so many of them she was too heavy. By this time all
the ladies were crying in their handkerchiefs, but presently the Cupids
had a lovely idea. 'Build a house round her,' they cried, and at once
everybody perceived that this was the thing to do; in a moment a
hundred fairy sawyers were among the branches, architects were running
round Maimie, measuring her; a bricklayer's yard sprang up at her feet,
seventy-five masons rushed up with the foundation-stone, and the Queen
laid it, overseers were appointed to keep the boys off, scaffoldings
were run up, the whole place rang with hammers and chisels and
turning-lathes, and by this time the roof was on and the glaziers were
putting in the windows.

[Illustration: Queen Mab, who rules in the Gardens]

The house was exactly the size of Maimie, and perfectly lovely. One of
her arms was extended, and this had bothered them for a second, but
they built a verandah round it leading to the front door. The windows
were the size of a coloured picture-book and the door rather smaller,
but it would be easy for her to get out by taking off the roof. The
fairies, as is their custom, clapped their hands with delight over
their cleverness, and they were so madly in love with the little house
that they could not bear to think they had finished it. So they gave
it ever so many little extra touches, and even then they added more
extra touches.

For instance, two of them ran up a ladder and put on a chimney.

'Now we fear it is quite finished,' they sighed.

But no, for another two ran up the ladder, and tied some smoke to the
chimney.

'That certainly finishes it,' they said reluctantly.

'Not at all,' cried a glow-worm; 'if she were to wake without seeing a
night-light she might be frightened, so I shall be her night-light.'

'Wait one moment,' said a china merchant, 'and I shall make you a
saucer.'

Now, alas! it was absolutely finished.

Oh, dear no!

'Gracious me!' cried a brass manufacturer, 'there's no handle on the
door,' and he put one on.

An ironmonger added a scraper, and an old lady ran up with a door-mat.
Carpenters arrived with a water-butt, and the painters insisted on
painting it.

Finished at last!

'Finished! how can it be finished,' the plumber demanded scornfully,
'before hot and cold are put in?' and he put in hot and cold. Then an
army of gardeners arrived with fairy carts and spades and seeds and
bulbs and forcing-houses, and soon they had a flowe