bind up your poor little leg, and Zephyr shall rock you to sleep."
So she folded the cool leaves tenderly about the poor fly, bathed his

wings, and brought him refreshing drink, while he hummed his thanks,
and forgot his pain, as Zephyr softly sung and fanned him with her

waving wings.
They passed on, and Eva saw beside each bed a Fairy, who with gentle

hands and loving words soothed the suffering insects. At length
they stopped beside a bee, who lay among sweet honeysuckle flowers,

in a cool, still place, where the summer wind blew in, and the green
leaves rustled pleasantly. Yet he seemed to find no rest, and

murmured of the pain he was doomed to bear. " Why must I lie here,
while my kindred are out in the pleasant fields, enjoying the sunlight

and the fresh air, and cruel hands have doomed me to this dark place
and bitter pain when I have done no wrong? Uncared for and forgotten,

I must stay here among these poor things who think only of themselves.
Come here, Rose-Leaf, and bind up my wounds, for I am far more useful

than idle bird or fly."
Then said the Fairy, while she bathed the broken wing,--

"Love-Blossom, you should not murmur. We may find happiness in
seeking to be patient even while we suffer. You are not forgotten or

uncared for, but others need our care more than you, and to those
who take cheerfully" target="_blank" title="ad.高兴地，愉快地">cheerfully the pain and sorrow sent, do we most gladly give

our help. You need not be idle, even though lying here in darkness
and sorrow; you can be taking from your heart all sad and discontented

feelings, and if love and patienceblossom there, you will be better
for the lonely hours spent here. Look on the bed beside you; this

little dove has suffered far greater pain than you, and all our care
can never ease it; yet through the long days he hath lain here, not an

unkind word or a repining sigh hath he uttered. Ah, Love-Blossom,
the gentle bird can teach a lesson you will be wiser and better for."

Then a faint voice whispered, "Little Rose-Leaf, come quickly, or
I cannot thank you as I ought for all your loving care of me."

So they passed to the bed beside the discontented bee, and here upon
the softest down lay the dove, whose gentle eyes looked gratefully

upon the Fairy, as she knelt beside the little couch, smoothed the
soft white bosom, folded her arms about it and wept sorrowing tears,

while the bird still whispered its gratitude and love.
"Dear Fairy, the fairest flowers have cheered me with their sweet

breath, fresh dew and fragrant leaves have been ever ready for me,
gentle hands to tend, kindly hearts to love; and for this I can only

thank you and say farewell."
Then the quivering wings were still, and the patient little dove

was dead; but the bee murmured no longer, and the dew from the flowers
fell like tears around the quiet bed.

Sadly Rose-Leaf led Eva away, saying, "Lily-Bosom shall have a grave
tonight beneath our fairest blossoms, and you shall see that

gentleness and love are prized far above gold or beauty, here in
Fairy-Land. Come now to the Flower Palace, and see the Fairy Court."

Beneath green arches, bright with birds and flowers, beside singing
waves, went Eva into a lofty hall. The roof of pure white lilies

rested on pillars of green clustering vines, while many-colored
blossoms threw their bright shadows on the walls, as they danced below

in the deep green moss, and their low, sweet voices sounded softly
through the sunlit palace, while the rustling leaves kept time.

Beside the throne stood Eva, and watched the lovely forms around her,
as they stood, each little band in its own color, with glistening

wings, and flower wands.
Suddenly the music grew louder and sweeter, and the Fairies knelt,

and bowed their heads, as on through the crowd of loving subjects
came the Queen, while the air was filled with gay voices singing

to welcome her.
She placed the child beside her, saying, "Little Eva, you shall see

now how the flowers on your great earth bloom so brightly. A band
of loving little gardeners go daily forth from Fairy-Land, to tend

and watch them, that no harm may befall the gentle spirits that dwell
beneath their leaves. This is never known, for like all good it is

unseen by mortal eyes, and unto only pure hearts like yours do we
make known our secret. The humblest flower that grows is visited by

our messengers, and often blooms in fragrant beauty unknown, unloved
by all save Fairy friends, who seek to fill the spirits with all sweet

and gentle virtues, that they may not be useless on the earth; for the
noblest mortals stoop to learn of flowers. Now, Eglantine, what have

you to tell us of your rosy namesakes on the earth?"
From a group of Elves, whose rose-wreathed wands showed the flower

they loved, came one bearing a tiny urn, and, answering the Queen,
she said,--

"Over hill and valley they are blooming fresh and fair as summer sun
and dew can make them. No drooping stem or withered leaf tells of any

evil thought within their fragrant bosoms, and thus from the fairest
of their race have they gathered this sweet dew, as a token of their

gratitude to one whose tenderness and care have kept them pure and
happy; and this, the loveliest of their sisters, have I brought to

place among the Fairy flowers that never pass away."
Eglantine laid the urn before the Queen, and placed the fragrant rose

on the dewy moss beside the throne, while a murmur of approval went
through the hall, as each elfin wand waved to the little Fairy

who had toiled so well and faithful]y, and could bring so fair a gift
to their good Queen.

Then came forth an Elf bearing a withered leaf, while her many-colored
robe and the purple tulips in her hair told her name and charge.

"Dear Queen," she sadly said, "I would gladly bring as pleasant
tidings as my sister, but, alas! my flowers are proud and wilful,

and when I went to gather my little gift of colored leaves for royal
garments, they bade me bring this withered blossom, and tell you

they would serve no longer one who will not make them Queen over all
the other flowers. They would yield neither dew nor honey, but

proudly closed their leaves and bid me go."
"Your task has been too hard for you," said the Queen kindly, as she

placed the drooping flower in the urn Eglantine had given, "you will
see how this dew from a sweet, pure heart will give new life and

loveliness even to this poor faded one. So can you, dear Rainbow, by
loving words and gentle teachings, bring back lost purity and peace

to those whom pride and selfishness have blighted. Go once again
to the proud flowers, and tell them when they are queen of their own

hearts they will ask no fairer kingdom. Watch more tenderly than ever
over them, see that they lack neither dew nor air, speak lovingly

to them, and let no unkind word or deed of theirs anger you. Let them
see by your patient love and care how much fairer they might be,

and when next you come, you will be laden with gifts from humble,
loving flowers."

Thus they told what they had done, and received from their Queen some
gentle chiding or loving word of praise.

"You will be weary of this," said little Rose-Leaf to Eva; "come now
and see where we are taught to read the tales written on flower-

leaves, and the sweet language of the birds, and all that can make
a Fairy heart wiser and better."

Then into a cheerful place they went, where were many groups of
flowers, among whose leaves sat the child Elves, and learned from

their flower-books all that Fairy hands had written there. Some
studied how to watch the tender buds, when to spread them to the

sunlight, and when to shelter them from rain; how to guard the
ripening seeds, and when to lay them in the warm earth or send them