Come nigh! Come nigh!
And carry me back
Through the clear Blue Sky!”
Immediately the little hummingbird returned, and she sprang on his back. He flew down with her, and she alighted near the green mound inside of which the Fairy Queen held her Court.
Close by the mound Butterfly saw some bees working in a crystal hive. Wearily and sadly she watched them. They left the hive, dipped into flowers, and carried their loads of sweet pollen back to the hive, and there they built their wax combs filled with golden honey. “I wish,” thought she, “that I loved to work as hard as the bees do! But as for that diamond, it is useless to think about it! I should never finish it!”
Just then she heard strains of delightful music coming from the mound, and a chorus of Fairy voices singing:—
“Little by little the bee builds its cell!”
Butterfly could have wept when she heard those familiar voices, for she longed to be with her Fairy sisters dancing hand-in-hand. “I will make the diamond,” murmured she. “I shall surely get it done sometime! And I can fly home every night and dance in the Fairy Ring, or sleep in the flowers!”
Immediately a joyful strain of music rose on the air, and she heard her sisters’ voices singing:—
“To the Green Cavern haste away!