“Are you sure of that?” asked Jack.
“Quite sure, master,” said the hound; “and I am hungry too.”
“Well,” said Jack, “I will go there and take Mopsa. She shall ride on my shoulder; you may follow.”
So he walked up that beautiful garden till he came to the great tent. A banquet was going on inside. All the one-foot-one fairies sat down the sides of the table, and at the top sat the Queen on a larger chair; and there were two empty chairs, one on each side of her.
Jack blushed; but the hound whispering again, “Master, whatever you can do you may do,” he came slowly up the table towards the Queen, who was saying as he drew near, “Where is our trusty and well-beloved the apple-woman?” And she took no notice of Jack; so, though he could not help feeling rather red and ashamed, he went and sat in the chair beside her with Mopsa still on his shoulder. Mopsa laughed for joy when she saw the feast. The Queen said, “O Jack, I am so glad to see you!” and some of the one-foot-one fairies cried out, “What a delightful little creature that is! She can laugh! Perhaps she can also cry!”
Jack looked about, but there was no seat for Mopsa; and he was afraid to let her run about on the floor, lest she should be hurt.
There was a very large dish standing before the Queen; for though the people were small, the plates and dishes were exactly like those we use, and of the same size.
This dish was raised on a foot, and filled with grapes and peaches. Jack wondered at himself for doing it, but he saw no other place for Mopsa; so he took out the fruit, laid it round the dish, and set his own little one-foot-one in the dish.
Nobody looked in the least surprised; and there she sat very happily, biting an apple with her small white teeth.
Then, as they brought him nothing to eat, Jack helped himself from some of the dishes before him, and found that a fairy breakfast was very nice indeed.