by the elfin orchestra with their wind instruments, stringed
instruments, cymbals and drums. And Tono took the verses which
Rhymo had made and set them to music, and never before in all their
experience had the elfin choir and orchestra received such a drilling
and training.
And at the same place and hour every night for a week, the elfin
musicians came to the practice.
Every elf was busily engaged in doing his best for Emily’s birthday,
for if the Elves of Mount Fern undertook to do work, they always aimed
at perfection.
Lightning was busy in all sorts of ways, for whenever there was a
message to send or an errand to run, the Captain always called on
Lightning.
Rainbow was a kind of court of last appeal before the time came for
the final rehearsal on the eve of Emily’s birthday, when Captain
Featherweight was to judge of everything.
Colonel Claw, too, was busy all that week selecting the sweetest
singers for the bird chorus; for although he did not sing himself, but
only conversed, he was very particular as to the birds he should ask to
take part in the celebration.
So he invited the musical Blackbird, but as he is a very great mimic,
Colonel Claw warned him to be on his guard against imitating the rough
and hoarse notes of other birds. He also invited the Bobolink, the Song
Sparrow, the Vesper Sparrow, the Wood Pewee, the Indigo Bunting, the
Robin, the Purple Finch, the Vireo, the Meadow Lark, the Veery, the
Hermit Thrush, the Bluebird, and all the Warblers who might serve as a
background or accompaniment.
The Cedar Bird was Colonel Claw’s great problem, because, as he said,
“His voice is inferior.”
But he knew the Cedar Bird would be very much hurt if he did not
invite him, and he knew too that Dr. Templeton and all his family were
particularly fond of the Cedar Bird family. And so Colonel Claw was
puzzled and perplexed, and he carried his difficulty to Rainbow and
laid the case before him.
Rainbow advised Colonel Claw to invite the Cedar Bird, “For,” said he,
“it is to be such a gay and festive occasion that there should be no
sad hearts in Templeton Garden. But tell him to be sure to sing softly,
softly.”
“Dear sir, kind sir,” said Colonel Claw, “you are always so amiable,
and your counsel so admirable, that I take your advice; your wish is my
law.”
And so Colonel Claw invited the Cedar Bird, and _he_ kept saying
“softly,” “softly,” so that there should be no mistake as to what was
required of him.
And all the birds entered into the spirit of the celebration, and came
each day in joyous throngs to the practice. They were greatly excited
all that week, for they had never before been asked to take part in the
festivities of a little girl’s birthday. And they spent far more time
than usual in preening their feathers and taking their baths, until
they felt that they were looking their very best.
The insects, too, were very particular about their appearance, and swam
and dove in the pool of the fountain, and dried themselves in the sun
so that there should be no particles of dust sticking to them.
And on Thursday, the great day, Colonel Claw, Tono, and Rainbow marched
all the birds and insects down to the river for their final bath and
preening.
They used the surface of the water as a mirror. And when they were
perfectly clean, Colonel Claw commanded all the birds to alight on the
nearest tree to plume and arrange their feathers.
And Tono, who had charge of the insects, told them to fly to some
shrubs that were growing near the river.
“When I blow three blasts on my bugle,” said Tono, “fly quickly to
Templeton Garden and alight on the flowering hawthorne that grows north
of the mulberry tree.”
“And when I give three caws,” said Colonel Claw to the birds in the oak
tree, “fly swiftly to Temple Garden and alight on the tall elm tree to
the east of the mulberry tree.”
Then Tono and Rainbow returned to Mount Fern, and Colonel Claw to his
perch in the mulberry tree.
Colonel Claw knew all about the birthday party, for he had heard of it
from the Elves, who in turn had heard Mary and Anna talking about it.
He knew that after the guests arrived they were to have supper at the
Hall, and that after supper they were all to come out to the garden and
play games around the mulberry tree.
The party was at eight o’clock, and precisely at eight Colonel Claw
gave three loud caws to the birds in the oak tree, Tono blew three long
blasts on his bugle, and as soon as these signals were given, the
birds and the insects all flew away to the hawthorne and elm, near the
mulberry tree.
When the elves arrived at Templeton Hall they heard strains from a
giant orchestra, and the air was rich with the fragrance of flowers.
They entered unobserved, for an elf has many ways of making himself
invisible, and does not have to be seen unless he wants to be.
Emily was standing in the middle of the parlor dressed in fine Persian
lawn, adorned with blue ribbons.
