58 WHISPERS FROM FAIRYLAND. [1.

 

had but little chance had he not, with equal celerity,
converted himself into a lion, and stood boldly in
front of his enemy, roaring horribly. Macklethorpe,
not to be outdone, immediately changed into a rhin-
oceros, and secure in his impenetrable hide, savagely
ran at the lion, who as quickly became a pigeon, and
darted off at best speed. Within a second a large
hawk followed the poor bird, which would certainly
have been in great danger had not Pettina at this
eventful moment recovered her presence of mind and
her voice together, and loudly shouted, ‘Macklethorpe!
hawk! Ri-too-ri-lal-lural!? The effect was instan-
taneous. The pigeon flew off unharmed, whilst the
hawk, suddenly stopping in its flight, wheeled round,
alighted on the ground, and speedily resumed its
proper shape, disclosing a countenance full of baffled
spite and rage, as the owner stood before the young
Princesses.

‘Q-o-0-0-0-h!’ he bellowed out as soon as he
could find breath to do so. Yow are friends with that
little wood-beast, are you? You've learned how to
help your friends, have you? That’s it, is it? But
you haven't learned everything yet, I can tell you!
You called me by my name when you used that word
of power just now. When you do ¢kat you can’t use
that word to me any more fora month, my vixen; so
now you shall find out what it is to have made an
enemy of me. You little puny, skinny, scullery-maid
of a girl—how dare you ?’

So saying, the infuriated Dwarf stepped up to the
poor Pettina, who had unwittingly fallen into so
serious an error, and seemed much inclined to inflict