The Fairy Godmothers. ° 57

own pretty light talk and fweet fongs, that their
poor little brains had got quite muddled.

Perhaps remaining fo long in the Earth’s at-
mofphere helped to cloud their intelligence. Cer-
tain it is, they returned very penfive, very crofs,
and rather dufty to Fairy Land.

They arrived at the beautiful bay I firft de-
fcribed, and floated to a large party of their fifters,
who were dancing on the fands.

There was a clapping of tiny hands, and fhouts
of joy as they approached; and ‘“* What news?
what news ?” cried many voices.

“ Ah, what news, Sifter Euphrofyne!” cried
little Aglaia, floating forward, “from the fmudgy
old earth; Is it beauty, riches, or what ?”

“T cannot anfwer your queftion,” faid Eu-
phrofyne, pufhing forward.

A circle was now: formed round the travellers,
and the details I have given you were made by
Ianthe. And fhe wound up by faying, “ And
what Ambrofia’s gift to Hermione has been, we
cannot make out.’

“ Then I will tell you!” cried little Aglaia,
fpringing lightly high into the air, and defcending
gently on a huge fhell at her feet; ° She likes
every thing fhe does, and fhe likes to be always doing
fomething. You can’t put the meaning into one
word, as you can Beauty and Riches; but ftill it
is fomething. Can’t you think of fome way of
faying what I have told you? Dear me, how ftupid