MEETING OF THE FAIRIES.
Now on this very night the Green Fairy was holding her court in Daisy
Hollow, deep in the forest. How lovely were these pretty creatures, as
they appeared, one after another, their bright wings fluttering, and
glistening with dew!
Truly fairy-like were their greetings! A mortal, listening near, might
have supposed he heard only the sighing of the summer breeze, the
murmur of brooklets, or the far-off tinkling of little bells.
But their queen allowed them very little time for greeting. For it
had been long since they met, and much was to be told and much heard,
before the dawn. She therefore began singing:--
“Where the softest grass is found,
Quickly form your circle round.
Let each one say,
E’er the dawning of day,
What wonderful things she has seen on her way.
Through meadow and wildwood ye’ve been on the wing,
What news do ye bring? What news do ye bring?”
They then began telling, each in turn, of all their adventures since
the last meeting. And, at last, one little pink fairy jumped up
briskly, singing thus; and, as she sang, a little attendant fairy
echoed her last words:--
“I know a cave in the forest deep,
Forest deep,
Where a wicked band their revels keep,
Revels keep.
Old Magnus now has joined them too,
Joined them too,
With his bold and fearless crew,
Fearless crew.
I scented mischief in the air,
In the air.
There’s mighty mischief brewing there,
Brewing there.”
Now, when the Green Fairy heard this, she quickly broke up the court.
For Magnus’s hatred of King Brondé was well known to her; and, although
ignorant of his plans, yet she knew very well whose life they would
endanger.
In the shape of an owl she flew into the cave, and there, perched on a
rock near the roof, she listened while Magnus made known to the company
his intentions with regard to King Brondé and his court.
Next day, changing herself to a beautiful bird, she flew swiftly to the
palace, where the queen was sitting with her ladies upon the balcony.
And while flying over their heads, she sang thus:--
“There is danger in the air.
Lily Queen, beware, beware!
Danger dark to one you love;
Bid him not afar to rove;
Bid him keep a watchful care;
There is danger in the air!”
None but the queen understood the song. The ladies only said, “Truly a
pretty bird, and a sweet singer!” and wondered why it was that their
Lily Queen turned so deadly pale and left them so hastily.
She ran swiftly through the rooms of the palace, found the king in his
private apartments, and eagerly told him of the beautiful bird and its
warning song.
But when the king learned that the others had only heard sweet music,
he treated the matter rather lightly, thinking it to be merely her
fancy. What could a little woman fear, he said, who had a husband so
big and strong! But, that she might be comforted, he promised to be
watchful, and not to roam about the forest unattended. If he had only
known what we know, he would have sent to the city for a strong army of
soldiers, who could easily have taken possession of the cave and routed
the whole band.
But, as he did not know, he only took his Lily Queen upon his knee,
and there they sat, a long, long time, talking of their sweet little
Rosebud, and of old times, and of the good king, her father, and how
she was near dying in the rocky chasm. And then, as she felt his brown
curls brushing her cheek, she confessed, for the first time, the trick
she played him on their way from the mountains. But I don’t believe he
was at all angry with her,--do you?
Not long after this, as the king and all his court were amusing
themselves one fine morning on the lawn, in front of the palace, there
came running in among them a wood-cutter, crying out that two lions had
been seen in the forest! Then ran every man for his bow and spear, the
king as swift as any. All were eager for the hunt, but the queen was
full of alarm. She wept, and, clasping the hands of her husband, begged
him to remain. But this, of course, he would not do. What were a couple
of lions to a strong man like him?