'And you, Sylphina,' she said, 'you have been at your wild pranks again?'

Sylphina hung her head, then lifting it up with a bright look, she said, 'I have done a kind act to a little bird that pecked me on the cheek and made me angry.'

'It is well,' answered the fairy, 'for indeed your love of mischief made me fear I should have to punish you.' Then she smiled graciously, and taking a small string of pearls, she wound them round Sylphina's head.

'Now go,' she said, 'the Queen has sent permission to all the good little fairies to have a moonlight pic-nic, and her messengers attend you in the hall.'

HEN they returned to the lower hall, they found all the small people in ecstasies of delight; some arranging their hair, some bedecking themselves with flowers, and all following the Queen's messengers, who, dressed in silver and grey, shouldered their musquets, and blew their tiny horns, as they flew quickly down the hall.

On emerging from the hill, everything seemed a blaze of light. Every blade of grass, every furze bush was illuminated with myriads of fire-flies; the most ravishing music floated around them, while troops of fairy servants, richly apparelled, were arranging upon tables of mother-of-pearl a vast number of golden dishes, containing all kinds of the richest viands; every sort of meat, fruit, and preserves. Amy had

no idea fairies regaled themselves so royally. There were dishes, not only of fruits and sweets, but a variety of solid viands, such as Hares' ears, Hounds' tongues, Pheasants' eyes, Larks' spurs, Cranes' bills, Crows' feet, and Robins boiled to rags. But what attracted her attention the most were the preserves. These were truly fairy dishes; and she observed that they were brought in with more pomp than the other dishes, and were placed only on the higher tables. There were preserved Cloud-berries, and Dew-berries; and prettiest, most delicate dish of all, preserved Sun-dew.

The small people crowded round the tables, and supped right merrily on the good things set before them, pledging one another in sparkling Dew-drops imported from India, and Starwort which was brought to them in ruby goblets.

Nor did Beauty go without her share. Sylphina contrived to conceal a plate amongst her tresses, which she loaded with the viands she thought most likely to please her. Lark-spurs and Eye-bright, Cloud-berries and Sun-dew, which she said would enable her to take higher flights, and see further and more clearly.

At last the supper came to an end, and the fairy servants cleared and removed the tables as quickly as they had first arranged them.

Then ensued frolics of all kinds amongst the little elves. They danced in circles, they swung by the cobwebs like rope dancers, they ran and leaped over

and under the blades of grass, and hid themselves in the flowers.

For some time Sylphina contented herself with watching her companions, and laughing at their gambols, but at last the spirit of fun overcame her, and when a merry little fairy, who was standing at the top of a foxglove, called out to her, 'Come Sylphina, catch me if you can,' she quite forgot Beauty, and seizing hold of a tall blade of grass that hung over her head, she swung herself up by it so suddenly and so violently that poor Amy was shaken off her shoulder and flung to the ground.

The moment she was thus exposed to view, a dismal shriek arose from all the little fairies, and a sudden darkness enveloped everything. Amy felt herself buffeted and almost stunned as she lay on the ground by a hundred little feet passing over her. When she came to herself she was alone in complete darkness and silence. 'Sylphina,' she called; but there was no answer, only a rustling in the leaves at some distance off, which might be, for aught she knew, the approach of some dreadful beast of prey.

To add to her misery, rain began to fall heavily. The effect of this was however beneficial, as it forced her to rouse herself, and looking up she was astonished to find that, though it was pitch dark, the fairy food she had eaten enabled her to see distinctly every object that surrounded her. In front, and very near to

her, was a thorn bush, and in the centre of it (for she could see through the leaves) there was the loveliest little nest all lined with moss and wool. For a minute or two she stood looking at it. I wonder who it belongs to,' thought Amy, ' and whether, whoever it is, is likely to come back to it to-night. It is so late I shouldn't think they would.' At that moment she heard the curious rustling noise in the distance again which had frightened her before, and thinking to herself that she would be safer up there than on the ground from any great prowling animal, she hopped up into the tree. Whoever it belongs to,' she thought, as she hopped into the snug little retreat, 'it is such a small nest he cannot be a larger bird than myself, and I can easily jump out again and beg his pardon if he should come back. I shouldn't mind if he did, it would be pleasanter than being alone.'

Amy said the last words very drowsily, and thoroughly tired out with her night's adventures, her head dropped under her wing, and she was asleep in a moment. When she waked again the sun had been up some hours, and she felt very hungry. I wonder,' she said to herself, 'whether Sylphina will come back for me, or how I shall ever find my way home.' Stepping out of the nest, she hopped up from branch to branch till she came to the top of the bush, when, to her joy and no little astonishment, she found herself close to the veranda, and flying up to it, there was her break