[Illustration]
[Illustration]
All the Brownies had promised to help, and when a Brownie undertakes a
thing he works as busily as a beaver until it is accomplished. Now this
is what they determined to do.
[Illustration]
The Fairy Queen’s palace had been destroyed--a wind that had swept
through the forest carrying trees before it, and spreading ruin as it
traveled, had lifted up the Fairy Queen’s home and dashed it all to
pieces. Poor little Queen; how sorrowful she felt to lose the pretty
house where the royal family of Fairyland had so long lived.
[Illustration]
But true to their nature the Brownies came to the rescue, promising
to build a palace far more beautiful than the one that was lost. Such
helpful little creatures as the Brownies never lived. No chance of doing
good to one in trouble ever escapes these generous little fellows and
certainly this was a work to be hailed with much joy.
For a long while before they commenced, you could see them gathered in
groups, discussing how and where they should begin, and how they could
make the palace more beautiful. They were a funny looking set when they
started out for the place where the house was to be built. Each one
carried something. One little fellow had an axe, another, hammer and
nails, one the mortar hod and still another the plane, while the master
worker could be seen with the square in his hand giving directions to the
whole crowd.
They commenced their work one beautiful moonlight night. Brownies, you
know, work when the darkness has put all the world to sleep. What a time
they had getting all the things together. Arriving at the spot, some fell
to chopping wood, while others mixed the mortar and rigged up the pulleys
by which they were to raise the stuff to the roof. How the hammers rang
out as they struck the bright little nails. The grindstone went spinning
around so fast it hummed quite a tune, as the carpenter sharpened his
tools, for the Brownies had so much to do they must work their very
fastest. The plasterer mixed the mortar, the painters made their brushes
fly over the house; the masons worked with a will at the chimney, and the
paper hanger’s scissors shut with a click as he cut off the paper for the
palace walls, which were to be so prettily decorated.
When morning came all was finished and the Brownies felt proud and happy
as they looked at their night’s work. They worked as if by Magic and
almost before you could think, the palace rose high in the air. The
Brownies don’t have accidents very often but they must have been nervous
this time for while four or five of them were seated on a “Jack” painting
the outside, over went the paint, brushes and all, and the little fellows
who were standing on a ladder underneath had an unexpected bath.
[Illustration]
They were only sorry to think that they had left their camera at home for
they would have been happy to give the children a picture of the house as
it looked when it was finished.
Although they were tired and their eyes were growing heavy with sleep
they felt repaid for all their efforts, especially when the Fairy Queen
seemed the proudest and happiest of them all. She thanked them heartily
for their loving service, and when they had seen her safely settled in
her new home, they all disappeared, to be seen no more until there was
more good work to be done.