"I wonder what they'd do," said the Queen, "if no one believed in them?"
"They'd go on strike," said the Brown Owl (he was head of the Ministry of Wisdom). "They always go on strike if they don't like anything."
"Then we'll go on strike," said the Queen with great determination.
They all cheered, except the Flower-fairies.
"But the flowers," they said, "they'll get so dusty with no one to wash them, and so tired with no one to fold them up at nights."
"I hadn't thought of that," said the Queen. "When they go on strike," she said to the Brown Owl, "how do things get done?"
The Brown Owl considered for a moment and everyone waited in silence.
"Of course there are sometimes blacklegs," he began.
"I don't know what blacklegs are," said the Queen cheerfully, "but we'll appoint some." And she did.
"Is that all?" said the Queen.