“I give this child the gift of fame,” she said, placing the laurel wreath on the baby’s head; “his songs will make him famous throughout the world.”
“From me he receives the gift of beauty,” cried another faery, whose name was Venusina.
“From me the gift of wisdom,” said the Faery Minervetta.
“From me the gift of a kind heart,” observed a smiling fay, who had kind blue eyes.
Then all the other faeries bestowed their gifts in turn—wealth, honour, grandeur, cleverness, strength. Everything that human beings most desire was given to this lucky baby, on whom the name of Lanis was now bestowed by the universal voice of all the faeries present.
“All these are beautiful gifts,” said Eldina, weeping, although she half smiled through her tears, “but they do not bring happiness.”
“They bring happiness if wisely used,” cried Titania.
“Then give him the power to use them wisely,” pleaded the poor mother.
“We cannot—we cannot,” sighed the faeries; “the power rests with himself.”
“Will he never find happiness?” cried Eldina in despair.