The Counterpane Fairy

g chair wheeled up to the window and sit there awhile. Now he was propped up against

and together they had cut out the figures -- the clown, the ring-master, the pre

m so as to make a flat plane, and was amusing himself setting the circus out, and arr

aid she would go over to the sewing-room for a

ily, but as he set out the soldiers two by two, he was reall

about him. They did not see that his eyes were open, so they went on with what they were saying. It was his mother who was speaking. "He's such an odd child," she was saying; "just now he is full of this idea o

apa, "I didn

, and then she saw that he was awake

that it was a real fairy and not a make-believe. When he saw the Counterpane Fairy agai

little thin voice just back of the counterpane hill. "Oh dear, dear! and the

ounterpane Fair

appeared above the top of the hill, and seated herself on it to rest,

"I want to ask you somet

unterpane Fairy, "

the sewing-room, and I want to know whether you

. "Have you forgotten what I t

was

s and girls. I don't go to see grown

e plays with me and she likes my b

y glad to take you into my stories, but if you don't care to go by your

cried Teddy. "Plea

down again, "if you really want me to sho

ares over very carefully, and at last he chose the

oing to begin to count." Teddy fixed hi

a pale cloudy sky. Before him stretched a white streak, and in the dis

E!" cried

long a dusty white road together, and the fairy looked just as any little

s a sound of drums and music in the distance, and a faint no

?" asked Teddy, hurrying his st

ve brought you here. But I'm tired and hungry, for we've come a long way, so let us sit down by the roa

misty sky overhead, and the fairy took from her pocket a piece of bread and cheese; she broke it in half and one part she gave

sitting there with the soft wind blowing about them and the black roofs of the city in the distance

a king, who is called King Whitebeard, because his beard is as white as snow. He had only one child, a d

over the world seeking her hand in marriage, and among them came the

well as rich, so at last the King of the Black-Country gathered his army together and march

the time, and nothing the King can do can make her smile. The more the Black King does, the more she grieves

to see a prince

have come here to do what no other hero in the world dares to do; you have

m a real magicia

r of polished steel from under her cloak and held it up before Teddy, and as he looked into it he hardly knew himself; he was dressed in a black hood, and a long black robe st

fairy hid it away again under her cloak. "Now come

s he picked it up and joined the fairy, who

?" said the fairy.

remember now

ung with white and black flags. The black flags were for the King of the Black-Country, and the white flags were for the Princess Aureline. Everywhere th

on one of the thrones sat a tall, fierce-looking man dressed in black velvet, and with a crown upon his head cut entirely from one great black diamond; upon the other throne sat a

s, and all about were ranged soldiers two and two. They made Teddy think of the toy soldiers he had bee

ew a loud blast and come down to meet them. "Make way! make way for the magician!" the

at him, and his eyes were so black

great magicia

answered Te

said the King; "and harkye, Magician, if you can make the Princess smi

unlocked it and put back the lid. There was the paper circus, just as he and Harriett had cut it out: t

aned and stretched their necks to see what he was about, he took out the figures and set the

and the King himself leaned forwa

ca-dee!" crie

t the crowd of people, at the grim-looking

ed for the third time, strik

g, and the paper circus itself had changed to a real circus. The clown walked about, joking, with his hands in his pockets; the ring-master cracked him whip; the paper horses were two magnific

l!" cried the King o

round, Teddy ran to him and leaped upon his back, light as a feather, and there

w it from him, and there he was dressed in white and silve

ned a somersault, lighting again upon his hor

ill whistle. At that the white steed suddenly dashed into the ring and galloped up beside the black one, and now Teddy rode with a foot on each. Faster and faster he rode, crying "Houp-la!" and ev

aught the Princess Aureline by the hand. "I have come to rescue you!" he cried, and before the King could move or speak he had set her

untry started to his feet. "S

t the King's voice they started forward, reaching out to catch

a-dabr

e once you

cr

there they stood, nothing more nor less than wooden soldiers just like the one --were they his own soldiers? And the Princess! Was she only the doll t

ers and the paper circus. There was the square of silk with the

what became of us? Did we get away? Oh, I di

airy. "How could the King stop you after

came of you?

the wishing-cap, and fast as you and the Princess rode bac

a circus horse," he said, "and could ride round and have all the people watchin

ng along the hall? I must be going. Oh, my poor bone

NTERPAN