure again, and her work was done; yet all Fairy-Land had learned +a lesson from gentle little Bud. +</p> + +<br/> + +<p> +“Now, little Sunbeam, what have you to tell us?” said the Queen, +looking down on a bright-eyed Elf, who sat half hidden in the deep +moss at her feet. +</p> + +<p> +“I too, like Star-Twinkle, have nothing but a song to offer,” +replied the Fairy; and then, while the nightingale’s sweet voice +mingled with her own, she sang,— +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap07"></a> +CLOVER-BLOSSOM. +</h2> + +<p class="poem"> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">In a quiet, pleasant meadow,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Beneath a summer sky,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Where green old trees their branches waved,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">And winds went singing by;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Where a little brook went rippling</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">So musically low,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">And passing clouds cast shadows</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">On the waving grass below;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Where low, sweet notes of brooding birds</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Stole out on the fragrant air,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">And golden sunlight shone undimmed</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">On all most fresh and fair;—</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">There bloomed a lovely sisterhood</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Of happy little flowers,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Together in this pleasant home,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Through quiet summer hours.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">No rude hand came to gather them,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">No chilling winds to blight;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Warm sunbeams smiled on them by day,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">And soft dews fell at night.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">So here, along the brook-side,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Beneath the green old trees,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">The flowers dwelt among their friends,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">The sunbeams and the breeze.</span><br/> +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">One morning, as the flowers awoke,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Fragrant, and fresh, and fair,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">A little worm came creeping by,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">And begged a shelter there.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">“Ah! pity and love me,” sighed the worm,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">“I am lonely, poor, and weak;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">A little spot for a resting-place,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Dear flowers, is all I seek.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">I am not fair, and have dwelt unloved</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">By butterfly, bird, and bee.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">They little knew that in this dark form</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Lay the beauty they yet may see.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Then let me lie in the deep green moss,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">And weave my little tomb,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">And sleep my long, unbroken sleep</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Till Spring’s first flowers come.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Then will I come in a fairer dress,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">And your gentle care repay</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">By the grateful love of the humble worm;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Kind flowers, O let me stay!”</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">But the wild rose showed her little thorns,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">While her soft face glowed with pride;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">The violet hid beneath the drooping ferns,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">And the daisy turned aside.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Little Houstonia scornfully laughed,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">As she danced on her slender stem;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">While the cowslip bent to the rippling waves,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">And whispered the tale to them.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">A blue-eyed grass looked down on the worm,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">As it silently turned away,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">And cried, “Thou wilt harm our delicate leaves,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">And therefore thou canst not stay.”</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Then a sweet, soft voice, called out from far,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">“Come hither, poor worm, to me;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">The sun lies warm in this quiet spot,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">And I’ll share my home with thee.”</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">The wondering flowers looked up to see</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Who had offered the worm a home:</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">’T was a clover-blossom, whose fluttering leaves</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Seemed beckoning him to come;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">It dwelt in a sunny little nook,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Where cool winds rustled by,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">And murmuring bees and butterflies came,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">On the flower’s breast to lie.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Down through the leaves the sunlight stole,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">And seemed to linger there,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">As if it loved to brighten the home</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Of one so sweet and fair.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Its rosy face smiled kindly down,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">As the friendless worm drew near;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">And its low voice, softly whispering, said</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">“Poor thing, thou art welcome here;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Close at my side, in the soft green moss,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Thou wilt find a quiet bed,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Where thou canst softly sleep till Spring,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">With my leaves above thee spread.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">I pity and love thee, friendless worm,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Though thou art not graceful or fair;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">For many a dark, unlovely form,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Hath a kind heart dwelling there;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">No more o’er the green and pleasant earth,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Lonely and poor, shalt thou roam,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">For a loving friend hast thou found in me,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">And rest in my little home.”</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Then, deep in its quiet mossy bed,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Sheltered from sun and shower,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">The grateful worm spun its winter tomb,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">In the shadow of the flower.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">And Clover guarded well its rest,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Till Autumn’s leaves were sere,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Till all her sister flowers were gone,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">And her winter sleep drew near.