Sahwah began, “Once upon a time there was a little girl and she had a fairy godmother——”
“What’s a fairy godmother?” interrupted Ophelia.
“Oh,” said Sahwah, “it’s somebody who looks after you especially and is very good to you and grants all your wishes, and always comes when you’re in trouble——”
“Who’s my fairy godmother?” demanded Ophelia.
“I don’t know,” said Sahwah.
“I bet I haven’t got any!” said Ophelia, suspiciously. “I didn’t have a father and mother like the rest of the kids and I bet I haven’t got any fairy godmother either.”
“Oh, yes, you have,” said Sahwah to soothe her, “you have one only you haven’t seen her yet. Wait and she’ll appear.” But Ophelia lay with her face to the wall and said no more. “Would you like me to bring you a drink?” asked Sahwah, a few minutes later. Ophelia replied with a nod and Sahwah went down to the kitchen. There was no drinking water in sight and Sahwah hesitated about going out to the well at that time of the night. Then she remembered that a pail of well water had been taken down cellar that evening to keep cool. Taking a light she descended the cellar stairs. When she was nearly to the bottom she heard a subdued crash, like a basket of something being thrown over, followed by a series of small bumping sounds. She stood stock still, afraid to move off the step.
Then, summoning her voice, she cried, “Who is down there?” No answer came from the darkness below. After that first crash there was not another sound. Sahwah was not naturally timid, and her one explanation for all night noises in a house was rats. Besides, she had started after water for Ophelia, and she meant to get it. She went down stairs and looked all around with her light. She soon found the thing which had made the noise. It was a basket of potatoes which had fallen over and as the potatoes rolled out on the cement floor they had made those odd little after noises which had puzzled her. Satisfied that nobody was in the house she took her pail of water and went up-stairs, glad that she had not roused the house and brought out a laugh against herself.
She gave Ophelia the drink, and being feverish she drank it eagerly and murmured gratefully, “I guess you’re my fairy godmother.” As Sahwah turned to go to bed Ophelia thrust out a bandaged hand and caught hold of her gown. “Stay with me,” she said, and Sahwah sat down again beside the bed until Ophelia fell asleep. Sahwah felt pleased and elated at being chosen by Ophelia as the one she wanted near her. It was not often that a child singled Sahwah out from the group as an object of affection; they usually went to Gladys or Hinpoha. So she responded quickly to the advances made by Ophelia and thenceforth made a special pet of her, taking her part on all occasions.
Soon after Ophelia’s experience with sunburn a rainy spell set in which lasted a week. Every day they were greeted by grey skies and a steady downpour, fine for the parched garden, but hard on amusements. They played card games until they were weary of the sight of a card; they played every other game they knew until it palled on them, and on the fifth day of rain they surrounded Nyoda and clamored for something new to do. Nyoda scratched her head thoughtfully and asked if they would like to play Thieves’ Market.