Tom at once set himself to pack his tiny hand-bag. Then he put on a beautiful suit of green and belted his sword about him. When he was ready, he was impatient to leave. He had barely completed his preparations however, when Seven Spot appeared at the window.
Little Tom, snatching his bag, ran to him at once. There, on the ledge, he saw a gorgeous dragonfly with golden eyes, slim, blue body and transparent rainbow wings. Tom was a little embarrassed before such a magnificent creature; but Seven Spot, without any hesitation, placed Tom's bag upon the dragonfly and told him to get on its back. In a trice, they were flying like a shot through the warm, summer air.
Such a wonderful journey it was, under the blue sky, over the broad stretches of land, high above the earth. The dragonfly, as if not feeling the burden, sparkled and glistened in the rays of the sun, while above them Seven Spot was flying in great circles.
Tom was intoxicated by the swift flight through the beautiful sunshine and the fresh breeze, which, far below them, rippled the sea of grain into little waves. Over the slope they flew, across the fields and into the cool twilight of the forest, among the pine trees and the beeches. Under the thick, quiet arches of the leaves, Tom looked around in surprise; but the dragonfly winged his way unerringly, deeper and deeper into the wood, until they came, at last, to the valley where, beyond the ferns and the colts-foot, shone a dark pool covered with yellow and white pond lilies.
There the dragonfly settled into the cool moss. Tom stepped down, but before he could turn and thank this kind friend, the dragonfly had sped up in the air like a colored spark and disappeared among the yellow candles of the cat tails.
It seemed to Tom as if he had landed in some magic kingdom. All about him were growing gigantic willow-herbs with thick bunches of little red blossoms, broad crowns of yellow lettuce and water crow-feet on thin, spreading stalks, with their tender little heads sparkling like white flames. Everything was radiant, glittering with bright colors, and perfumed with the sweet odors of the forest.
When Tom turned around, he found Seven Spot standing beside him. He invited Tom to come with him, saying that all the lady-birds were waiting. They went under an arch of green leaves and through a lofty green palace to the sprays of sweet-smelling mint by the water. On the leaves of the mint, were sitting, side by side, hundreds and hundreds of lady-birds, in colors of gold, brown, violet, red and yellow. All crowded forward to see the guest, whom they greeted with cheers.
Little Tom was led by the crowd to the shore of the pool, where a great water-bug waited. Tom sat on this smooth, shiny back, and off he went like a shot over the water to a broad water-lily leaf, where a grand banquet was prepared. The lady-birds flew ahead and, lighting on a leaf, waited for him, their brilliant colors looking like a border of sparkling gems. When Tom arrived, Seven Spot stepped out from the crowd and welcomed him with a touching speech.
»Prince Tom, be welcomed to our Lady-bird Kingdom. Long have we waited for you and now respectfully beg you to be our king, rule over our land and take for your wife the true comrade of your youth, who, at the time of the flood, was visiting us and so was saved.«