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Then her withered leaves were softly spread</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">O’er the sleeping worm below,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Ere the faithful little flower lay</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Beneath the winter snow.</span><br/> +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Spring came again, and the flowers rose</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">From their quiet winter graves,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">And gayly danced on their slender stems,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">And sang with the rippling waves.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Softly the warm winds kissed their cheeks;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Brightly the sunbeams fell,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">As, one by one, they came again</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">In their summer homes to dwell.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">And little Clover bloomed once more,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Rosy, and sweet, and fair,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">And patiently watched by the mossy bed,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">For the worm still slumbered there.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Then her sister flowers scornfully cried,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">As they waved in the summer air,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">“The ugly worm was friendless and poor;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Little Clover, why shouldst thou care?</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Then watch no more, nor dwell alone,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Away from thy sister flowers;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Come, dance and feast, and spend with us</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">These pleasant summer hours.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">We pity thee, foolish little flower,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">To trust what the false worm said;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">He will not come in a fairer dress,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">For he lies in the green moss dead.”</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">But little Clover still watched on,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Alone in her sunny home;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">She did not doubt the poor worm’s truth,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">And trusted he would come.</span><br/> +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">At last the small cell opened wide,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">And a glittering butterfly,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">From out the moss, on golden wings,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Soared up to the sunny sky.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Then the wondering flowers cried aloud,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">“Clover, thy watch was vain;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">He only sought a shelter here,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">And never will come again.”</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">And the unkind flowers danced for joy,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">When they saw him thus depart;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">For the love of a beautiful butterfly</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Is dear to a flower’s heart.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">They feared he would stay in Clover’s home,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">And her tender care repay;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">So they danced for joy, when at last he rose</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">And silently flew away.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Then little Clover bowed her head,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">While her soft tears fell like dew;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">For her gentle heart was grieved, to find</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">That her sisters’ words were true,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">And the insect she had watched so long</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">When helpless, poor, and lone,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Thankless for all her faithful care,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">On his golden wings had flown.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">But as she drooped, in silent grief,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">She heard little Daisy cry,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">“O sisters, look! I see him now,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Afar in the sunny sky;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">He is floating back from Cloud-Land now,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Borne by the fragrant air.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Spread wide your leaves, that he may choose</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">The flower he deems most fair.”</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Then the wild rose glowed with a deeper blush,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">As she proudly waved on her stem;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">The Cowslip bent to the clear blue waves,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">And made her mirror of them.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Little Houstonia merrily danced,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">And spread her white leaves wide;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">While Daisy whispered her joy and hope,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">As she stood by her gay friends’ side.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Violet peeped from the tall green ferns,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">And lifted her soft blue eye</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">To watch the glittering form, that shone</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Afar in the summer sky.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">They thought no more of the ugly worm,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Who once had wakened their scorn;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">But looked and longed for the butterfly now,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">As the soft wind bore him on.</span><br/> +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Nearer and nearer the bright form came,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">And fairer the blossoms grew;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Each welcomed him, in her sweetest tones;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Each offered her honey and dew.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">But in vain did they beckon, and smile, and call,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">And wider their leaves unclose;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">The glittering form still floated on,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">By Violet, Daisy, and Rose.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Lightly it flew to the pleasant home</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Of the flower most truly fair,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">On Clover’s breast he softly lit,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">And folded his bright wings there.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">“Dear flower,” the butterfly whispered low,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">“Long hast thou waited for me;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Now I am come, and my grateful love</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Shall brighten thy home for thee;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Thou hast loved and cared for me, when alone,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Hast watched o’er me long and well;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">And now will I strive to show the thanks</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">The poor worm could not tell.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Sunbeam and breeze shall come to thee,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">And the coolest dews that fall;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Whate’er a flower can wish is thine,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">For thou art worthy all.