So he took up his fiddle again and played a merry tune.
A little mouse that lived in the house came out and began to dance as he played.
Amaryllis laughed when the little mouse danced.
He forgot that he had wished to go to the ball.
Amaryllis had two brothers. They were proud and cruel. They had said, “Amaryllis is so little that we will give him a girl’s name. We will make him black our boots and tend the fires and wait on us.”
While Amaryllis sat playing the fiddle a fairy came in.
“Heigho! that was a merry tune,” said the fairy. “Come, let us dance.”
So Amaryllis laid down his fiddle, and he and the fairy joined hands and danced right into the ball-room where the brothers were, and all the fine lords and ladies.
Amaryllis was afraid at first. He thought of his shabby clothes. He looked down and saw that he had on a fine velvet suit with gold buttons.