The Counterpane Fairy

he doctor's promises, Tedd

ing seemed gone from the air; the wind rattled at the

riett came over with her paint-box, and they began coloring the pictures in

them and went down into t

," said Harriett, "for then I could have

u stay anyhow

ancing-class right after dinner, and I have t

it, and then perhaps you could have diner

unt Alice doesn't

she does, because she said she was so

sk my mother. I don't kno

stay long

ett. Then she put on her jack

him Harriett was gone a long time. He called his mother once, and she c

him. He wondered if she wouldn't come to see him to-day. She always came when he

mfort." There was the little fairy just appearing above the tops of his knees, -- brown hood, brown cloak, brow

ndering whether you wouldn't like it if I kept my

an look about me, only it's hard climbing sometimes. No

ed Teddy. "Ind

you choose? Make haste,

ake that red on

he fairy, and then

ce of the Counterpane Fairy counting on and on, and as she counted he heard, with her voice, another sound, --at first very faintly, then more and

the Counterpane Fair

* *

clear in Teddy's ears; it was th

All along this road were openings that looked like the mouths of caverns, and from these open

to Teddy, and he had a feeli

hollowed out into forges that opened into each other be means of rocky arches. In every forge wer

waist with a girdle of rubies that shone and sparkled in the light; upon his hand was a ruby ring. The stone of the ring was turned inward toward the palm, but it was so bright

e beating had to be put in the fire again to h

day,"

red the dwarfs, s

making there

answered t

aid Teddy.

hot and they took it out again and laid it on the anvil.

o the next forge, and there it was the same thing -- more little dw

y, as soon as they pa

," said t

making there

answered t

or?" sa

d the dwarfs, and then

ges, and in every one of them were l

r a cloud of steam rose, almost hiding them from view. They were so busy that they paid no attention to Teddy wh

gain, and then they all stood back from it. Every noise has ceased through all the forge

in white had entered the forge down at the other end. Her dress shone with all different colors, just as icicles do when they hang in the sunlight

ink as of something breaking, and a low wail arose from the dwarfs that stood near by. Then she passed on to the next anvil, and to the next, and t

he did not see him. Gliding to the anvil, she stretched out her white finger and laid it upon the link t

amped her foot in a rage. "Fools! fools!" she cried. "Not yet one link that will not fly into p

a thunder-cloud, and without a single glance at the t

forehead to wipe off the sweat. "Come," said he, "let u

and who is this woman with a crown who comes and breaks y

d story," said the dwar

" echoed the others. "You tell

called the Fire Mountains, because their rocks are so red, and because they are all full of forges. Here we dwarfs used to live happily en

ee the world, so one day he set out on a journey, no one knew w

all to work, for she knew that in all the world there were no such smiths as the dwarfs of the Fire King's country, and not

hat would stand so much as a touch of her finger we would have hopes of making it,

et to work, for the days are all

to have a stroke at that chain myself.

their heads. "We have no time to was

girdle and holding it out to them. "You

re, not even down in the middle of the earth; and at last they told Teddy that they would lend him their hammers awhile in exchange for the ruby

smooth hands can do the work that others can't," and

have to work wi

if it is no more than an old nail, s

up an old nail that was on the f

re throbbed and burned until his hand was hot, and his arm w

to him that the fire sang with him, clear and thin,

er an

re mus

als mu

ellow

hammer, lou

n will be m

kety-

ge the

mmer

ain mus

ll melt, the

chain is wro

ain he had made, and it was as thin as a hair, as light as a b

ful!" they cried. "It is indeed the magic chain that we have been trying to make for all these years. Wh

them so that they saw the ruby in his ring, and when they saw it they shouted again

about the archway of the forge where Teddy stood, and when they saw that it was i

rfs led him out, and up the mountain, on and on, until they came to a great castle bu

the dwarfs told them that they were carrying the magic chain that binds all but one's self to the Queen,

ne of ice, and when she saw the crowd she started to her feet. "Have you brought

warfs all together,

l, and Teddy went on

the Queen, and she st

t out from under his cloak, and then suddenly h

strove, the closer the chain drew about her, for it was a magic

ld see the ruby. "I am King Fireheart," he cried; "and now

to a croak, and a moment after she was nothing but a great black raven that spread its

rsmen started forward to lay hands upon him, but as soon as they saw the ruby ring they stood, every man stiffened just as he was, s

d the mountain road again they turne

castle was beginning to melt; the spires and turrets were softening and dripping

, "will your Majesty come u

red Teddy, "

* *

he Counterpane Fairy. "

furniture, and the fire burning red upon the heart

ly, "for I heard your little cousin

ll he could see was the top of her pointed hood. Then that too disappeared. The door was thrown open and Harriett came running in bringi

NTERPAN