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">And the home thou shared with the friendless worm</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">The butterfly’s home shall be;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">And thou shalt find, dear, faithful flower,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">A loving friend in me.”</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Then, through the long, bright summer hours</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Through sunshine and through shower,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Together in their happy home</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Dwelt butterfly and flower.</span><br/> +</p> + +<br/> + +<p> +“Ah, that is very lovely,” cried the Elves, gathering round +little Sunbeam as she ceased, to place a garland in her hair and +praise her song. +</p> + +<p> +“Now,” said the Queen, “call hither Moon-light and Summer-Wind, +for they have seen many pleasant things in their long wanderings, +and will gladly tell us them.” +</p> + +<p> +“Most joyfully will we do our best, dear Queen,” said the Elves, +as they folded their wings beside her. +</p> + +<p> +“Now, Summer-Wind,” said Moonlight, “till your turn comes, do you sit +here and fan me while I tell this tale of +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap08"></a> +LITTLE ANNIE’S DREAM;<br/> +OR,<br/> +THE FAIRY FLOWER.<br/> +</h2> + +<p> +In a large and pleasant garden sat little Annie all alone, and +she seemed very sad, for drops that were not dew fell fast upon the +flowers beside her, who looked wonderingly up, and bent still nearer, +as if they longed to cheer and comfort her. The warm wind lifted up +her shining hair and softly kissed her cheek, while the sunbeams, +looking most kindly in her face, made little rainbows in her tears, +and lingered lovingly about her. But Annie paid no heed to sun, +or wind, or flower; still the bright tears fell, and she forgot +all but her sorrow. +</p> + +<p> +“Little Annie, tell me why you weep,” said a low voice in her ear; +and, looking up, the child beheld a little figure standing on a +vine-leaf at her side; a lovely face smiled on her, from amid +bright locks of hair, and shining wings were folded on a white and +glittering robe, that fluttered in the wind. +</p> + +<p> +“Who are you, lovely little thing?” cried Annie, smiling through +her tears. +</p> + +<p> +“I am a Fairy, little child, and am come to help and comfort you; now +tell me why you weep, and let me be your friend,” replied the spirit, +as she smiled more kindly still on Annie’s wondering face. +</p> + +<p> +“And are you really, then, a little Elf, such as I read of +in my fairy books? Do you ride on butterflies, sleep in flower-cups, +and live among the clouds?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, all these things I do, and many stranger still, that all +your fairy books can never tell; but now, dear Annie,” said the Fairy, +bending nearer, “tell me why I found no sunshine on your face; why are +these great drops shining on the flowers, and why do you sit alone +when BIRD and BEE are calling you to play?” +</p> + +<p> +“Ah, you will not love me any more if I should tell you all,” +said Annie, while the tears began to fall again; “I am not happy, +for I am not good; how shall I learn to be a patient, gentle child? +good little Fairy, will you teach me how?” +</p> + +<p> +“Gladly will I aid you, Annie, and if you truly wish to be +a happy child, you first must learn to conquer many passions that +you cherish now, and make your heart a home for gentle feelings and +happy thoughts; the task is hard, but I will give this fairy flower +to help and counsel you. Bend hither, that I may place it in your +breast; no hand can take it hence, till I unsay the spell that +holds it there.” +</p> + +<p> +As thus she spoke, the Elf took from her bosom a graceful flower, +whose snow-white leaves shone with a strange, soft light. “This is +a fairy flower,” said the Elf, “invisible to every eye save yours; +now listen while I tell its power, Annie. When your heart is filled +with loving thoughts, when some kindly deed has been done, some duty +well performed, then from the flower there will arise the sweetest, +softest fragrance, to reward and gladden you. But when an unkind word +is on your lips, when a selfish, angry feeling rises in your heart, +or an unkind, cruel deed is to be done, then will you hear the soft, +low chime of the flower-bell; listen to its warning, let the word +remain unspoken, the deed undone, and in the quiet joy of your own +heart, and the magic perfume of your bosom flower, you will find +a sweet reward.” +</p> + +<p> +“O kind and generous Fairy, how can I ever thank you for this lovely +gift!” cried Annie. “I will be true, and listen to my little bell +whenever it may ring. But shall I never see YOU more? Ah! if you +would only stay with me, I should indeed be good.” +</p> + +<p> +“I cannot stay now, little Annie,” said the Elf, “but when +another Spring comes round, I shall be here again, to see how well +the fairy gift has done its work. And now farewell, dear child; +be faithful to yourself, and the magic flower will never fade.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the gentle Fairy folded her little arms around Annie’s neck, +laid a soft kiss on her cheek, and, spreading wide her shining wings, +flew singing up among the white clouds floating in the sky. +</p> + +<p> +And little Annie sat among her flowers, and watched with wondering joy +the fairy blossom shining on her breast. +</p> + +<p> +The pleasant days of Spring and Summer passed away, and in +little Annie’s garden Autumn flowers were blooming everywhere, +with each day’s sun and dew growing still more beautiful and bright; +but the fairy flower, that should have been the loveliest of all, +hung pale and drooping on little Annie’s bosom; its fragrance seemed +quite gone, and the clear, low music of its warning chime rang often +in her ear. +</p> + +<p> +When first the Fairy placed it there, she had been pleased with +her new gift, and for a while obeyed the fairy bell, and often tried +to win some fragrance from the flower, by kind and pleasant words +and actions; then, as the Fairy said, she found a sweet reward in +the strange, soft perfume of the magic blossom, as it shone upon her +breast; but selfish thoughts would come to tempt her, she would yield, +and unkind words fell from her lips; and then the flower drooped pale +and scentless, the fairy bell rang mournfully, Annie would forget +her better resolutions, and be again a selfish, wilful little child. +</p> + +<p> +At last she tried no longer, but grew angry with the faithful flower, +and would have torn it from her breast; but the fairy spell still +held it fast, and all her angry words but made it ring a louder, +sadder peal. Then she paid no heed to the silvery music sounding +in her ear, and each day grew still more unhappy, discontented, +and unkind; so, when the Autumn days came round, she was no better +for the gentle Fairy’s gift, and longed for Spring, that it might +be returned; for now the constant echo of the mournful music made her +very sad. +</p> + +<p> +One sunny morning, when the fresh, cool Winds were blowing, +and not a cloud was in the sky, little Annie walked among her flowers, +looking carefully into each, hoping thus to find the Fairy, who alone +could take the magic blossom from her breast. But she lifted up their +drooping leaves, peeped into their dewy cups in vain; no little Elf +lay hidden there, and she turned sadly from them all, saying, “I will +go out into the fields and woods, and seek her there. I will not +listen to this tiresome music more, nor wear this withered flower +longer.” So out into the fields she went, where the long grass +rustled as she passed, and timid birds looked at her from their nests; +where lovely wild-flowers nodded in the wind, and opened wide their +fragrant leaves, to welcome in the murmuring bees, while butterflies, +like winged flowers, danced and glittered in the sun. +</p> + +<p> +Little Annie looked, searched, and asked them all if any one +could tell her of the Fairy whom she sought; but the birds looked +wonderingly at her with their soft, bright eyes, and still sang on; +the flowers nodded wisely on their stems, but did not speak, +while butterfly and bee buzzed and fluttered away, one far too busy, +the other too idle, to stay and tell her what she asked. +</p> + +<p> +Then she went through broad fields of yellow grain, that waved +around her like a golden forest; here crickets chirped, grasshoppers +leaped, and busy ants worked, but they could not tell her what +she longed to know. +</p> + +<p> +“Now will I go among the hills,” said Annie, “she may be there.” +So up and down the green