The Counterpane Fairy

nto the sewing-room, where he had the little cutting-table d

ddy saw her his thoughts went back to the Counterpane Fairy and the sto

dream?" as

out the soap-bubbles

w I dreamed that

lake and seeing the dreams go past, and how

erest. "Wasn't that a funny drea

iett. That's the story the Counterpane Fairy showed me

dering it, and then she said, "My c

asked Teddy, with

se the door after I cleaned its cage." Then she added hastily: "But mamma hung the cage out

e canary, but Harriett said she must go now, so

he little girl's birthday. Teddy wanted to get her a bag of marbles, but she thought perhaps she w

r with the silk quilt, so that he might rest for a while. Then she kiss

and turning over on his back he raised his knees into a hill, and lay looking out of

e you?' asked a little

ome," cried Teddy, "for mamma has gone down-

ted on top of the counterpane hill, and as he spoke she looked down o

Teddy. "I wish you would, for I do

I can show you one before she comes ba

the green, and ever so many: I wonder i

one, and then the fairy began to count. "One, two, three, four, f

* *

funny!" cr

nd in through it came a little withered old woman, wearing a brown cloak, and a brown hood drawn over her head. "Why, Counterpane Fairy!" cried Teddy, bu

hing, leetle b

y money except what's in my bank, bu

ked bread, but it was empty. Opening the door of the stairway, Teddy called, "Hannah! Hannah!" There w

not seem at all surprised when he told her he could not find anyone. "You not find anyone, and you not have money," she sai

really?" c

miling, and her smile was just like

give me what

he little old

ld of something hard and cold. He pulled and pulled

ed, but when he looked at her again he saw that she really meant it

, and this third time it was a rat-trap baited

l I do with th

by and by." Then she rose, and pulling her cloak over the basket

e to open it for her. He stood looking after her as she went on down the street, her staff striki

here was a rat-hole just back of the rain-butt, and he thought what fun it would be

reat clods, and he found it so easy to dig

e steps leading into the earth. "Why, isn't that funny!" said

the trap in his hand, Teddy stepped into t

nd knocked, but there was no answer. He listened with his ear against it, but he heard nothing, and he was

it in the keyhole it fitted exactly. He turned i

d a heap of rubbish in one corner. On each side of the cave was a heavy door studded with iron nails. "I will ju

heard someone singing the other side of it as sweetly

d meadow the

white and the w

orld there i

free! If I w

right and my wi

self and I

he hero to

free? And s

d and Teddy o

he first, only there was a fireplace in it, and i

nd when she saw him she sprang to her feet with a glad cry and c

asked Teddy, wo

as a sloe, her hair shone like threads of pure gold, and s

answered him, "I am A

you come here

arble bath-tub, and had nothing to do all day but swing in her golden swing and sing for her own pleasure. But after a while she grew tired of all this and began

ried her down into his den, and there he kept her a prisoner in spite of her tears and prayers, and there she must wait on him and kee

u run away?" aske

never the robber-magician goes out he locks the

d a key that would unlock the

was almost time for the robber to come home; so she wrapped her cloak aro

however, when Teddy heard a loud bang

and beginning to wring her hands, "we are too late.

ft hat pulled down over his face, and he had a long brown nose and little black beads of eyes.

Teddy from under his hat. "How now!" he cried. "Who's this who has

ely. "I'm Teddy," he said, "and I didn't know this

bursting into a roar of laughter. "A ra

I didn't know it was yours, b

to come into my cave than to go out, and you must sit

esture from the robber, picked up the sack that he had thrown upon the ground, and out from it she drew some pieces of bread and some bits

t; after a while he leaned back in his chair and began to tell Te

and lumps and crusts of gold, all piled up in my treasure chamber." At last he rose, pus

oor, and flinging it open stepped back so that Teddy mig

t the treasure chamber. "But

ur eyes," said the robb

. That's nothing but

er-magician, stamping his foot i

ke it; I'll show you," and running to the keg where he had left

s fingers began to work and his mouth to water. "Oh, what a

d Teddy. "I don't t

oor and began to pick and pry at the bars, but he could not get the cheese out, and the more he tried the more ea

hat?' ask

could get at it fast enoug

ou're not,"

he grew so eager that he seemed to forget about everything but the cheese. "I'll do it," he c

t me! In

nce again

stiff like whiskers, his sword changed to a long tail, and in a minu

and there he was faste

at he shook the b

lls." She caught Teddy by the hand, and together they ran to the door that led

h, and it had swung to behind them. Up the stairs they ran, an

he edges of her cloak and spread it wide, and as she did so it changed to wings, her head grew round and covered wit

riett's canary

* *

go," said the Co

broad band of pale sunlight lay across the foot of the be

Harriett's cana

ried the Counterpane Fairy, "for I hear

disappeared behind the counterp

dy, "do you think Harr

she put a little package into his hand. "Do

doll that sat in a little tin bath-tub. You could take the d

eddy, with delight. "Won't lit

e will," s

NTERPAN