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The butterfly's home shall be;

And thou shalt find, dear, faithful flower,
A loving friend in me."

Then, through the long, bright summer hours
Through sunshine and through shower,

Together in their happy home
Dwelt butterfly and flower.

"Ah, that is very lovely," cried the Elves, gathering round
little Sunbeam as she ceased, to place a garland in her hair and

praise her song.
"Now," said the Queen, "call hither Moon-light and Summer-Wind,

for they have seen many pleasant things in their long wanderings,
and will gladly tell us them."

"Most joyfully will we do our best, dear Queen," said the Elves,
as they folded their wings beside her.

"Now, Summer-Wind," said Moonlight, "till your turn comes, do you sit
here and fan me while I tell this tale of

LITTLE ANNIE'S DREAM;
OR,

THE FAIRY FLOWER.
IN a large and pleasant garden sat little Annie all alone, and

she seemed very sad, for drops that were not dew fell fast upon the
flowers beside her, who looked wonderingly up, and bent still nearer,

as if they longed to cheer and comfort her. The warm wind lifted up
her shining hair and softly kissed her cheek, while the sunbeams,

looking most kindly in her face, made little rainbows in her tears,
and lingered lovingly about her. But Annie paid no heed to sun,

or wind, or flower; still the bright tears fell, and she forgot
all but her sorrow.

"Little Annie, tell me why you weep," said a low voice in her ear;
and, looking up, the child beheld a little figure standing on a

vine-leaf at her side; a lovely face smiled on her, from amid
bright locks of hair, and shining wings were folded on a white and

glittering robe, that fluttered in the wind.
"Who are you, lovely little thing?" cried Annie, smiling through

her tears.
"I am a Fairy, little child, and am come to help and comfort you; now

tell me why you weep, and let me be your friend," replied the spirit,
as she smiled more kindly still on Annie's wondering face.

"And are you really, then, a little Elf, such as I read of
in my fairy books? Do you ride on butterflies, sleep in flower-cups,

and live among the clouds?"
"Yes, all these things I do, and many stranger still, that all

your fairy books can never tell; but now, dear Annie," said the Fairy,
bending nearer, "tell me why I found no sunshine on your face; why are

these great drops shining on the flowers, and why do you sit alone
when BIRD and BEE are calling you to play?"

"Ah, you will not love me any more if I should tell you all,"
said Annie, while the tears began to fall again; "I am not happy,

for I am not good; how shall I learn to be a patient, gentle child?
good little Fairy, will you teach me how?"

"Gladly will I aid you, Annie, and if you truly wish to be
a happy child, you first must learn to conquer many passions that

you cherish now, and make your heart a home for gentle feelings and
happy thoughts; the task is hard, but I will give this fairy flower

to help and counsel you. Bend hither, that I may place it in your
breast; no hand can take it hence, till I unsay the spell that

holds it there."
As thus she spoke, the Elf took from her bosom a graceful flower,

whose snow-white leaves shone with a strange, soft light. "This is
a fairy flower," said the Elf, "invisible to every eye save yours;

now listen while I tell its power, Annie. When your heart is filled
with loving thoughts, when some kindly deed has been done, some duty

well performed, then from the flower there will arise the sweetest,
softest fragrance, to reward and gladden you. But when an unkind word

is on your lips, when a selfish, angry feeling rises in your heart,
or an unkind, cruel deed is to be done, then will you hear the soft,

low chime of the flower-bell; listen to its warning, let the word
remain unspoken, the deed undone, and in the quiet joy of your own

heart, and the magic perfume of your bosom flower, you will find
a sweet reward."

"O kind and generous Fairy, how can I ever thank you for this lovely
gift!" cried Annie. "I will be true, and listen to my little bell

whenever it may ring. But shall I never see YOU more? Ah! if you
would only stay with me, I should indeed be good."

"I cannot stay now, little Annie," said the Elf, "but when
another Spring comes round, I shall be here again, to see how well

the fairy gift has done its work. And now farewell, dear child;
be faithful to yourself, and the magic flower will never fade."

Then the gentle Fairy folded her little arms around Annie's neck,
laid a soft kiss on her cheek, and, spreading wide her shining wings,

flew singing up among the white clouds floating in the sky.
And little Annie sat among her flowers, and watched with wondering joy

the fairy blossom shining on her breast.
The pleasant days of Spring and Summer passed away, and in

little Annie's garden Autumn flowers were blooming everywhere,
with each day's sun and dew growing still more beautiful and bright;

but the fairy flower, that should have been the loveliest of all,
hung pale and drooping on little Annie's bosom; its fragrance seemed

quite gone, and the clear, low music of its warning chime rang often
in her ear.

When first the Fairy placed it there, she had been pleased with
her new gift, and for a while obeyed the fairy bell, and often tried

to win some fragrance from the flower, by kind and pleasant words
and actions; then, as the Fairy said, she found a sweet reward in

the strange, soft perfume of the magic blossom, as it shone upon her
breast; but selfish thoughts would come to tempt her, she would yield,

and unkind words fell from her lips; and then the flower drooped pale
and scentless, the fairy bell rang mournfully, Annie would forget

her better resolutions, and be again a selfish, wilful little child.
At last she tried no longer, but grew angry with the faithful flower,

and would have torn it from her breast; but the fairy spell still
held it fast, and all her angry words but made it ring a louder,

sadder peal. Then she paid no heed to the silvery music sounding
in her ear, and each day grew still more unhappy, discontented,

and unkind; so, when the Autumn days came round, she was no better
for the gentle Fairy's gift, and longed for Spring, that it might

be returned; for now the constant echo of the mournful music made her
very sad.

