22) THE FAIRY-FOLK OF THE BLUE HILL.

ment. “How was it possible for thee, with
thy great clumsy body to enter, when my little
gnats, with their tiny forms, found no crevice
through which to creep?”

“Low down on the ground, in one corner,’
replied the beetle, “there is a place where
the stone has crumbled away, and there I
entered.”

“T would go in, but I do so hate dark, poky
places,” said the blue dragon-fly, with a coquet-
tish flutter of her gauzy wings.

“T should think thou wouldst,” replied the
brown beetle, with a glance of admiration at
the pretty creature balancing herself in the
air. “Such beautiful beings as thou ought to
live in the sunlight.”

“Great stupid thing! Why cannot he
understand what I want?” muttered the blue
dragon-fly, in a low tone; but she took care
that her words should not be heard by the
brown beetle. “ Thou wouldst not mind going
in for me, wouldst thou?” she said aloud, with
a charming smile.

Mind going in? Not the brown beetle!
Why, he would have gone in at the blue drag-
on-fly’s bidding, if he had been sure that some

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