And soon the door-bell rang, and again and again and again, until all
the guests were assembled. And they each wished Emily very many happy
returns of the day.
Then Emily led her guests to a large veranda all covered with roses and
clematis, and there supper was served.
The tables were covered with beautiful flowers and all kinds of fruit,
and turkey, chicken and tongue, hot rolls and hot biscuits, and brown
bread and butter, after which came the ice cream and cake.
And _such_ a cake!
It was made in the form of a great big shoe, and lined with silver
paper. Inside the shoe there were dolls and toys for every one of the
guests, and a great big doll for Emily--just like the old woman who
lived in a shoe! And all the little guests said it was the nicest and
funniest birthday cake they had ever seen.
And as soon as supper was over Emily led her guests to the mulberry
tree which stood in the middle of the garden.
Dr. Templeton was prouder of this tree than of anything else in the
garden, for he believed it to be a great-grandchild of the mulberry
tree which Shakespeare planted at Stratford so long ago. And whenever
there was company at Templeton Hall, Dr. Templeton always brought them
out to the garden to show them the mulberry tree.
On the evening of Emily’s birthday it was hung with Chinese lanterns
from the top to the bottom--in all the gay colors of the rainbow. And
around this beautiful tree, Emily and her guests danced and played
games by the light of the lanterns until the birthday party was over.
But just then a strange thing occurred--not strange to the elves, who
knew all about it, but to Emily, her guests, and her Father and Mother.
For Rainbow, the elf, appeared on the green and a daintier little
gentleman never was seen. His blue satin coat, with silvery leaves
embroidered in wreaths, his white silken hose and gilt-buckled shoes,
and his blue Forget-Me-Not girdle, made an exquisite picture.
With three very low bows he flew straight to Emily, and told her that
the insect choir would be pleased to favor her with some music in honor
of her birthday. Then Rainbow made a motion to Tono, who had charge of
the insect choir. Tono gave the word of command, and the fiddlers,
drummers, and pipers of the insect world appeared.
The short-horned Grasshoppers were there with their bows and fiddles;
the musical Cicadas were also there with their high-tuned kettle drums;
and the meadow Grasshoppers were playing: “Zip, zip, zee-e-e! Zip, zip,
zee-e-e!”
The pale-green, bashful Katydids, who are usually heard but not seen,
were also there singing with all their might: “Katy did! she did, she
did, she didn’t!” over and over again.
And the cheery crickets with their happy chirpings, sang: “Cheer-up!
cheer-up! cheer-up!”
They all sang and played most heartily, all in honor of Emily’s
birthday. And when they had finished there was loud applause and cries
of “More! more!”
But just at that moment Colonel Claw stepped forward, and told them
that the birds also would be pleased to favor Emily and her guests with
some music.
A Starling, whom Colonel Claw had taught to make a speech for the
occasion, stepped forward and said that as all the birds in Templeton
Garden had been most kindly treated, and had even had fine, comfortable
houses provided for them, they wanted to show their appreciation by
helping to celebrate Emily’s birthday.
Then the Starling, bowing low, turned to Emily and added: “In the name
of all the birds of Templeton Garden, I wish you a great many happy
returns!”
So saying he returned to the elm tree. Colonel Claw gave the word of
command, and the music began.
The birds are the sweetest of all sweet singers, and the chorus was
grand. It was a billow of song that rose and fell like the waves of a
mighty ocean. At times no one voice could be heard distinctly; again,
the flute-like notes of the Wood Thrush, the Purple Finch’s rich,
melodious warble, or the beautiful trill of the Vireo could be heard
quite plainly above the chorus.
The birds were jubilant. Never before had they sung with so much
strength and sweetness. And when at last the music died away in gentle
cadences, Emily and her friends clapped their hands in glee, and said
they had never in all their lives heard anything so beautiful.
Then Tono, at a signal from Captain Featherweight, bowed low before
Emily and said: “The elves of Mount Fern take this opportunity to
express their thanks for their comfortable home in Templeton Garden,
and beg that their choir and orchestra may be allowed to take part in
the celebration of your birthday.”
Emily was very much delighted and said that any one was fortunate who
had the elves for friends.
So the elfin choir and orchestra flew up into the large white oak tree
that stood near the mulberry tree. And there they played and sang the
music which Rhymo and Tono had composed for the occasion:
_The Wish of the Elves._
“’Tis a festive occasion
Which brings us today,
To sing thy high praises
In musical lay!
