“Where on earth are we?” she asked.
“Nowhere,” said the Giant. “We’re in it. This is the Pixies’ country. Look, they’re coming out of their houses. Do you see them? They’ve heard us coming.”
A great opening of doors sounded from all around, and out poured the Pixies, and raced across the plain to Peggy and the Giant. Little fat brown fellows they were, dressed in dark shades of green and red, with round wrinkled faces and pointed caps. When they were quite near, they all stood in a crowd whispering and giggling, till two of them, holding a huge curled-up yellow leaf between them, were pushed forward towards Peggy.
“What have they got?” she whispered to the Giant.
“An invitation, I expect,” he whispered back, “for the party to-night.”
“What party?” asked Peggy, but “Hush, don’t, whisper, they’ll think you’re making personal remarks,” answered the Giant. “They’re very sensitive.” And certainly the Pixies carrying the leaf came to a dead stop, and, apparently overcome with shyness, dropped it on the ground, and raced back to their companions, where they stood sniggering and covering their faces with their hands, and peeping through their fingers at Peggy.
“How funny they are!” said Peggy in amazement. “Why do they do that?”
“I don’t know,” said the Giant. “I think it’s because they have so few holidays and see so few people. But they’re a queer lot, and I don’t profess to understand them! You’d better read your invitation.”
Peggy picked the leaf up, and, unrolling it, read as follows: “We invite Peggy and the Giant to a Ball in the Distant Purple Caves in half an hour. Skating, Eating, Flitting, Mazing, Wending and other Amusements.”
“Oh dear, how exciting! Can I go?” asked Peggy, beginning to dance about all over the plain.