“Mrs. Starkweather says that there is always a Queen of the May—a little girl whom the other children choose to wear a wreath on her head, and whatever the Queen tells them to do they must do all May-day,” said Anne, as she and Mrs. Stoddard walked toward the spring, “but I do think the other children have forgotten all about it.”
“What makes the children want to choose one to obey, I wonder,” said Mrs. Stoddard, smiling down at Anne.
“It must be because ’Tis a little girl whom they all like, and who is always kind and pleasant to the other children,” said Anne. “If ’twas a King of the May we would all want Jimmie Starkweather; but there are not so many girls as boys.”
The other children were all at the spring with bunches and wreaths of flowers, and Anne was surprised to see that a mound of sand had been heaped up and covered with pine boughs.
“What is that for?” she asked.
“That’s a throne for the Queen,” said Dannie Starkweather.
Mrs. Cary and Mrs. Starkweather were talking with the children, and as Anne came near they formed into a little circle round her, joining hands and singing:
| “Our May-queen, Queen of the May, We’re ready to serve you All this bright day.” |
Then Willie Starkweather, who was only four years old, took Anne’s hand and led her to the “throne” and said, “You mutht thit down, Anne,” for Willie lisped, “and I’ll put the crown on.”
So Anne sat down on the pine-covered sand-heap, and Willie put a wreath of fragrant arbutus on her head.