the blue fairy. "It's so small
you can't see it. But no matter. Because you were so kind as to tell me
how much two and two are, I will give you three wishes."

"Will you, really?" cried Susie in delight.

"Yes, three wishes, for I am a regular fairy, and that is the regular
number of wishes you may have. Some fairies only give two wishes, and
some only one. But I always give three. Go ahead now, and wish."

"Let me see," thought Susie, and her nose twinkled like three stars, she
was so excited. "First I wish for a golden coach drawn by four horses."

"Oh!" cried the fairy, "I'm so sorry, for wishes like that, though they
come true, never last. Still, you may have it," and she waved her magic
wand, and if the golden coach and four horses didn't appear right there
in the woods--honest! "Wish again, my dear," went on the fairy, and this
time Susie was more careful.

"I wish for ten boxes of chocolate-covered carrots," she said, and once
more the fairy said she was sorry, for that wish wouldn't last. Still,
it came true, and down from the tree where the blue fairy sat, came
tumbling the ten boxes of chocolate-covered carrots, each one wrapped up
in lace paper. Susie put them in the golden coach, and was ready for her
next wish. She thought a good long while over this one. Then she said:

"I wish I could find my ring with the blue stone!"

At that the fairy clapped her tiny hands. "That is a fine wish!" she
cried. "It will come true, and stay so. But the others----" and she
shook her head sorrowfully. Then she waved her magic wand three times in
the air, and suddenly, in less than two jumps, if the ring with the
blue stone, that Susie had lost, didn't appear right on the end of the
wand. And it flew off and landed right on Susie's paw. Oh, wasn't she
glad! And the fairy said: "The ring will last, because that is blue, and
I am blue, too. Now, good bye, Susie." And with that she disappeared,
changing into a butterfly with golden wings. Then Susie started to get
in the golden coach and ride home, but, would you believe me, if those
horses didn't run away, upsetting the coach and breaking it, and
scattering all the ten boxes of chocolate-covered carrots all over. Oh,
how badly Susie felt, but it was just what the fairy said would happen.
The first two wishes didn't last. Anyhow, Susie had the ring, and she
hurried home to tell her story. Now, if it doesn't rain to-morrow, the
story to-morrow night will be about Sammie an