The Fairtes Arrive. 37

people came through the keyhole, down the chimney, and
forth from the blazing logs of the fire, with a soft rustle of
wings and a murmur of tiny voices that sounded like the pat-
ter of rain-drops among forest leaves. The boy winked sev-
eral times to make sure he was awake.

At first these visitors looked all alike: their pinions were
spangled like those of a butterfly, and their little forms twin-
kled and hovered about in restless motion; but by degrees they
settled down like fallen blossoms, some on the hearth, others
on the chimney-piece, and two perched on the seashell. The
little mouse moved an inch to run; Puss clapped a paw on it.
Then the Fairies formed a ring around the animal by joining
hands, and danced to their own music. The mouse shivered
with terror; but by degrees it grew brighter, and began to
dance also, hopping on one hind-leg, and nodding its head in
time to the song. That was a droll sight !

Job now saw that the Fairies on the hearth were very plump
and pretty. They wore little petticoats of red rose-leaves, while
their caps and aprons were made from the white rose’s petals.

“T am Queen Puff, and we come from the Lowlands,” said
one, nodding to Job. “You must excuse us if we keep on
with our work while we pay our visit, because we are busy
housewives. Besides, this is Christmas-eve.”

With that two of her maidens brought her spinning-wheel
to Queen Puff, and then all her court took their knitting.
Such a spinning-wheel as that was! The frame was a rose-
thorn, the wheel made of horse-hair, and the distaff wrapped
in a tangle of cobweb, which the Queen spun off in fine silk
threads.