“Right! Left! Shoulder arms!”
At this command every elf went to work.
The flower-elf ran off to the mulberry tree in search of Colonel Claw. He found him perching on one of the lower branches, so up he flew and sat beside him. And he told him all about the expected visit of the King.
“There is nothing the King so much dislikes as an ill-kept garden,” said the flower-elf. “And so I have come to ask your kind assistance in a battle against the canker-worms, grubs, beetles, ants and other insects that eat out the life of the flowers.”
“I’ll do my best,” said Colonel Claw. “I’ll get all the birds in the neighborhood to wage incessant warfare against all the enemies of the flowers! And I’ll begin this very hour.”
“A thousand thanks,” said Iris-Wing, “you have my undying gratitude, and if I can ever help you, be sure I will.”
Then the flower-elf bade adieu to Colonel Claw and went in search of Slumber.
He found him resting on a bank of fern-moss, and told him that he wanted him to make the gardener dream such dreams as would make that lazy fellow do the work of his life.
“I don’t know how you are going to do it,” said the flower-elf, “but it will have to be done.”
“Leave that to me,” said Slumber, “for I am sure I can manage it. Think of the bluebirds’ feathers and doubt not.”