hill-sides went her little feet; long she +searched and vainly she called; but still no Fairy came. Then +by the river-side she went, and asked the gay dragon-flies, and the +cool white lilies, if the Fairy had been there; but the blue waves +rippled on the white sand at her feet, and no voice answered her. +</p> + +<p> +Then into the forest little Annie went; and as she passed along the +dim, cool paths, the wood-flowers smiled up in her face, gay squirrels +peeped at her, as they swung amid the vines, and doves cooed softly +as she wandered by; but none could answer her. So, weary with +her long and useless search, she sat amid the ferns, and feasted +on the rosy strawberries that grew beside her, watching meanwhile +the crimson evening clouds that glowed around the setting sun. +</p> + +<p> +The night-wind rustled through the boughs, rocking the flowers +to sleep; the wild birds sang their evening hymns, and all within +the wood grew calm and still; paler and paler grew the purple light, +lower and lower drooped little Annie’s head, the tall ferns bent +to shield her from the dew, the whispering pines sang a soft lullaby; +and when the Autumn moon rose up, her silver light shone on the child, +where, pillowed on green moss, she lay asleep amid the wood-flowers +in the dim old forest. +</p> + +<p> +And all night long beside her stood the Fairy she had sought, and +by elfin spell and charm sent to the sleeping child this dream. +</p> + +<p> +Little Annie dreamed she sat in her own garden, as she had often +sat before, with angry feelings in her heart, and unkind words upon +her lips. The magic flower was ringing its soft warning, but she paid +no heed to anything, save her own troubled thoughts; thus she sat, +when suddenly a low voice whispered in her ear,— +</p> + +<p> +“Little Annie, look and see the evil things that you are cherishing; +I will clothe in fitting shapes the thoughts and feelings that now +dwell within your heart, and you shall see how great their power +becomes, unless you banish them for ever.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Annie saw, with fear and wonder, that the angry words she uttered +changed to dark, unlovely forms, each showing plainly from what fault +or passion it had sprung. Some of the shapes had scowling faces and +bright, fiery eyes; these were the spirits of Anger. Others, with +sullen, anxious looks, seemed gathering up all they could reach, and +Annie saw that the more they gained, the less they seemed to have; +and these she knew were shapes of Selfishness. Spirits of Pride were +there, who folded their shadowy garments round them, and turned +scornfully away from all the rest. These and many others +little Annie saw, which had come from her own heart, and taken form +before her eyes. +</p> + +<p> +When first she saw them, they were small and weak; but as she looked +they seemed to grow and gather strength, and each gained a +strange power over her. She could not drive them from her sight, +and they grew ever stronger, darker, and more unlovely to her eyes. +They seemed to cast black shadows over all around, to dim the +sunshine, blight the flowers, and drive away all bright and lovely +things; while rising slowly round her Annie saw a high, dark wall, +that seemed to shut out everything she loved; she dared not move, +or speak, but, with a strange fear at her heart, sat watching the dim +shapes that hovered round her. +</p> + +<p> +Higher and higher rose the shadowy wall, slowly the flowers near her +died, lingeringly the sunlight faded; but at last they both were gone, +and left her all alone behind the gloomy wall. Then the spirits +gathered round her, whispering strange things in her ear, bidding her +obey, for by her own will she had yielded up her heart to be their +home, and she was now their slave. Then she could hear no more, but, +sinking down among the withered flowers, wept sad and bitter tears, +for her lost liberty and joy; then through the gloom there shone +a faint, soft light, and on her breast she saw her fairy flower, +upon whose snow-white leaves her tears lay shining. +</p> + +<p> +Clearer and brighter grew the radiant light, till the evil spirits +turned away to the dark shadow of the wall, and left the child alone. +</p> + +<p> +The light and perfume of the flower seemed to bring new strength +to Annie, and she rose up, saying, as she bent to kiss the blossom +on her breast, “Dear flower, help and guide me now, and I will listen +to your voice, and cheerfully obey my faithful fairy bell.” +</p> + +<p> +Then in her dream she felt how hard the spirits tried to tempt +and trouble her, and how, but for her flower, they would have led +her back, and made all dark and dreary as before. Long and hard +she struggled, and tears often fell; but after each new trial, +brighter shone her magic flower, and sweeter grew its breath, while +the spirits lost still more their power to tempt her. Meanwhile, +green, flowering vines crept up the high, dark wall, and hid its +roughness from her sight; and over these she watched most tenderly, +for soon, wherever green leaves and flowers bloomed, the wall beneath +grew weak, and fell apart. Thus little Annie worked and hoped, +till one by one the evil spirits fled away, and in their place +came shining forms, with gentle eyes and smiling lips, who gathered +round her with such loving words, and brought such strength and joy +to Annie’s heart, that nothing evil dared to enter in; while slowly +sank the gloomy wall, and, over wreaths of fragrant flowers, she +passed out into the pleasant world again, the fairy gift no longer +pale and drooping, but now shining like a star upon her breast. +</p> + +<p> +Then the low voice spoke again in Annie’s sleeping ear, saying, +“The dark, unlovely passions you have looked upon are in your heart; +watch well while they are few and weak, lest they should darken your +whole life, and shut out love and happiness for ever. Remember well +the lesson of the dream, dear child, and let the shining spirits +make your heart their home.” +</p> + +<p> +And with that voice sounding in her ear, little Annie woke to find +it was a dream; but like other dreams it did not pass away; and as she +sat alone, bathed in the rosy morning light, and watched the forest +waken into life, she thought of the strange forms she had seen, and, +looking down upon the flower on her breast, she silently resolved to +strive, as she had striven in her dream, to bring back light and +beauty to its faded leaves, by being what the Fairy hoped to render +her, a patient, gentle little child. And as the thought came to her +mind, the flower raised its drooping head, and, looking up into the +earnest little face bent over it, seemed by its fragrant breath to +answer Annie’s silent thought, and strengthen her for what might come. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile the forest was astir, birds sang their gay good-morrows +from tree to tree, while leaf and flower turned to greet the sun, +who rose up smiling on the world; and so beneath the forest boughs +and through the dewy fields went little Annie home, better and wiser +for her dream. +</p> + +<br/> + +<p> +Autumn flowers were dead and gone, yellow leaves lay rustling on the +ground, bleak winds went whistling through the naked trees, and cold, +white Winter snow fell softly down; yet now, when all without looked +dark and dreary, on little Annie’s breast the fairy flower bloomed +more beautiful than ever. The memory of her forest dream had never +passed away, and through trial and temptation she had been true, and +kept her resolution still unbroken; seldom now did the warning bell +sound in her ear, and seldom did the flower’s fragrance cease to float +about her, or the fairy light to brighten all whereon it fell. +</p> + +<p> +So, through the long, cold Winter, little Annie dwelt like a sunbeam +in her home, each day growing richer in the love of others, and +happier in herself; often was she tempted, but, remembering her dream, +she listened only to the music of the fairy bell, and the unkind +thought or feeling fled away, the smiling spirits of gentleness +and love nestled in her heart, and all was bright again. +</p> + +<p> +So better and happier grew the child, fairer and sweeter grew the +flower, till Spring came smiling over the earth, and woke the flowers, +set free the streams, and welcomed back the birds; then daily did +the happy child sit among her flowers, longing for the gentle Elf +to come again, that she might tell her gratitude for all the magic +gift had done. +</p> + +<p> +At length, one day, as she sat singing in the sunny nook where +all her fairest flowers bloomed, weary with gazing at the far-off sky +for the little form she hoped would come, she bent to look with joyful +love upon her bosom flower; and as she looked, its folded leaves +spread wide apart, and, rising slowly from the deep white cup, +appeared the smiling face of the lovely Elf whose coming she had +waited for so long. +</p> + +<p> +“Dear