As he said these words all bowed down before him as though a strong wind had swept them forward. The King spoke again.
"My shadow, please!" he said. Without further speech Zuzu handed him his shadow, recently twisted and distorted, but now new and handsome as the King himself. To their great surprise it fitted the King perfectly in every way.
The face of the King was stern and commanding now, though very handsome and very glad. "My Royal Cricket now, good Princess," said he to Lulu; "for now we shall send word of our own to our ruler, the good Queen who has set us free from all Wicked Fairies."
Lulu bowed low before the King, and presented to him the White Cricket; which at once took its place under the shadow of the King. In a moment it had found a floating film of gossamer, the web of the Fairy spiders, and the King inclined his ear as he heard a voice far off chirping.
"That," said the King, "is the telephone to Fairy-land. And now a royal wish of our own: May the Fairies help a Monarch who wishes always to be wise and good. Zulena! Zulena!"
And lo! as they all gazed at the spot where he stood, to their great surprise they saw standing there, smiling and bowing and looking very sweet, no less a person than Zulena, the good Queen of the Fairies.
Kneeling to her, before them all, the King kissed her hand. The face of the Queen was now very glad and happy.
"Now," said the King, rising and again looking very handsome, and very stern as well as very kind at the same time, "we, the good Queen Zulena and I, shall rule this country together from our joint throne. We shall ever defend the secret of the Fairy Valley where lies the Mother of Gold. From this time on it shall be our greatest task to spread abroad content and happiness for all."
"My lord speaks well and wisely," said the sweet voice of the Fairy Queen, "and that all may know our wishes to be the same, I shall grant to each of our subjects here present, before the Royal Wedding March begins, one wish each, for that which is best for the one wishing it."
The Court Detective, the Court Physician, and the Court Lawyer each wished for greater wisdom; and this the Royal Couple said was a very desirable wish, and should be granted. The Private Secretary asked that he might be continued all his life in the service of the King; and this was granted him, for a better Private Secretary was never known. The Prince Zuzu, and the Princess Lulu—for so they might as well be called at this time—each wished that all their friends might be happy and contented, that the King and Queen might live and reign for ever and keep Fairy-land a place whence good children may have good gifts sent to them.