Your life in its morning
Dawns glorious and bright,
With promise of sunshine,
And gladness and light.
May future years bring thee
The gifts most sublime,
Great courage and wisdom,
And hope for all time!”
Emily knew she had never heard anything half so wonderful. She told
her Father and Mother that this was the most splendid day she had ever
lived, and that she did not know how she was ever going to wait until
her next birthday--for she thought birthdays were the very nicest days
in all the year.
Just as she said this, she saw Captain Featherweight and Rhymo coming
toward her. The Captain carried a box, and she wondered if she were
really going to get another present after all she had already received.
Rhymo began to speak, and he recited the verse he had made for the
necklace:
“The Elves of Mount Fern
Are so glad to discern
When a young girl is kind, good and wise,
That they’re prone to reward,
When her birthday comes round,
With a gift that will gladden her eyes.
Accept then this necklace of gold,
And the wish that you’ll never grow old
In faith, hope and charity,
Truth in its rarity,
Goodness and kindness untold.”
Then Captain Featherweight took the necklace of fine filigree gold and
placed it around Emily’s neck.
And Emily felt like a Queen, and she told her Father and Mother that
she was the happiest girl in all the wide world.
Thus ended the birthday party.
5
THE KING OF THE ELVES VISITS MOUNT FERN
The next evening, while the elves were at breakfast, Lightning informed
Captain Featherweight that the King of the Elves was coming to visit
Mount Fern.
“That is good news,” said the Captain, “are you sure it is true?”
“Quite sure,” said Lightning, “for I saw Okla of Oakdale, and he told
me that the King is now visiting Elmsdale; and from Elmsdale he’s
coming to Oakdale; and from Oakdale he’s coming to Mount Fern.”
“That is really good news!” said the Captain.
“And what shall we do to entertain him?” asked Rainbow.
“Nothing at all,” said the Captain, “for when the King goes visiting he
always takes his entertainers with him. He has his own musicians, his
own jesters, and his own actors.
“The King does this in his own defence, for he says it is a King’s
privilege not to be entertained unless he wants to be. So we’ll only
have to receive him.”
“Shall I make a poem for him?” asked Rhymo.
“Not at all,” said the Captain, “for he has his own Court poet, who is
the best in the world, and if he wants a poem he has only to say so.”
“Won’t we have anything extra to do before he comes?” asked the
flower-elf.
“Oh, yes!” replied the Captain, “and you especially, Iris-Wing, will be
very busy, for the King is most particular about the care of plants,
and if a single plant is neglected it makes him unhappy. So I want
Templeton Garden to be a perfect bower of well-kept plants when the
King comes to visit us.”
“Shall I be asked to sing or play?” asked Tono.
“I should say not,” replied the Captain, “for the King always travels
with his own musicians, and if he wants any music he has only to say
so.”
“And how shall we address him?” asked Slumber.
“As ‘Noble King,’ ‘Your Majesty,’ or ‘Your Royal Highness’,” said the
Captain.
“If there is any doubt as to which he prefers, couldn’t we address him
as ‘Your Royal Majesty’s Noble Highness’?” asked Touchstone.
“Silence!” commanded Captain Featherweight. “This is no time for
jesting, and if any elf from this time forward be found guilty of
jesting about the King, he shall forthwith be sent to Doomdell. This
time I spare you, Touchstone.”
“Shall I touch stone next time, noble Captain?” asked Touchstone.
But as soon as he saw that the Captain was really angry that he should
joke in this way about the prison walls of Doomdell, he immediately
got down on bended knee and begged the Captain’s pardon. And Captain
Featherweight, who was anxious that they should all live in harmony,
graciously granted it.
“And Owly,” continued the Captain, “I warn _you_ not to be too clever.
I should think Prince Prigio would be a warning to you. Don’t you
remember how everybody hated him because he was so very clever and let
everybody know it? And that it was only when he concealed the fact and
_seemed_ no cleverer than other people that they began to love him?”
“I’ll do my best,” said Owly, “but if I am as clever as you say, it is
my nature to be so and I cannot help it.”
“You can be clever and tactful, too,” said the Captain. “Take Rainbow
for your model, and learn of him.
“And if you ask a question of the King, you must say: ‘Your Royal
Highness, may I be permitted to ask----’ and so forth.
