On, on went the long procession of shining lights, and the little voices were heard, now faint, now clear:—
“Come, see the fairy haunts.
And we will light the way;
Come, join the merry dance,
And dance till break of day.”
“We’re sorry we’re so big,” said Hal.
And soon what a sight met the eyes of the children! In an open space surrounded by high trees, on a bright ring of green grass, a number of little fairies were dancing, their tiny twinkling feet scarcely seeming to touch the lightly bending blades. And what merry music! a band of locusts with their shining wings beat tunes upon the brown tree-trunks; big night-moths hummed their low songs, and drowsy beetles droned fitfully, while from the trees o’erhead the bell-birds rang their clear high notes. It was a gala night, and birds and insects had come to join in the dance.
On a branch near by sat a small brown owl, round-eyed and solemn, beating with a raupo stem the time, which no one tried to keep. “Too fast, stop them!” cried he, in his harsh, cold voice; but no one took any notice except the Tui in a bush, who repeated his words;—and the music played, and the dancers danced as madly as before.