98 The Catskill Fairies.

dressed in green, so that they resembled moving leaves, wel-
comed her back cordially.

“JT was the old woman and the squirrel too,’ she laughed.
‘I take those forms for travelling about.’

“«Vour eyes are still diamond clear,’ said Peter, and then
he thanked her for all the kindness she had shown to his
family.

“«We trained the bird and made all the other gifts,’ cried
the Fairies. ‘ Then we placed them in the path’

“Peter seated himself on the grass to watch the Fairies

dance; they spun around in giddy circles without losing their

 

breath, until it made the boy’s eyes ache to look at them. The
fairy music was wonderful, the wee musicians being ranged
around a toadstool upon which stood the leader, and they blew

‘through dandelion stems for instruments.