“But you must _not_ say: ‘May I ask--your Royal Highness?’ ‘Your Royal
Highness’ or ‘Your Majesty’ must always come before ‘I’ or ‘me’ when
you are addressing the King.”
“Rainbow, as usual, I put you in charge of the whole affair. You must
instruct the others in the proper etiquette for the occasion.”
“Shall I gather countless fireflies for the illumination?” asked
Lightning.
“Not fireflies, but glowworms,” said the Captain. “They are rarer and
will therefore do the King more honor.
“And we’ll send to the Dwarfs of Cavedale, and have them make a
thousand silver filigree lanterns to hold the glowworms, and hang from
the ceilings of Mount Fern, and from the branches of trees near our
dwelling.
“And the floors shall be carpeted with the petals of roses; and the
walls hung with star-flower and forget-me-not.
“And the sweetest and freshest of honeydew must be collected, with the
ripest and most luscious of the fruits, and the most perfect of the
nuts.
“And now I think this is all I need tell you, for, as I said before,
the King will manage his own entertainment.
“Right! Left! Shoulder arms!”
At this command every elf went to work.
The flower-elf ran off to the mulberry tree in search of Colonel Claw.
He found him perching on one of the lower branches, so up he flew and
sat beside him. And he told him all about the expected visit of the
King.
“There is nothing the King so much dislikes as an ill-kept garden,”
said the flower-elf. “And so I have come to ask your kind assistance
in a battle against the canker-worms, grubs, beetles, ants and other
insects that eat out the life of the flowers.”
“I’ll do my best,” said Colonel Claw. “I’ll get all the birds in the
neighborhood to wage incessant warfare against all the enemies of the
flowers! And I’ll begin this very hour.”
“A thousand thanks,” said Iris-Wing, “you have my undying gratitude,
and if I can ever help you, be sure I will.”
Then the flower-elf bade adieu to Colonel Claw and went in search of
Slumber.
He found him resting on a bank of fern-moss, and told him that he
wanted him to make the gardener dream such dreams as would make that
lazy fellow do the work of his life.
“I don’t know how you are going to do it,” said the flower-elf, “but it
will have to be done.”
“Leave that to me,” said Slumber, “for I am sure I can manage it. Think
of the bluebirds’ feathers and doubt not.”
“I trust you entirely,” said the flower-elf, “and I know that all will
be well.
“But now I must go and see where the best honeydew is to be found. And
while I am testing the honeydew I will just make a note of the nuts and
fruits that I happen to see.”
So saying he departed waving his hand in adieu.
Lightning went to the Dwarfs of Cavedale and ordered a thousand
lanterns of filigree silver.
Tono trained his choir and orchestra so that he would be prepared if
the King should ask him to sing or play.
Rhymo made verses all night long, for he did not want to be caught
napping if the King should ask him for one of his poems.
Rainbow was carefully planning the details, and every one came to him
for advice.
When the gardener had gone to bed for the night, Slumber entered his
cottage noiselessly, softly entered his sleeping-room, and gently beat
on the drum of his ear.
And the gardener dreamed and dreamed. He thought he was on a desert
plain, and he was very thirsty--so thirsty that he did not care for
anything in the world but _water_. His throat was parched; the sky was
red; the grass was brown; the sun was scorching!
And there was not a drop of water in sight! There were no clouds in the
sky to bring rain, nor a sign of moisture anywhere!
Just as he thought he could stand it no longer, a frightful hobgoblin
with black wings and piercing eyes came hovering over him, and cried in
a voice of thunder:
“You’re thirsty, are you?”
“‘Thirsty,’” sighed the gardener, “I’m dying of thirst!”
“Go first and water the flowers; then you may drink,” said the goblin,
as he flew up in the air uttering a horrid shriek.
But the gardener dreamed again: this time he was starving; and there
was not a scrap of food in sight, not even a grain of corn to satisfy
his gnawing hunger.
And when he thought he could stand it no longer, the same frightful
hobgoblin came flying toward him, and flapped its great wings and cried:
“You’re hungry, are you?”
“So hungry that I’m fainting,” whispered the gardener.
“Go first and feed your plants, and then you may eat,” said the goblin.
Then away he flew and left him alone as before.
But the gardener dreamed still again, and this time he thought he was
in his own cottage. The walls of the cottage began to shrink; and the
tables and chairs and everything else in the room began to move toward
him. The windows shut of themselves; the shades rolled down; the air
grew close and stifling.
And he couldn’t escape, for just as soon as he moved one chair away,
another one took its place.
