"Yes, and I might have carried you there, only I was afraid my lady mamma would set me to work again," laughingly said the Sunbeam.
"You are a lazy fellow," said sweet Sunnylocks; and then they went on, the Princess laughing gayly at his freaks, for never did Sunbeam behave so wildly before or since. In fact, he performed so many wonderful feats that Sunnylocks never felt tired once, and was surprised when she found herself fairly in the Eagle's castle, and standing before that monarch himself.
He listened gravely to all her entreaties to take her to Fairy-Land, and then he stretched his mighty pinions, and bade her follow him.
This both the Princess and the Sunbeam did, gliding swiftly down the mountain-side until they reached Cloud-Land, where the Eagle bade her step into a tiny skiff made of a fleecy cloud.
No sooner had she done so than away it floated, King Eagle just a little in advance, and the Sunbeam making beautiful rainbows over it, just to amuse himself and her.
Soon the skiff moored in a lovely arbor, where the water made sweet music as it rippled by the amber steps, up which the Princess now went alone, for the Sunbeam fled back to the mountain-side again, as he was afraid his lady mamma would set him to work.
And now if you want to know what Fairy-Land looks like, you just ask your baby brother or sister the first time you see them smiling in their sleep, and they will tell you; for only babies and angels have the right words to describe it with.
All I know is that Sunnylocks was led to the palace of the Fairy Queen, which is built of all the lovely actions which are unheeded in this world of ours, and that she dropped upon her knees and said:
"Dear Fairy Queen, the Sunbeam saw my beautiful mamma's picture, and he said she was so lovely that she must have come to Fairy-Land. Oh, if she has, please give her to me, for I want her—oh, so much!" and little Sunnylocks stretched out her arms as though to clasp her dear mamma in them.
"Dear child," said the Fairy Queen, "thy mother is not here; she went to the Land of the Blessed to dwell; but be thou of good cheer, and I will send thee thither also." And as she spoke she came down from her gleaming throne, and taking Sunnylocks by the hand, she led her to the shore of the mighty Ocean Space.