One sunny summer day, the little Fairy Health worked among her flowers,
weeding and digging the rich brown earth to make them beautiful. She
sang, as she worked, a gay little song, and tripped lightly here and
there over the grass and flower beds. Stopping at last to wipe the earth
from her hands upon a large lily leaf, for it made a most convenient
towel, she looked up and saw Cho-Cho coming down the road and ran to the
gate to greet him.
Now Cho-Cho was a tiny Elf who loved Children, and he was one of the
Fairy’s oldest friends.
“Fairy,” said Cho-Cho, “in looking from my Magic Window last evening I
saw the old Witch Ignorance abroad. Up and down the city streets she
went and into all the homes where Children live, and on the door of
every house she made a black mark.”
“Oh, Cho-Cho,” said the Fairy, “this means trouble for the Children.”
“Yes,” said Cho-Cho.
Leading him to a seat within her Rose Arbor, the Fairy brought him
sparkling water from her well and bade him rest until he felt refreshed.
As she spoke, through the garden gate came three queer-looking little
Men. The first had the head of a Beet, and his clothes were made from
dull green leaves. His shoes and stockings were beet-colored and in his
hand he carried a green hat.
The second little Man was a white Onion, and his clothes were the green
of onion tops; and the third little fellow had the face of a Carrot, and
he, too, was all in green.
“Fairy,” said the little Man who looked like a Beet, “we are in great
trouble and have come to ask for your help. We are called the Green
Vegetables and are a large and happy family. Last night while we slept,
the wicked Witch Ignorance crept in among us and carried off one of our
little Men. We did not know that he was gone until we were awakened by
his cries, and when we rushed to help him, this cruel Witch beat us to
the ground and sped far away.
“This morning, I found upon my doorstep a letter. It was from the Witch
and said that unless we gave her gold she would return each night and
carry away one of our comrades. Help us, Fairy, for this Witch is very
powerful.”
“Courage, little Man,” said the Fairy, “Cho-Cho and I will help you.”
“Fairy,” said Cho-Cho, “I must find this cruel Witch, for if she hurts
these little Men, the Children will have no Vegetables to eat, and
Children must eat Vegetables. This is what the black mark meant upon the
doors,” and turning, Cho-Cho walked rapidly away.
Now Cho-Cho had a friend, a Wonderful Dog, who could travel like the
wind, and he hurried down the road toward the Dog’s house.
Finding the Dog at home, Cho-Cho told him of the little Men, and added,
“I must find this Witch before nightfall, and it is now noon. I cannot
travel fast enough, for she lives far away. Will you take me on your
back?”
“With pleasure,” said the Dog, “but I do not know the way.” Leaning
forward, Cho-Cho slowly passed his hands before the Dog’s eyes.
Immediately sight was given to the Dog and he could see far off in the
distance the Witch’s house and the road that led to it.
“Hurry,” said Cho-Cho, seating himself upon the Dog’s back, “it grows
late.”
The great Dog started forward and at each step his pace quickened until
his feet scarcely seemed to touch the ground. Faster, faster, and faster
he went, and the wind whistled through his long hair, and his beautiful
tail waved like a plume. Trees and houses flew by them as they rushed
on, and the Dog laughed with glee.
Cho-Cho, clinging on with hands and feet, saw ahead of them a high stone
fence. The Dog went over it in a flying leap and landed safely on the
other side in a field of grass. Here he began to slacken his pace, for
in front of them loomed a dark forest, and only a narrow pathway led
through it.
Entering the forest, the Dog was obliged to walk, as the path grew rough
and steep, and the underbrush on either side was thick and tangled. At
last they came to the mouth of a cave.
“This is the home of the Witch,” said Cho-Cho. “We will hide here in the
bushes.”
Presently they heard a harsh laugh and the ugly Witch came forth from
the shadow of the cave. She paused a moment, dazzled by the sunlight,
and Cho-Cho could see clearly the deep scars on her bare ankles, made by
chains that had once bound her, and her left arm hung in a sling.
Drawing from his pocket a bright crystal ball, he flashed it directly in
the Witch’s eyes.
She stood spellbound for several minutes holding one hand to her head,
then her body slowly relaxed and she slipped down upon the pathway.
Cho-Cho stepped forth from his hiding place among the bushes, and stood
beside the Witch.
She lay quite still as though asleep. “Lie there for two and twenty
hours,” Cho-Cho said, “and when you awaken your sight shall be so dimmed
that never again shall you see clearly—never again shall you molest the
Green Vegetables.”
Then they went forward into the cave to find the little Vegetable Man.
He lay upon the ground, bound hand and foot, trembling with fear.
“Courage, little Man,” said Cho-Cho, “we are your friends and have come
to take you home,” and cutting his bonds, they led him forth from the
cave.
“Who are you, Friends?” said the little Man.
“I am Cho-Cho, the Friend of the Children, and this Dog is called
Publicity,” said Cho-Cho. “We work together for the Health of the
Children.”
Then mounting the Dog’s broad back, they started on their homeward
journey.
That night from his Magic Window, Cho-Cho beheld a strange sight, for in
the fields and gardens the little Vegetable Men were dancing in the
Moonlight, and as they danced, they sang with joy, for the old Witch
Ignorance lay helpless in the Forest and they were safe from harm.
[Illustration: [Dancing Vegetables]]
[Illustration: _O Cho-Cho, the lovely bird is hurt._]