The Tree-Fairy laughed a soft, silvery laugh and answered, “No, of course you did not know that I was here. When I am free I will tell you all about how I came to be here.”
Just then Billy Jay picked away a big piece of bark and the Tree-Fairy slowly but surely pulled one wing free.
Uncle Whiskers, Twinkle and Winkle worked all the harder and faster and soon Twinkle cried:
“I think you can move your wing now, dear Tree-Fairy. Try to move it just a tiny bit.”
The Tree-Fairy needed no urging. Very gently and slowly she pulled her wing out from under the bark. Just to show her little friends that she could use them as well as ever, she fluttered them about.
They were so thin that you could see through them and they sparkled and shone in the sunshine like silver.
“Can’t you get up now?” asked Sammy Woodchuck.
“I will try,” replied the Tree-Fairy.
She tried and tried all in vain. She could move, but she could not rise. At last she said:
“My foot is caught. I am so sorry, dear friend, but I cannot leave this stump until my foot is free. It is so far down in the stump that I am afraid you will have a very hard time to loosen it.”