She burst like a little whirlwind into the room where her mother and the seamstress were quietly at work, and threw herself into her mother's lap. "I've been having the queerest time," she cried excitedly; "and you never could guess where I've been; never."
"Wait," said her mother; "you're tumbling my work. And how excited you are, dear!"
She put aside her sewing, and took the little girl upon her lap. "Now, what have you been doing?"
Breathlessly and with flushing cheeks Ellen told her mother all about her journey and her strange adventures on her way to the Queerbodies' house.
The mother listened and wondered. "That was a wonderful dream, indeed," she said.
"A dream! Why, it wasn't a dream, mamma. It really happened. And then I saw the Fairy Tale after I came back. And then the Forgotten Story itself; I couldn't have dreamed all that, you know."
"But, my dear, it couldn't have been anything but a dream."
"Well, wait. I'm going to go down and tell grandmamma about it; and if it's the same story, then you know it must be true."
"Very well; only go down quietly, for she may not have wakened from her nap yet."