Annie, look for me no longer; I am here on your own breast, +for you have learned to love my gift, and it has done its work +most faithfully and well,” the Fairy said, as she looked into the +happy child’s bright face, and laid her little arms most tenderly +about her neck. +</p> + +<p> +“And now have I brought another gift from Fairy-Land, as a fit reward +for you, dear child,” she said, when Annie had told all her gratitude +and love; then, touching the child with her shining wand, the Fairy +bid her look and listen silently. +</p> + +<p> +And suddenly the world seemed changed to Annie; for the air was filled +with strange, sweet sounds, and all around her floated lovely forms. +In every flower sat little smiling Elves, singing gayly as they rocked +amid the leaves. On every breeze, bright, airy spirits came floating +by; some fanned her cheek with their cool breath, and waved her long +hair to and fro, while others rang the flower-bells, and made a +pleasant rustling among the leaves. In the fountain, where the water +danced and sparkled in the sun, astride of every drop she saw merry +little spirits, who plashed and floated in the clear, cool waves, and +sang as gayly as the flowers, on whom they scattered glittering dew. +The tall trees, as their branches rustled in the wind, sang a low, +dreamy song, while the waving grass was filled with little voices +she had never heard before. Butterflies whispered lovely tales in +her ear, and birds sang cheerful songs in a sweet language she had +never understood before. Earth and air seemed filled with beauty +and with music she had never dreamed of until now. +</p> + +<p> +“O tell me what it means, dear Fairy! is it another and a lovelier +dream, or is the earth in truth so beautiful as this?” she cried, +looking with wondering joy upon the Elf, who lay upon the flower +in her breast. +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, it is true, dear child,” replied the Fairy, “and few are the +mortals to whom we give this lovely gift; what to you is now so full +of music and of light, to others is but a pleasant summer world; +they never know the language of butterfly or bird or flower, and they +are blind to all that I have given you the power to see. These fair +things are your friends and playmates now, and they will teach you +many pleasant lessons, and give you many happy hours; while the garden +where you once sat, weeping sad and bitter tears, is now brightened +by your own happiness, filled with loving friends by your own kindly +thoughts and feelings; and thus rendered a pleasant summer home +for the gentle, happy child, whose bosom flower will never fade. +And now, dear Annie, I must go; but every Springtime, with the +earliest flowers, will I come again to visit you, and bring +some fairy gift. Guard well the magic flower, that I may find all +fair and bright when next I come.” +</p> + +<p> +Then, with a kind farewell, the gentle Fairy floated upward +through the sunny air, smiling down upon the child, until she vanished +in the soft, white clouds, and little Annie stood alone in her +enchanted garden, where all was brightened with the radiant light, +and fragrant with the perfume of her fairy flower. +</p> + +<br/> + +<p> +When Moonlight ceased, Summer-Wind laid down her rose-leaf fan, and, +leaning back in her acorn cup, told this tale of +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap09"></a> +RIPPLE, THE WATER-SPIRIT. +</h2> + +<p> +Down in the deep blue sea lived Ripple, a happy little Water-Spirit; +all day long she danced beneath the coral arches, made garlands +of bright ocean flowers, or floated on the great waves that sparkled +in the sunlight; but the pastime that she loved best was lying +in the many-colored shells upon the shore, listening to the low, +murmuring music the waves had taught them long ago; and here +for hours the little Spirit lay watching the sea and sky, while +singing gayly to herself. +</p> + +<p> +But when tempests rose, she hastened down below the stormy billows, +to where all was calm and still, and with her sister Spirits waited +till it should be fair again, listening sadly, meanwhile, to the cries +of those whom the wild waves wrecked and cast into the angry sea, +and who soon came floating down, pale and cold, to the Spirits’ +pleasant home; then they wept pitying tears above the lifeless forms, +and laid them in quiet graves, where flowers bloomed, and jewels +sparkled in the sand. +</p> + +<p> +This was Ripple’s only grief, and she often thought of those who +sorrowed for the friends they loved, who now slept far down in the dim +and silent coral caves, and gladly would she have saved the lives +of those who lay around her; but the great ocean was far mightier than +all the tender-hearted Spirits dwelling in its bosom. Thus she could +only weep for them, and lay them down to sleep where no cruel waves +could harm them more. +</p> + +<p> +One day, when a fearful storm raged far and wide, and the Spirits saw +great billows rolling like heavy clouds above their heads, and heard +the wild winds sounding far away, down through the foaming waves +a little child came floating to their home; its eyes were closed as if +in sleep, the long hair fell like sea-weed round its pale, cold face, +and the little hands still clasped the shells they had been gathering +on the beach, when the great waves swept it into the troubled sea. +</p> + +<p> +With tender tears the Spirits laid the little form to rest upon its +bed of flowers, and, singing mournful songs, as if to make its sleep +more calm and deep, watched long and lovingly above it, till the storm +had died away, and all was still again. +</p> + +<p> +While Ripple sang above the little child, through the distant roar +of winds and waves she heard a wild, sorrowing voice, that seemed to +call for help. Long she listened, thinking it was but the echo of +their own plaintive song, but high above the music still sounded +the sad, wailing cry. Then, stealing silently away, she glided up +through foam and spray, till, through the parting clouds, the sunlight +shone upon her from the tranquil sky; and, guided by the mournful +sound, she floated on, till, close before her on the beach, she saw +a woman stretching forth her arms, and with a sad, imploring voice +praying the restless sea to give her back the little child it had +so cruelly borne away. But the waves dashed foaming up among the +bare rocks at her feet, mingling their cold spray with her tears, +and gave no answer to her prayer. +</p> + +<p> +When Ripple saw the mother’s grief, she longed to comfort her; +so, bending tenderly beside her, where she knelt upon the shore, +the little Spirit told her how her child lay softly sleeping, far down +in a lovely place, where sorrowing tears were shed, and gentle hands +laid garlands over him. But all in vain she whispered kindly words; +the weeping mother only cried,— +</p> + +<p> +“Dear Spirit, can you use no charm or spell to make the waves bring +back my child, as full of life and strength as when they swept him +from my side? O give me back my little child, or let me lie beside +him in the bosom of the cruel sea.” +</p> + +<p> +“Most gladly will I help you if I can, though I have little power +to use; then grieve no more, for I will search both earth and sea, +to find some friend who can bring back all you have lost. Watch daily +on the shore, and if I do not come again, then you will know my search +has been in vain. Farewell, poor mother, you shall see your little +child again, if Fairy power can win him back.” And with these +cheering words Ripple sprang into the sea; while, smiling through her +tears, the woman watched the gentle Spirit, till her bright crown +vanished in the waves. +</p> + +<p> +When Ripple reached her home, she hastened to the palace of the Queen, +and told her of the little child, the sorrowing mother, and the +promise she had made. +</p> + +<p> +“Good little Ripple,” said the Queen, when she had told her all, +“your promise never can be kept; there is no power below the sea +to work this charm, and you can never reach the Fire-Spirits’ home, +to win from them a flame to warm the little body into life. I pity +the poor mother, and would most gladly help her; but alas! I am a +Spirit like yourself, and cannot serve you as I long to do.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ah, dear Queen! if you had seen her sorrow, you too would seek to +keep the promise I have made. I cannot let her watch for ME in +vain, till I have done my best: then tell me where the Fire-Spirits +dwell, and I will ask of them the flame that shall give life to the +little child and such great happiness to the sad, lonely mother: +tell me the path, and let me go.