One sunny morning, when the fresh, cool Winds were blowing,
and not a cloud was in the sky, little Annie walked among her flowers,

looking carefully into each, hoping thus to find the Fairy, who alone
could take the magic blossom from her breast. But she lifted up their

drooping leaves, peeped into their dewy cups in vain; no little Elf
lay hidden there, and she turned sadly from them all, saying, "I will

go out into the fields and woods, and seek her there. I will not
listen to this tiresome music more, nor wear this withered flower

longer." So out into the fields she went, where the long grass
rustled as she passed, and timid birds looked at her from their nests;

where lovely wild-flowers nodded in the wind, and opened wide their
fragrant leaves, to welcome in the murmuring bees, while butterflies,

like winged flowers, danced and glittered in the sun.
Little Annie looked, searched, and asked them all if any one

could tell her of the Fairy whom she sought; but the birds looked
wonderingly at her with their soft, bright eyes, and still sang on;

the flowers nodded wisely on their stems, but did not speak,
while butterfly and bee buzzed and fluttered away, one far too busy,

the other too idle, to stay and tell her what she asked.
Then she went through broad fields of yellow grain, that waved

around her like a golden forest; here crickets chirped, grasshoppers
leaped, and busy ants worked, but they could not tell her what

she longed to know.
"Now will I go among the hills," said Annie, "she may be there."

So up and down the green hill-sides went her little feet; long she
searched and vainly she called; but still no Fairy came. Then

by the river-side she went, and asked the gay dragon-flies, and the
cool white lilies, if the Fairy had been there; but the blue waves

rippled on the white sand at her feet, and no voice answered her.
Then into the forest little Annie went; and as she passed along the

dim, cool paths, the wood-flowers smiled up in her face, gay squirrels
peeped at her, as they swung amid the vines, and doves cooed softly

as she wandered by; but none could answer her. So, weary with
her long and useless search, she sat amid the ferns, and feasted

on the rosy strawberries that grew beside her, watching meanwhile
the crimson evening clouds that glowed around the setting sun.

The night-wind rustled through the boughs, rocking the flowers
to sleep; the wild birds sang their evening hymns, and all within

the wood grew calm and still; paler and paler grew the purple light,
lower and lower drooped little Annie's head, the tall ferns bent

to shield her from the dew, the whispering pines sang a soft lullaby;
and when the Autumn moon rose up, her silver light shone on the child,

where, pillowed on green moss, she lay asleep amid the wood-flowers
in the dim old forest.

And all night long beside her stood the Fairy she had sought, and
by elfin spell and charm sent to the sleeping child this dream.

Little Annie dreamed she sat in her own garden, as she had often
sat before, with angry feelings in her heart, and unkind words upon

her lips. The magic flower was ringing its soft warning, but she paid
no heed to anything, save her own troubled thoughts; thus she sat,

when suddenly a low voice whispered in her ear,--
"Little Annie, look and see the evil things that you are cherishing;

I will clothe in fitting shapes the thoughts and feelings that now
dwell within your heart, and you shall see how great their power

becomes, unless you banish them for ever."
Then Annie saw, with fear and wonder, that the angry words she uttered

changed to dark, unlovely forms, each showing plainly from what fault
or passion it had sprung. Some of the shapes had scowling faces and

bright, fiery eyes; these were the spirits of Anger. Others, with
sullen, anxious looks, seemed gathering up all they could reach, and

Annie saw that the more they gained, the less they seemed to have;
and these she knew were shapes of Selfishness. Spirits of Pride were

there, who folded their shadowy garments round them, and turned
scornfully away from all the rest. These and many others

little Annie saw, which had come from her own heart, and taken form
before her eyes.

When first she saw them, they were small and weak; but as she looked
they seemed to grow and gather strength, and each gained a

strange power over her. She could not drive them from her sight,
and they grew ever stronger, darker, and more unlovely to her eyes.

They seemed to cast black shadows over all around, to dim the
sunshine, blight the flowers, and drive away all bright and lovely

things; while rising slowly round her Annie saw a high, dark wal],
that seemed to shut out everything she loved; she dared not move,

or speak, but, with a strange fear at her heart, sat watching the dim
shapes that hovered round her.

Higher and higher rose the shadowy wall, slowly the flowers near her
died, lingeringly the sunlight faded; but at last they both were gone,

and left her all alone behind the gloomy wall. Then the spirits
gathered round her, whispering strange things in her ear, bidding her

obey, for by her own will she had yielded up her heart to be their
home, and she was now their slave. Then she could hear no more, but,

sinking down among the withered flowers, wept sad and bitter tears,
for her lost liberty and joy; then through the gloom there shone

a faint, soft light, and on her breast she saw her fairy flower,
upon whose snow-white leaves her tears lay shining.

Clearer and brighter grew the radiant light, till the evil spirits
turned away to the dark shadow of the wall, and left the child alone.

The light and perfume of the flower seemed to bring new strength
to Annie, and she rose up, saying, as she bent to kiss the blossom

on her breast, "Dear flower, help and guide me now, and I will listen
to your voice, and cheerfully obey my faithful fairy bell."



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