30 THE FAIRY-FOLK OF THE BLUE HILL.

tore the beautiful blossoms from their stems.

At last, Wassa, wading deeper into the pond,
reached forward and snatched an unusually
fine blossom so roughly that it broke close to
the flower, at which she carelessly tossed it into
the middle of the pond.

“Oh! how canst thou do that?” exclaimed
the blue-eyed maid.

Wassa darted an angry glance behind her at
the words of the blue-eyed maid. “Why should
I not do so? How dar’st thou interfere with
my pleasure?”

“It is a pity to destroy flowers thou dost not
intend to care for,” replied the blue-eyed maid
gently.

“Why is it a pity?” asked Wassa roughly.
“Flowers are not alive, they cannot feel.”

“We don’t know but that they may feel,”
replied the other; “and then, these beautiful blos-
soms make such splendid homes for the fairies,
thou know’st.”

The dark-eyed children looked at the blue-
eyed maid in astonishment, then Wassa laughed
loudly and derisively, and the younger children
joined in.

“Fairies!” exclaimed Wassa, “how canst thou