“‘Because what?’
“‘Because I asked you to stop crying and I talked to you a little and you had to stop.’
“‘Didn’t. I stopped because you said you would grant me a wish.’
“‘I forgot,’ said Merrylip. ‘What do you want?’
“In a flash Winfred remembered what he wanted more than anything else in the world.
“‘Please—a burro,’ he said.
“‘A burro?’ said Merrylip, much surprised. ‘Why in the world do you waste a good wish on a burro? There are much nicer things than that to ask for. Wish, why don’t you, for heaps of money, and then you can buy anything!’
“‘I have plenty of money,’ said Winfred. ‘And all the treasures I want. But a burro is different. You can’t just buy them; you have to be born not a prince to have one. I wish I was a train-engineer or a policeman or a farmhand. A prince has so many duties that it is tiresome. When I am King I shall have a whole stable full of burros.’
“‘Then you won’t enjoy them at all,’ said Merrylip. She was really wise for such a small fairy. ‘You’ll get tired of them. People always do when they have finally got what they wanted very much.’
“‘I wouldn’t,’ said Winfred. ‘I am different.’