“Well, can you imagine what Prince Adelstan decided to do? He determined upon a terribly rash thing, and planned it for months. He lay awake thinking of it, for in his excitement he could not sleep. He whispered it at last to his beautiful bride, who trembled in his arms as she listened. She was horrified at first, and pleaded with him to give up his rash plan; but he was bent upon it, and after weeks of pleading from him, she finally yielded and consented to help him. Together they decided to elude the fairies and break the law; for their rash determination was no less than this—to see the Sun rise.
“Night after night they discussed it, and one beautiful moonlight one, when they had danced until dawn, and the other fairies, exhausted, had slipped into the hearts of the magnolia blossoms to sleep, Prince Adelstan and Princess Verdande stole carefully down to the waters of the Gulf, and, breathless with curiosity, awaited the coming of the Sun.
“Never shall they forget that morning. The waters of the Gulf looked steely gray in the first faint light of dawn. A pearly white mist was lifting slowly from them, and melting as it lifted. The little bride caught her breath with admiration as the cold steel-gray of the water slowly changed into a delicate, warm pink, for the Gulf, like a great mirror, was reflecting all the lights in the sky. The sea-shell pink of the faint dawn heralded the approach of the Sun. Gradually the delicate coloring grew a deeper rose, until the white clouds overhead seemed dyed in crimson. The waters lay still and silent; hardly a ripple disturbed their serenity. Presently long, piercing rays crept across the sky, while all the colors of the rainbow seemed to blend and mix together. Gradually the world grew brighter and brighter. Then suddenly out of the shining water rose a great red ball of fire! The Princess clung to her husband, for, beautiful as it was, she was surprised and frightened. The Sun mounted slowly into the sky, casting his brilliant rays across the heavens, and at the same time great slanting streaks of yellow beams danced before their bewildered eyes. The waters of the Gulf were marvellous to see, for they glistened like millions of flashing diamonds. The two fairies stood amazed at the magnificent sight before them, for even Fairyland has nothing more beautiful than the sunrise.
“Presently a flock of white sea-gulls rose shrieking from the sands, and Prince Adelstan and his wife (startled by the sudden noise, and abashed by their terrible disobedience) tried to hide behind a blade of grass. Alas! what was their horror to discover that they could not. They had grown much larger, and they realized in despair that they could no longer hide under the flowers; their wings, too, had disappeared, and they knew they were banished from Fairyland. Then their sorrow began, for, try as they did, they could find no trace of their brother and sister fairies.
“There was a dreamy stillness everywhere, and the flowers were very tempting in the early morning dew; but alas! those flowers no longer formed a home for the disobedient fairies. Hand in hand they wandered, and for miles they stumbled sadly along, until at last they reached the edge of a great marsh. The green and yellow grasses there were scarcely moving, and lovely tints were shimmering in a hazy amber splendor. The unruffled waters of the bayou, as it ran curling around the rushes, gleamed in spots of silver. The world took on new beauties beneath the Sun, but the unhappy Princess and her husband could not enjoy them. They journeyed about in misery until they found the gnarled old magnolia-tree. They hid themselves in its hollow trunk.
“The fairies, of course, had missed them, and knew perfectly well of their misfortunes, but the Queen’s heart was hardened against them because of their dreadful disobedience. However, the band of little fairies, in spite of all, united in deep sympathy for their erring brother and sister, and they prayed the Queen to grant them pardon. The Queen’s heart softened a little at last, for after all the Prince was a beloved nephew; but even she had not full power to restore them to Fairyland. The law once broken, full penance must be done; for disobedience is a dreadful crime in Fairyland.
“They threw themselves at her feet, begging for pardon.” ([Page 41])
“Late one night, when the Moon was high in the blue sky, and the world was flooded with silver, when the bright stars flashed out like millions of dancing points of fire, the two unhappy culprits crept out from the hollow of the magnolia-tree. The fairies were holding high festival, feasting on rose-leaves and drinking the dew from tiny acorn cups. Thousands of them were dancing in and out of the moonlight, and their bright wings flashed gold and silver lights wherever they moved. Their wands, too, sparkled and glittered as if they were on fire. The exiled Prince and Princess gazed sadly upon it all, seeing now fully what they had lost; but alas! it was too late. They knew quite well their bulky forms without wings could never again become as light and airy as before their disobedience. Swiftly, however, they ran forward, and before the astonished Queen had time to escape, they threw themselves at her feet, begging for pardon. The Queen frowned as she listened to the story of their disobedience, and the other fairies shuddered when they heard of the great crime. Still, her Majesty loved her nephew and his bride, and her heart was heavy as she heard the sad tale. The Queen was unusually handsome that night, and seated on a throne of moss-rose buds, she seemed very far above the culprits at her feet. Her white-and-silver dress sparkled brilliantly against the bright pink of the rosebuds, and the green leaves about them were so covered with dew that they seemed to be made of frosted silver.
“‘Alas! my dear children,’ she began sadly, ‘I have not the power to make you fairies again. You have lost Fairyland forever by your act of disobedience. Once banished, you cannot be recalled; beside, were it possible for me to admit you again to Fairyland, you would never be happy with us again. You have seen the glorious sunrise once, and nothing in Fairyland is so beautiful. You would constantly long for that magnificent sight again. But,’ she added thoughtfully, ‘perhaps I can render you perfectly happy in some other form upon the Earth, and in this way restore your contentment.’