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is far, far away, high up above the sun, where no Spirit ever +dared to venture yet,” replied the Queen. “I cannot show the path, +for it is through the air. Dear Ripple, do not go, for you can +never reach that distant place: some harm most surely will befall; +and then how shall we live, without our dearest, gentlest Spirit? +Stay here with us in your own pleasant home, and think no more of this, +for I can never let you go.” +</p> + +<p> +But Ripple would not break the promise she had made, and besought +so earnestly, and with such pleading words, that the Queen at last +with sorrow gave consent, and Ripple joyfully prepared to go. She, +with her sister Spirits, built up a tomb of delicate, bright-colored +shells, wherein the child might lie, till she should come to wake him +into life; then, praying them to watch most faithfully above it, +she said farewell, and floated bravely forth, on her long, unknown +journey, far away. +</p> + +<p> +“I will search the broad earth till I find a path up to the sun, +or some kind friend who will carry me; for, alas! I have no wings, +and cannot glide through the blue air as through the sea,” said Ripple +to herself, as she went dancing over the waves, which bore her swiftly +onward towards a distant shore. +</p> + +<p> +Long she journeyed through the pathless ocean, with no friends +to cheer her, save the white sea-birds who went sweeping by, and +only stayed to dip their wide wings at her side, and then flew +silently away. Sometimes great ships sailed by, and then with +longing eyes did the little Spirit gaze up at the faces that looked +down upon the sea; for often they were kind and pleasant ones, and +she gladly would have called to them and asked them to be friends. +But they would never understand the strange, sweet language that +she spoke, or even see the lovely face that smiled at them above the +waves; her blue, transparent garments were but water to their eyes, +and the pearl chains in her hair but foam and sparkling spray; so, +hoping that the sea would be most gentle with them, silently she +floated on her way, and left them far behind. +</p> + +<p> +At length green hills were seen, and the waves gladly bore the little +Spirit on, till, rippling gently over soft white sand, they left her +on the pleasant shore. +</p> + +<p> +“Ah, what a lovely place it is!” said Ripple, as she passed through +sunny valleys, where flowers began to bloom, and young leaves rustled +on the trees. +</p> + +<p> +“Why are you all so gay, dear birds?” she asked, as their cheerful +voices sounded far and near; “is there a festival over the earth, +that all is so beautiful and bright?” +</p> + +<p> +“Do you not know that Spring is coming? The warm winds whispered it +days ago, and we are learning the sweetest songs, to welcome her +when she shall come,” sang the lark, soaring away as the music gushed +from his little throat. +</p> + +<p> +“And shall I see her, Violet, as she journeys over the earth?” asked +Ripple again. +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, you will meet her soon, for the sunlight told me she was near; +tell her we long to see her again, and are waiting to welcome her +back,” said the blue flower, dancing for joy on her stem, as she +nodded and smiled on the Spirit. +</p> + +<p> +“I will ask Spring where the Fire-Spirits dwell; she travels over +the earth each year, and surely can show me the way,” thought Ripple, +as she went journeying on. +</p> + +<p> +Soon she saw Spring come smiling over the earth; sunbeams and breezes +floated before, and then, with her white garments covered with +flowers, with wreaths in her hair, and dew-drops and seeds falling +fast from her hands the beautiful season came singing by. +</p> + +<p> +“Dear Spring, will you listen, and help a poor little Spirit, +who seeks far and wide for the Fire-Spirits’ home?” cried Ripple; and +then told why she was there, and begged her to tell what she sought. +</p> + +<p> +“The Fire-Spirits’ home is far, far away, and I cannot guide you +there; but Summer is coming behind me,” said Spring, “and she may know +better than I. But I will give you a breeze to help you on your way; +it will never tire nor fail, but bear you easily over land and sea. +Farewell, little Spirit! I would gladly do more, but voices are +calling me far and wide, and I cannot stay.” +</p> + +<p> +“Many thanks, kind Spring!” cried Ripple, as she floated away on the +breeze; “give a kindly word to the mother who waits on the shore, and +tell her I have not forgotten my vow, but hope soon to see her again.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Spring flew on with her sunshine and flowers, and Ripple went +swiftly over hill and vale, till she came to the land where Summer +was dwelling. Here the sun shone warmly down on the early fruit, +the winds blew freshly over fields of fragrant hay, and rustled with +a pleasant sound among the green leaves in the forests; heavy dews +fell softly down at night, and long, bright days brought strength +and beauty to the blossoming earth. +</p> + +<p> +“Now I must seek for Summer,” said Ripple, as she sailed slowly +through the sunny sky. +</p> + +<p> +“I am here, what would you with me, little Spirit?” said a musical +voice in her ear; and, floating by her side, she saw a graceful form, +with green robes fluttering in the air, whose pleasant face looked +kindly on her, from beneath a crown of golden sunbeams that cast +a warm, bright glow on all beneath. +</p> + +<p> +Then Ripple told her tale, and asked where she should go; but +Summer answered,— +</p> + +<p> +“I can tell no more than my young sister Spring where you may find +the Spirits that you seek; but I too, like her, will give a gift to +aid you. Take this sunbeam from my crown; it will cheer and brighten +the most gloomy path through which you pass. Farewell! I shall carry +tidings of you to the watcher by the sea, if in my journey round the +world I find her there.” +</p> + +<p> +And Summer, giving her the sunbeam, passed away over the distant +hills, leaving all green and bright behind her. +</p> + +<p> +So Ripple journeyed on again, till the earth below her shone +with yellow harvests waving in the sun, and the air was filled +with cheerful voices, as the reapers sang among the fields or in +the pleasant vineyards, where purple fruit hung gleaming through +the leaves; while the sky above was cloudless, and the changing +forest-trees shone like a many-colored garland, over hill and plain; +and here, along the ripening corn-fields, with bright wreaths of +crimson leaves and golden wheat-ears in her hair and on her purple +mantle, stately Autumn passed, with a happy smile on her calm face, +as she went scattering generous gifts from her full arms. +</p> + +<p> +But when the wandering Spirit came to her, and asked for what she +sought, this season, like the others, could not tell her where to go; +so, giving her a yellow leaf, Autumn said, as she passed on,— +</p> + +<p> +“Ask Winter, little Ripple, when you come to his cold home; he knows +the Fire-Spirits well, for when he comes they fly to the earth, +to warm and comfort those dwelling there; and perhaps he can tell you +where they are. So take this gift of mine, and when you meet his +chilly winds, fold it about you, and sit warm beneath its shelter, +till you come to sunlight again. I will carry comfort to the +patient woman, as my sisters have already done, and tell her you are +faithful still.” +</p> + +<p> +Then on went the never-tiring Breeze, over forest, hill, and field, +till the sky grew dark, and bleak winds whistled by. Then Ripple, +folded in the soft, warm leaf, looked sadly down on the earth, +that seemed to lie so desolate and still beneath its shroud of snow, +and thought how bitter cold the leaves and flowers must be; for the +little Water-Spirit did not know that Winter spread a soft white +covering above their beds, that they might safely sleep below till +Spring should waken them again. So she went sorrowfully on, till +Winter, riding on the strong North-Wind, came rushing by, with +a sparkling ice-crown in his streaming hair, while from beneath his +crimson cloak, where glittering frost-work shone like silver threads, +he scattered snow-flakes far and wide. +</p> + +<p> +“What do you seek with me, fair little Spirit, that you come +so bravely here amid my ice and snow? Do not fear me; I am warm +at heart, though rude and cold without,” said Winter, looking kindly +on her, while a bright smile shone like sunlight on his pleasant face, +as it glowed and glistened in the frosty air. +</p> + +<p> +When Ripple told him why she had come, he pointed upward, where the +sunlight dimly shone through the heavy clouds, saying,— +</p> + +<p> +“Far off there, beside the sun, is the Fire-Spirits’ home; and the +only path is up, through cloud and mist. It is a long, strange path, +for a lonely little Spirit to be going; the Fairies are wild, wilful +things, and in their play may harm and trouble you. Come back with +me, and do not go this dangerous journey to the sky. I’ll gladly +bear you home again, if you will come.” +</p> + +<p> +But Ripple said, “I cannot turn back now, when I am nearly there. +The Spirits surely will not harm