The chairs and tables moved nearer and nearer; and the gardener was so
weary that he wanted to sink on the floor; but there was not room, for
everything in the cottage piled itself right up against him so that he
could not move.
The air grew thicker and thicker, and the night grew blacker and
blacker, but not so black that he could not see the goblin coming
toward him.
And the goblin flew straight to the gardener, flapped its heavy wings,
and shouted at him:
“You’re cramped for room, are you?”
“I’m dying,” said the gardener.
“Then help the plants to live. Pull up the weeds, give the plants room,
and you may live yourself,” said the goblin as he flew away in the
darkness.
At this point the dream-elf, thinking his work well done, hastened back
to Mount Fern.
“Some dreams,” said he to himself, “are good for a gardener, and I
think this one will be.”
Very early the next morning the flower-elf and Slumber went into the
garden to see what was happening there.
And lo and behold! Colonel Claw was at work with a whole host of birds,
destroying the insects that eat out the life of the flowers. Such a
chattering you never did hear, for they sang and talked as they worked.
A host of Warblers was destroying plant-lice, canker-worms, and
caterpillars.
Catbirds were waging warfare against grasshoppers, beetles, and other
insects.
Swallows were flying hither and thither in search of insects, and
catching their prey on the wing; and each as he passed a friend or a
brother cried out:
“Hurry up, there is work to be done!”
The Flickers were ridding the garden of ants, and gaily they worked and
well.
And Sparrows were eating the seeds of the weeds, so that none might
escape to grow up and choke out the flowers.
All the birds helped in the work, and destroyed all the harmful insects
and weed seeds.
And this army of birds had just got to work when the gardener appeared
on the scene. He came much earlier than usual; and he fed and watered
the plants; and he weeded and spaded and hoed; and not a single plant
was neglected.
And early each morning Colonel Claw marshalled his army of birds to do
battle against the plants’ enemies.
And early each morning the gardener, too, kept on with his weeding and
hoeing.
So that the garden grew and flourished. The flowers were blooming with
happiness, and they smiled and nodded their beautiful heads while they
said to the gardener:
“Dear sir, you are kindness itself.”
And all the elves were delighted, especially the flower-elf.
Dr. Templeton, too, was delighted, and he and his wife came oftener
than usual to walk in the garden and admire the beautiful flowers.
One evening at starlight the Captain received a message from the King,
saying that before a week would go by he would visit Mount Fern, for he
planned to be there on Tuesday next at the full of the moon.
At last the great night arrived, and the elves were all dressed in oak
leaves in honor of the King (for the oak is the King’s favorite tree).
And of course they wore their girdles, for on a great occasion an elf
would no more think of going without a girdle, than a young lady would
think of going to a party without her slippers.
From the entrance to Templeton Garden, all the way to Mount Fern, the
path-way was strewn with flowers and studded with arches.
The first arch was made of _laurel_ to show that the elves honored
their King: the second was made of _roses_ to show that they loved
him: and the third arch was made of _pansies_ to show that they always
thought of him.
The arches and shrubbery were hung with silver filigree lanterns, and
the glowworms shone and shed their soft lights around.
And Lightning, the messenger-elf, who had been sent out in the evening
to watch for the arrival of the King, returned in great haste just at
midnight to say that the King was coming--for the King’s herald had
blown three blasts on his bugle to proclaim His Majesty’s approach.
Then the Elves of Mount Fern took their silver trumpets and blew three
answering blasts as a greeting to all the King’s company.
Two elves were stationed at each of the arches, and they bowed down on
bended knee as the King passed by, and cried: “All hail, noble King!”
And when the King and his retinue arrived at Mount Fern, Captain
Featherweight was there to receive them.
After the greetings were over, Rainbow and Iris-Wing led the King to a
flower-throne which was made of the softest and sweetest of pansies.
Then Rainbow took a golden goblet and bowed down before the King, and
said: “Noble King, will you drink?”
“I will,” said the King.
So Rainbow took a pitcher-plant and poured out some sparkling nectar;
and the King took the goblet and drank and refreshed himself.
Iris-Wing bowed down before the King and asked:
“Noble King, will you eat?”
“I will,” said the King.
Then Iris-Wing took the freshest and ripest of nuts, and the most
luscious of fruits, and brought these to the King. And he ate and
enjoyed them.
When the King had partaken of nuts and berries and nectar, he said to
the Captain.