e rich color of the beautiful canopy threw a rosy blush
over the boy's sweet face; and the glancing fairies thought they had
never seen a lovelier mortal. Although the soft rose-leaves pressed
caressingly around him and hid his poor deformed limbs, it would have
made no difference if they had been plainly seen, for the fairies only
looked in his _face_, where so much purity and goodness shone; and,
seeing this, they loved him, and were glad he had come.

"Where is Slyboots?" said the Queen.

"At your feet, most gracious Majesty," answered the sprite, dropping
down all at once from somewhere.

"And what is the last piece of mischief, you comical imp?"

"Your Majesty! Mischief! I disapprove of it! but I have just been
tying Peas-cod and Bean-pod together by their long green coat-tails,
because they are such grumbling, discontented chaps."

"How do you know?" asked the Queen.

"Please your Majesty," answered Slyboots, "I heard Peas-cod say that
he hated the sight of every thing and everybody; that all other
fairies could wear different colors, while he had to be green all his
days; then he opened his mouth so wide, and gave such a fearful yawn,
I thought all his round bones would roll out; _I_ think, your Majesty,
he is not only green--he is '_jolly_' green."

"Don't talk slang to me," said the Queen, though she laughed a little;
"but go on and tell me about Bean-pod."

"Oh! Bean-pod is miserable because of his shape; he says he is bigger
round his waist than anywhere else, and that is _so_ ungenteel; all
your Majesty's maids of honor laugh and make faces at him."

"Ah! I cannot have that," said the Queen; "all must be happy here,
especially on midsummer night. Go, Slyboots, and command them to come
into my presence."

Off started the sprite, and presently returned with the naughty
fairies looking very much ashamed of themselves, with their
coat-tails all curled round from having been tied in a hard knot.
Lilliebelle and Dewdrop laughed behind their butterfly wing-fans,
while Ripple and Firefly curled their mustaches, and looked on with
dandified airs.

The Queen began with a severe aspect: "I regret to learn, Peas-cod and
Bean-pod, that you are indulging in discontent; it is very wicked in
any one to murmur or repine at his lot in this world. Learn from this
mortal," she continued, placing her hand tenderly on Charley's head;
"almost since his birth he has led a life of suffering, yet no
repining falls from