Across the purple hill:

They smile: their smile is very bland,

Their eyes are wise and chill;

And yet—at just a child's command—

The world's an Eden still.

Alfred Noyes.

THE FRIENDLY COWSLIP BELLS

One midsummer day the bright sun shone from morning until evening; not even a wisp of white cloud floated across the blue, blue sky. The fairies were delighted, for that night they were going to have their gayest sport.

"We shall have a fine revel in cowslip meadow to-night," said a happy little creature to the fairy shoemaker who had been busy for many a day making shoes for the midsummer revel.

The little wrinkled old man was fastening a diamond buckle on the queen's dancing slippers and he did not like to be bothered when he was busy, so he merely shook his head and sang: