“Ah! you are a Princess!” cried Fanchon.
“I certainly am,” said the Stranger Child. “My mother’s palace is far more beautiful than those glittering castles you saw in the evening clouds. For the gleaming pillars of her palace are of the purest crystal, and they soar slender and tall into the blue of heaven. Upon them rests a great, wide blue canopy. Beneath the canopy sail the shining white clouds, hither and thither on golden wings. And the red of the evening and the morning rises and falls, and the sparkling stars dance in a singing circle around her palace.
“You have heard of the Fairies who can bring about great wonders. My mother is Queen of the Fairies. Very often she holds a feast for little children. It is then that the Elves, belonging to my mother’s Kingdom, fly through the air weaving shining rainbows from one end of her palace to the other. Under these rainbows they build my mother’s diamond throne,—that in appearance and perfume is like lilies, roses, and carnations.
“My mother takes her place upon the throne, and the Elves sing, and play on golden harps. As soon as their music begins, everything in the palace and in the woods and gardens, moves and sings. And all around there are thousands of beautiful little children in charming dresses, shouting with delight.
“The children chase each other among the golden trees, and throw blossoms at each other. They climb the trees where the wind swings and rocks them. They gather gold-glittering fruit, and they play with tame deer and other gentle wild creatures, that come bounding up to them and lick their hands. Then the children run up and down the rainbows; or they ride on the backs of great Purple Birds that fly up among the gleaming clouds.
“How delightful that must be!” cried Fanchon and Frederic, with rapture. “Oh! take us with you to your home, beautiful Shining Child! We want to stay there always!”
“That may not be,” said the Stranger Child.
And Fanchon and Frederic cast down their eyes sadly to the ground.
THE WICKED MOUCHE
“Ah,” said the Stranger Child, “you might not be so happy at my mother’s Court. Indeed, it would be a great misfortune for you to try to go to her Kingdom. There are many children who cannot bear the singing of the Purple Birds, and, if they hear their songs, they die. Then too, destruction might overtake you before you could reach my mother’s Court. Even I am not safe on my way thither.