212 THE FAIRY-FOLK OF THE BLUE HILL.

that I could everhave thought dear little Mona
a spoiled child, just because she had pretty
things and liked to wear them.”

The king, as Wassa began to speak, had re-
garded her with knitted brows, but gradually .
his face relaxed, and, as she finished, the good- -
natured twinkle of the eye that characterized
his expression, once more appeared, and he
spoke thus :—

“Little maid, although we fairy folk are un-
known to thee, thou hast long been known by
us, and we have watched over thee. The envy
of thy friend Mona that was in thy heart
troubled us sorely, and all the naughty tricks
thou hast put upon her were known to us. We
resolved to cure thee of this fault, and to show
thee what a spoiled child really was. For this
reason we made a spoiled child of Toto the
Slim, and well must he have played his part,
since thou confessest that thou wast mistaken
in thy judgment of Mona. Now, since thou
hast discovered thy fault, thou canst depart
from Fairyland, but thou know’st the conse-
quences if thou repeatest thy fault.”

Whereupon King Rondo signalled to his
gnomes, saying : —