Health dried her eyes upon a sweet geranium leaf, and asked him how that could possibly be done.
The Bird replied: “It can be done by the hands of Children alone. Every time a Child learns to eat the right food, a brick shall be added to your house, every time a Child learns to sleep in the sweet fresh air, a shingle shall be put upon the roof. And every time a Child learns to play and be happy, a colored glass shall be added to the windows.”
“But alas!” said Fairy Health, “How shall we teach the Children these things?”
“I will go to the Teachers who are wise and good,” said the Bird, “and tell them what to do.”
So the Bird, whose name was Education, started on his journey. He took his brother Rumor with him to help tell the Teachers, because there were a great many Teachers to be told about the Children’s health.
Far and near these wise birds traveled, to little towns and to big cities, and everywhere the Teachers listened to their story, until in all that great country, the Children were taught to eat wholesome food, to sleep in the sweet fresh air, and to play and be happy.
And as the Children grew healthy and happy, the bricks were added to the Fairy’s house, and shingles were put upon the roof. Lovely colored glass filled up the broken windows, and once again there stood among the trees and flowers a house so beautiful that strangers, passing by, paused to admire it. Health often invited them to rest in her garden, and as she refreshed them with sparkling water from the well, she told the story of her house, and how Children had rebuilt it for her.
