The Insects had done it all. With their sharpest weapons they had attacked the flowers, making them one by one yield to their violence.
How this grieved the flower Queen, but at last she thought of the Brownies, and she smiled for well she knew these clever little workers. She found a trumpet flower that had escaped the cruel foe, and blew one gentle blast. Quick as a wink the Brownies came running. Their faces looked sad when they heard the trouble, but they promised to do all in their power to help their gentle Queen, and bravely they went to work. They took turns at the grindstone and sharpened their spears and swords and axes until they glistened in the moonlight, and the insects might well have trembled had they seen them.
In the morning when the sun peeped out to waken the flowers, the insects once more started on their raid, but they were not prepared for what followed. Curled up underneath flowers and bushes hid the Brownies. Out they rushed and war raged fiercely, but the Brownies came off the victors, and the bees and the beetles, the hornets, ants and caterpillars lay dead upon the ground.
THE BROWNIES’ WEDDING GIFT.
Once upon a time, long, long years ago, there lived somewhere the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, a maiden who was as beautiful as an angel, and better than being beautiful, she was also good and gentle.
Elsie and her father lived alone, for her mother had died many years before, and this beautiful maid kept her father’s house, and managed all things like some wise and noble queen. The poor people of the village loved her, for it was her gentle hands that brought broths and strengthening food to the sick mothers, her beautiful eyes that read comforting words to the old women, and in her untiring arms many a poor little baby had been rocked to the land of dreams.