The Counterpane Fairy

ch the night before that at about four o'clock in the afterno

ioned India calico. His mother had set a glass of milk on the table beside his bed, and left the stair door a

ness, and though he was better now, the doctor still would not let him have anything but milk and gruel. He was feeling r

lored pictures, and then he closed it and called, "Hannah!" The singing in the kitch

ing up the stairs and into the room.

o ask mamma somet

poor mother, would you, when she was up with you the w

her something,"

nah. "Your poor mother's so tired that I'm sure y

her if I may have a

u know that the doctor said you mustn't have anything bu

ddy, and his

the windy gray clouds that were sweeping across the April sky. He grew lonelier and lonelier and

back of the hill his knees made as he lay wit

appeared a brown peaked hood, a tiny withered face, a flapping brown cloak, and last of all two small feet in buckl

at him solemnly, and she was so light that he fel

r for a while, and then

y," said the little figur

what that is

in houses and watches out for the children. I used to be one of the cou

n what?" a

rt I had was with an old field-mouse who lived at the edge of the wood, and I used to spend a great deal of time with her; I used to take care of her ba

ecame o

e couldn't stand the court fairies. They were always playing tricks on her, stopping up the door of her house with

did y

tly where there were lit

like lit

said the Counterpane Fairy

y," said Teddy. "I

o you, though, because you were lonely and sick, and I

ell me a story

ned the Counterpane Fairies. Choose any one of the squares of the counterpane and

"I think I'll choose that yellow square," h

t at it and don't turn your eyes away until I count se

logs on the hearth. "Don't look away from the square," she cried. "Five--six--seven" --it seemed to Teddy that the yellow silk square was turning to a mist before

derful enchanted garden. The sky was like the golden sky at sunset, and the grass was so thickly set with tiny yellow flowers that it looked like a gold

d princess. For more than a hundred years she has been lying there waiting for the

r. When Teddy looked, he saw himself standing there in the golden garden, and he did

Teddy, "I

him and over him, clapping their wings and singing triumphantly. Their song reminded Teddy of the blackbirds that sang on the l

for great deeds, and, without pausing longer, h

golden garden far below. She waved her hand in answer, and he heard her voice faint and cl

e castle, and in a moment he was sta

was no answer. Again he struck upon it, and his blow rang t

three arched doors; one was of emerald, one was of ruby, and one was of diamond; they were arched, and tal

ring, he heard a little thin voice, that seemed t

ut and ou

flash I wea

stake and s

my spider-web

someone must be awake in the enchanted

t toward it, but he saw nothing, for the spider that was spinning it moved so fast that no eyes could follow it. Presently it paus

oking at it, it b

y shining

bout and

self a bi

flash, I be

an you tell me where to find the enchanted princess w

a hair: "You must go through the emerald door; you must go through the emeral

, he was in such a hurry to find the princess, but turning he

he whole flight closed up like an umbrella, and in a moment Teddy was sliding down the

Counterpane Fairy beside him looking at him sadly. "You should have known bet

ill the hero. "Let me try once more, for

r what I told you, beware of that that is little and gray, and take this with you, for it m

ass steps leading up to the golden castle just as before; so thrusting the magic sword into his belt, he ran nimbly up and up and up, and not until he reached the very top

hall, and there were the three doors just as before,

ve hero is w

ed once, but he

meralds; diamo

om that shines

I should have tried. How could I have thought the emerald doo

, before --br-r-r-r! --they had shut up again into a smooth glass hill, and

e third time in the golden garden, with the Counterpane Fair

iry. "Did you know no better

eddy, "I kne

heed to my warnings than that, the princess must

cried Teddy, "for this tim

at is little and gray." Stooping she picked from the grass beside her a fallen acorn

ning he ran for the third time up the flight of glass steps. This time so eager was he that he never once paused to look back, but all the time he ran on up and

o fast that it was little more than a gray streak, but presently it stopped up in the left-hand corner of the web.

wiser than

door, try

r that is ru

search for the

ddy. "Twice have you sent me back to the gold

at looked like a little yellow door. Then suddenly he knew that that was the door he must go through. He caught hold of the curtain and pulled, but it

thin voice, but he paid no heed, for he had opened t

ddle. Bet what he saw first of all was the enchanted princess, who lay stretched out as if asleep upon a couch all cov

ng, and at last he whispered: "Princes

her eyes did not open. Then Teddy looked about him, and seeing the fountain he drew the magic c

herself upon her elbow and smiled.

red Teddy, "

?" she said. Then Teddy, too, looked about, and there was the

here was a thin squeak and then --there was nothing left of

outing outside. The princess rose to her feet and caught the hero by the hand. "You have broken th

" said Teddy, "be

f soldiers and courtiers were running up it. They were dressed in cloth of gold, and they shouted at the sight of Teddy: "Hail to the

aid the beautiful princess

* *

the yellow square," sai

d the shouting courtiers. He was lying in bed with the silk coverlet o

ke it?" ask

said. Then he lay for a while thinking and smiling. "W

nd picked up the staff that she had laid down besi

ied Teddy. "Plea

Counterpane Fairy. "I

come back agai

quilt hill, and Teddy heard her voice, little and thin, dying away in the distance:

was looking rested, and she smiled at him lovingl

NTERPAN