me, when I tell them why I am come; +and if I win the flame, I shall be the happiest Spirit in the sea, +for my promise will be kept, and the poor mother happy once again. +So farewell, Winter! Speak to her gently, and tell her to hope still, +for I shall surely come.” +</p> + +<p> +“Adieu, little Ripple! May good angels watch above you! Journey +bravely on, and take this snow-flake that will never melt, as MY +gift,” Winter cried, as the North-Wind bore him on, leaving a cloud +of falling snow behind. +</p> + +<p> +“Now, dear Breeze,” said Ripple, “fly straight upward through the air, +until we reach the place we have so long been seeking; Sunbeam shall +go before to light the way, Yellow-leaf shall shelter me from heat and +rain, while Snow-flake shall lie here beside me till it comes of use. +So farewell to the pleasant earth, until we come again. And now away, +up to the sun!” +</p> + +<p> +When Ripple first began her airy journey, all was dark and dreary; +heavy clouds lay piled like hills around her, and a cold mist +filled the air but the Sunbeam, like a star, lit up the way, the leaf +lay warmly round her, and the tireless wind went swiftly on. Higher +and higher they floated up, still darker and darker grew the air, +closer the damp mist gathered, while the black clouds rolled and +tossed, like great waves, to and fro. +</p> + +<p> +“Ah!” sighed the weary little Spirit, “shall I never see the light +again, or feel the warm winds on my cheek? It is a dreary way indeed, +and but for the Seasons’ gifts I should have perished long ago; but +the heavy clouds MUST pass away at last, and all be fair again. +So hasten on, good Breeze, and bring me quickly to my journey’s end.” +</p> + +<p> +Soon the cold vapors vanished from her path, and sunshine shone +upon her pleasantly; so she went gayly on, till she came up among +the stars, where many new, strange sights were to be seen. With +wondering eyes she looked upon the bright worlds that once seemed dim +and distant, when she gazed upon them from the sea; but now they moved +around her, some shining with a softly radiant light, some circled +with bright, many-colored rings, while others burned with a red, +angry glare. Ripple would have gladly stayed to watch them longer, +for she fancied low, sweet voices called her, and lovely faces +seemed to look upon her as she passed; but higher up still, nearer +to the sun, she saw a far-off light, that glittered like a brilliant +crimson star, and seemed to cast a rosy glow along the sky. +</p> + +<p> +“The Fire-Spirits surely must be there, and I must stay no longer +here,” said Ripple. So steadily she floated on, till straight +before her lay a broad, bright path, that led up to a golden arch, +beyond which she could see shapes flitting to and fro. As she drew +near, brighter glowed the sky, hotter and hotter grew the air, till +Ripple’s leaf-cloak shrivelled up, and could no longer shield her from +the heat; then she unfolded the white snow-flake, and, gladly wrapping +the soft, cool mantle round her, entered through the shining arch. +</p> + +<p> +Through the red mist that floated all around her, she could see +high walls of changing light, where orange, blue, and violet flames +went flickering to and fro, making graceful figures as they danced +and glowed; and underneath these rainbow arches, little Spirits +glided, far and near, wearing crowns of fire, beneath which flashed +their wild, bright eyes; and as they spoke, sparks dropped quickly +from their lips, and Ripple saw with wonder, through their garments +of transparent light, that in each Fairy’s breast there burned a +steady flame, that never wavered or went out. +</p> + +<p> +As thus she stood, the Spirits gathered round her, and their +hot breath would have scorched her, but she drew the snow-cloak +closer round her, saying,— +</p> + +<p> +“Take me to your Queen, that I may tell her why I am here, and ask +for what I seek.” +</p> + +<p> +So, through long halls of many-colored fire, they led her to +a Spirit fairer than the rest, whose crown of flames waved to and fro +like golden plumes, while, underneath her violet robe, the light +within her breast glowed bright and strong. +</p> + +<p> +“This is our Queen,” the Spirits said, bending low before her, +as she turned her gleaming eyes upon the stranger they had brought. +</p> + +<p> +Then Ripple told how she had wandered round the world in search +of them, how the Seasons had most kindly helped her on, by giving +Sun-beam, Breeze, Leaf, and Flake; and how, through many dangers, she +had come at last to ask of them the magic flame that could give life +to the little child again. +</p> + +<p> +When she had told her tale, the spirits whispered earnestly +among themselves, while sparks fell thick and fast with every word; +at length the Fire-Queen said aloud,— +</p> + +<p> +“We cannot give the flame you ask, for each of us must take a part +of it from our own breasts; and this we will not do, for the brighter +our bosom-fire burns, the lovelier we are. So do not ask us for this +thing; but any other gift we will most gladly give, for we feel kindly +towards you, and will serve you if we may.” +</p> + +<p> +But Ripple asked no other boon, and, weeping sadly, begged them +not to send her back without the gift she had come so far to gain. +</p> + +<p> +“O dear, warm-hearted Spirits! give me each a little light from your +own breasts, and surely they will glow the brighter for this kindly +deed; and I will thankfully repay it if I can.” As thus she spoke, +the Queen, who had spied out a chain of jewels Ripple wore upon her +neck, replied,— +</p> + +<p> +“If you will give me those bright, sparkling stones, I will bestow on +you a part of my own flame; for we have no such lovely things to wear +about our necks, and I desire much to have them. Will you give it me +for what I offer, little Spirit?” +</p> + +<p> +Joyfully Ripple gave her the chain; but, as soon as it touched her +hand, the jewels melted like snow, and fell in bright drops to the +ground; at this the Queen’s eyes flashed, and the Spirits gathered +angrily about poor Ripple, who looked sadly at the broken chain, +and thought in vain what she could give, to win the thing she longed +so earnestly for. +</p> + +<p> +“I have many fairer gems than these, in my home below the sea; +and I will bring all I can gather far and wide, if you will grant +my prayer, and give me what I seek,” she said, turning gently to +the fiery Spirits, who were hovering fiercely round her. +</p> + +<p> +“You must bring us each a jewel that will never vanish from our hands +as these have done,” they said, “and we will each give of our fire; +and when the child is brought to life, you must bring hither all the +jewels you can gather from the depths of the sea, that we may try them +here among the flames; but if they melt away like these, then we shall +keep you prisoner, till you give us back the light we lend. If you +consent to this, then take our gift, and journey home again; but +fail not to return, or we shall seek you out.” +</p> + +<p> +And Ripple said she would consent, though she knew not if the jewels +could be found; still, thinking of the promise she had made, she +forgot all else, and told the Spirits what they asked most surely +should be done. So each one gave a little of the fire from their +breasts, and placed the flame in a crystal vase, through which +it shone and glittered like a star. +</p> + +<p> +Then, bidding her remember all she had promised them, they led her +to the golden arch, and said farewell. +</p> + +<p> +So, down along the shining path, through mist and cloud, she +travelled back; till, far below, she saw the broad blue sea she left +so long ago. +</p> + +<p> +Gladly she plunged into the clear, cool waves, and floated back +to her pleasant home; where the Spirits gathered joyfully about her, +listening with tears and smiles, as she told all her many wanderings, +and showed the crystal vase that she had brought. +</p> + +<p> +“Now come,” said they, “and finish the good work you have so bravely +carried on.” So to the quiet tomb they went, where, like a marble +image, cold and still, the little child was lying. Then Ripple placed +the flame upon his breast, and watched it gleam and sparkle there, +while light came slowly back into the once dim eyes, a rosy glow shone +over the pale face, and breath stole through the parted lips; still +brighter and warmer burned the magic fire, until the child awoke +from his long sleep, and looked in smiling wonder at the faces bending +over him. +</p> + +<p> +Then Ripple sang for joy, and, with her sister Spirits, robed the +child in graceful garments, woven of bright sea-weed, while in +his shining hair they wreathed long garlands of their fairest flowers, +and on his little arms hung chains of brilliant shells. +</p> + +<p> +“Now come with us, dear child,” said Ripple; “we will bear you safely +up into the sunlight and the pleasant air; for this is not your home, +and yonder, on the shore, there