"I should think so, indeed," said Twinkle. "But, according to that, you're older than I am."
"Much older," declared the turtle. "I had lived about four hundred years before the Corrugated Giant turned me into a turtle."
"Was your head gray?" she asked; "and did you have white whiskers?"
QUEEN FLUTTERLIGHT
"No, indeed!" said the turtle. "Fairies are always young and beautiful in appearance, no matter how many years they have lived. And, as they never die, they're bound to get pretty old sometimes, as a matter of course."
"Of course!" agreed Twinkle. "Mama has told me about the fairies. But must you always be a mud-turtle?"
"That will depend on whether you are willing to help me or not," was the answer.
"Why, it sounds just like a fairy tale in a book!" cried the little girl.
"Yes," replied the turtle, "these things have been happening ever since there were fairies, and you might expect some of our adventures would get into books. But are you willing to help me? That is the important thing just now."