NEW YORK MCMXXXI
One lovely summer morning the little Princess Rosemary woke up early, jumped out of bed, put on her crown and popped her head out of the castle window. There she saw, through the branches of the Queen’s best rose-tree, a merry band of Dew Children, sparkling through the castle park as lightly as if blown on the morning wind.
The Princess laughed for joy and the Dew Children heard her. They came running over the grass and called to her to come down and play with them.
Quick as a bird, Princess Rosemary slipped downstairs and out into the fresh, sunny summer morning.
When the six little Dew Children—their names were Rainbow, Glisten and Diamond, Dewdrop, Sparkle and Pearl—heard that she had not washed and brushed and dressed, they hurried her away to a clear little brook that flowed through the meadow near by. Two of them washed her face and hands in clear, sparkling water and another dried her gently. One brushed her sunny hair; another fitted on her little golden slippers and a third tied on her crimson robe.
When the sun grew warm the Dew Children vanished away, and five little Moss-boys scampered up and begged the Princess to share their breakfast. The Moss-boys’ names were Evergreen, Moss-cap, Velvet, Soft-step and Green Jacket.
They led her to a little table spread on the roots of a tree in the castle garden, and made her a seat on a low branch. One brought her toast and warm milk, another moss-jelly, another honey and another sweet wild strawberries, gathered in the wood.
Green Jacket has some cakes to offer but he sees that the bold red squirrel has spied them from the treetop and come down to try one.