waits a loving friend for you.” +</p> + +<p> +So up they went, through foam and spray, till on the beach, where +the fresh winds played among her falling hair, and the waves broke +sparkling at her feet, the lonely mother still stood, gazing wistfully +across the sea. Suddenly, upon a great blue billow that came rolling +in, she saw the Water-Spirits smiling on her; and high aloft, in their +white gleaming arms, her child stretched forth his hands to welcome +her; while the little voice she so longed to hear again cried gayly,— +</p> + +<p> +“See, dear mother, I am come; and look what lovely things the +gentle Spirits gave, that I might seem more beautiful to you.” +</p> + +<p> +Then gently the great wave broke, and rolled back to the sea, leaving +Ripple on the shore, and the child clasped in his mother’s arms. +</p> + +<p> +“O faithful little Spirit! I would gladly give some precious gift +to show my gratitude for this kind deed; but I have nothing save +this chain of little pearls: they are the tears I shed, and the sea +has changed them thus, that I might offer them to you,” the happy +mother said, when her first joy was passed, and Ripple turned to go. +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, I will gladly wear your gift, and look upon it as my fairest +ornament,” the Water-Spirit said; and with the pearls upon her breast, +she left the shore, where the child was playing gayly to and fro, +and the mother’s glad smile shone upon her, till she sank beneath +the waves. +</p> + +<p> +And now another task was to be done; her promise to the +Fire-Spirits must be kept. So far and wide she searched among +the caverns of the sea, and gathered all the brightest jewels +shining there; and then upon her faithful Breeze once more went +journeying through the sky. +</p> + +<p> +The Spirits gladly welcomed her, and led her to the Queen, +before whom she poured out the sparkling gems she had gathered +with such toil and care; but when the Spirits tried to form them +into crowns, they trickled from their hands like colored drops of dew, +and Ripple saw with fear and sorrow how they melted one by one away, +till none of all the many she had brought remained. Then the +Fire-Spirits looked upon her angrily, and when she begged them +to be merciful, and let her try once more, saying,— +</p> + +<p> +“Do not keep me prisoner here. I cannot breathe the flames that +give you life, and but for this snow-mantle I too should melt away, +and vanish like the jewels in your hands. O dear Spirits, give me +some other task, but let me go from this warm place, where all is +strange and fearful to a Spirit of the sea.” +</p> + +<p> +They would not listen; and drew nearer, saying, while bright sparks +showered from their lips, “We will not let you go, for you have +promised to be ours if the gems you brought proved worthless; so fling +away this cold white cloak, and bathe with us in the fire fountains, +and help us bring back to our bosom flames the light we gave you +for the child.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Ripple sank down on the burning floor, and felt that her life +was nearly done; for she well knew the hot air of the fire-palace +would be death to her. The Spirits gathered round, and began to lift +her mantle off; but underneath they saw the pearl chain, shining with +a clear, soft light, that only glowed more brightly when they laid +their hands upon it. +</p> + +<p> +“O give us this!” cried they; “it is far lovelier than all the rest, +and does not melt away like them; and see how brilliantly it glitters +in our hands. If we may but have this, all will be well, and you +are once more free.” +</p> + +<p> +And Ripple, safe again beneath her snow flake, gladly gave +the chain to them; and told them how the pearls they now placed +proudly on their breasts were formed of tears, which but for them +might still be flowing. Then the Spirits smiled most kindly on her, +and would have put their arms about her, and have kissed her cheek, +but she drew back, telling them that every touch of theirs was +like a wound to her. +</p> + +<p> +“Then, if we may not tell our pleasure so, we will show it in a +different way, and give you a pleasant journey home. Come out with +us,” the Spirits said, “and see the bright path we have made for you.” +So they led her to the lofty gate, and here, from sky to earth, +a lovely rainbow arched its radiant colors in the sun. +</p> + +<p> +“This is indeed a pleasant road,” said Ripple. “Thank you, +friendly Spirits, for your care; and now farewell. I would gladly +stay yet longer, but we cannot dwell together, and I am longing sadly +for my own cool home. Now Sunbeam, Breeze, Leaf, and Flake, fly back +to the Seasons whence you came, and tell them that, thanks to their +kind gifts, Ripple’s work at last is done.” +</p> + +<p> +Then down along the shining pathway spread before her, the happy +little Spirit glided to the sea. +</p> + +<p> +</p> + +<p> +“Thanks, dear Summer-Wind,” said the Queen; “we will remember the +lessons you have each taught us, and when next we meet in Fern Dale, +you shall tell us more. And now, dear Trip, call them from the lake, +for the moon is sinking fast, and we must hasten home.” +</p> + +<p> +The Elves gathered about their Queen, and while the rustling leaves +were still, and the flowers’ sweet voices mingled with their own, +they sang this +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap10"></a> +FAIRY SONG. +</h2> + +<p class="poem"> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">The moonlight fades from flower and tree,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">And the stars dim one by one;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">The tale is told, the song is sung,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">And the Fairy feast is done.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">The night-wind rocks the sleeping flowers,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">And sings to them, soft and low.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">The early birds erelong will wake:</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1em">’T is time for the Elves to go.</span><br/> +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">O’er the sleeping earth we silently pass,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Unseen by mortal eye,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">And send sweet dreams, as we lightly float</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Through the quiet moonlit sky;—</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">For the stars’ soft eyes alone may see,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">And the flowers alone may know,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">The feasts we hold, the tales we tell:</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">So ’t is time for the Elves to go.</span><br/> +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">From bird, and blossom, and bee,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">We learn the lessons they teach;</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">And seek, by kindly deeds, to win</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">A loving friend in each.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">And though unseen on earth we dwell,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Sweet voices whisper low,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">And gentle hearts most joyously greet</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">The Elves where’er they go.</span><br/> +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">When next we meet in the Fairy dell,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">May the silver moon’s soft light</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Shine then on faces gay as now,</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">And Elfin hearts as light.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">Now spread each wing, for the eastern sky</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">With sunlight soon will glow.</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em">The morning star shall light us home:</span><br/> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em">Farewell! for the Elves must go.</span><br/> +</p> + +<br/> + +<p> +As the music ceased, with a soft, rustling sound the Elves spread +their shining wings, and flew silently over the sleeping earth; the +flowers closed their bright eyes, the little winds were still, for +the feast was over, and the Fairy lessons ended. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FLOWER FABLES ***</div> +<div style='text-align:left'> + +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will +be renamed. +</div> + +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United +States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. 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