“When the hour arrived that the Queen had named, there gathered at the foot-hills of the mountains all her little workmen. Thousands and thousands of tiny sprites were there, and they glittered from head to toe in shining silver garments; silver dust powdered them until their clothes looked white as frost, and when they moved their sheen was like costly jewels. Talking together, they were wondering why the Queen should have commanded them to meet her at their busiest hour. Except that she was not fond of idlers, and required prompt and vigorous work from her people, she was a gentle mistress; but now, when they were rushing with the wedding presents for the marriage of her favorite daughter (which was soon to occur), she had called them from their shops. It surely seemed unwise. All work had ceased, for not a sprite in all Moonland was missing. What could it mean?
“At last her Majesty appeared. Her great retinue of nobles and gorgeously dressed maidens accompanied her, and with music and gay laughter they came nearer. Presently the sprites saw the Queen bid her attendants stop where they stood, and unaccompanied she approached the gallant army of her little workmen. She was well worthy the cheers of admiration that broke from their lips as she neared them. Tall and magnificent in form, she looked every inch a Queen, yet her bright blue eyes glowed with a tender light of love, showing a gentle nature, as she bowed her thanks for their affectionate greetings. Her long, fair hair floated softly about her, sometimes clinging to her white dress like threads of gold, and at her slender waist was gathered a graceful silver girdle, caught with a diamond crescent. At last, in all her splendor, she stood among them, and as she raised her hand asking for silence, absolute silence fell upon them.
“‘My good and loyal subjects,’ she began, ‘I have come to-day to intrust you with an important but secret work. No one in all the kingdom save yourselves must know of it. When all is completed, I myself will divulge the secret to my people, and I believe it will gladden them. But until then will you faithfully promise to help me and to keep my counsel?’
“‘Beloved Queen,’ they answered in one loud voice, ‘your will is ours; we will obey you gladly.’
“‘Then listen, friends and subjects,’ the Queen continued with smiling face, ‘for this is my command: That you make me a splendid silver ladder! Step by step must it be wrought, and with greatest care, for it must stretch out miles and miles in length. Strong as bands of steel each round must be, but finer in its texture than the gossamer web of the spider. Weave it with the fairies’ touch, making it exquisitely light, yet so bright withal that it can easily be seen for thousands of miles. Spare neither care nor labor, beloved subjects, for the ladder must be mine within the week.’
“Days and nights the hammers of the little workmen rang out clearly, like notes of merry music, and the Moon people said among themselves, ‘What gorgeous wedding presents our little Princess will receive!’ But they never dreamed of the mysterious ladder of glistening silver steps. And the Queen Mother kept her counsel. Only, each night as she sailed across the jewel-laden heavens, she leaned closer to the Earth Star and studied it.
“She saw great valleys and snow-clad mountains, barren deserts and limpid blue seas. She saw, too, great forests and boundless plains; but though her searching eye looked upon every inch of that beautiful bright ball whirling through space, she thought the loveliest spot on the whole globe was on the borders of the largest ocean. That ocean was so big that it measured just one half the star itself. All the other oceans and the land together could be taken up and put upon its broad blue surface.
“This splendid body of water washed the foot of a glorious country. Big mountains, raising their purple heads among the clouds, crept down to feel its cooling depths. Or, higher still, they reared their lofty peaks and held them scornfully aloft; and thus, capped with perpetual snow, they stood beautiful and glorified. Great plains stretched back from its curving yellow beach, and all the fruit one could name grew in the rich valleys. It was the garden spot of the world. Amid its groves of yellow oranges and lemons birds sang deliciously; flowers bloomed throughout the year, and the skies were nearly always sunny. In this earthly paradise palms lazily waved their feathery green arms, and trees grew so big that houses could be cut out of a single trunk. Here it was that the Moon Queen’s eye lingered longest, and it was almost with a child’s delight she saw the big blue waves roll in and break upon the sand in a fringe of soft white foam.
“The week had passed, and the Queen’s ladder was ready. One by one its silver steps were tested; ring by ring its loops were firmly fastened and bound together; for, dainty as it looked, the ladder must be strong for constant use.
“When all was ready the sprites were cautiously sent with it on a secret mission to the Earth. None but the Moon Queen knew their errand; but she smiled to herself, for after all, when completed, it was to be a wedding present and surprise to her favorite daughter.