Rose-Petal shook her head and smiled. "I will do what I can, but when mortals lose things, mortals must find them."
"But I suppose you know everything," said Pierre. "I suppose you know where the key is."
"No," returned Rose-Petal, "I don't know where it is, but I shall be glad if you find it, for it is rather a pity children should not be able any longer to visit our court."
"Do you go there often?" asked Pierre.
"I live there," replied Rose-Petal. "I am one of the queen's maids of honor."
"Then why can't you take us?" suggested Iona eagerly.
"You know already," returned the fairy. "Mortals must use the key, and when two children like you, who are not selfish or quarrelsome, wish to go I am glad to help them for they already have the greatest key of all, the key that unlocks all earthly doors."
"What is that?"
"Love," replied Rose-Petal, "and for that reason they will not carry into the fairy court anything but love. Many children have too much other baggage to carry: selfishness, bad temper, sometimes even dishonesty. That was the trouble with the last mortal visitors we had, and it was in some quarrel that they lost the key. Now this is what I will do for you." Rose-Petal produced two acorn cups such as the flower guard had worn. "Here are two caps. They have many virtues and will make you understand much that you never understood before."
She touched the children with her silver wand. The children took the acorn cups gratefully, but they smiled at each other and then at the pretty face and bright eyes of the fairy.