great door, in her Sunday clothes, and looking as lovely as a full-blown
rose. The King jumped from his high-mettled racer, and went up the
steps, two at a time; but the Prince, springing from his fiery steed
bounded up three steps at once, and got there first. When he and the
King had got through hugging and kissing the Princess, her Sunday
clothes looked as if they had been worn a week.

[Illustration]

"Now then for supper," said the King, "and I hope it's ready." But the
Princess said never a word, for she had forgotten all about supper; and
all the ladies hung their heads, and were afraid to speak. But when they
reached the great hall, they found that the magicians had been at work,
and had cooked a grand supper. There it was, on ever so many long
tables, all smoking hot, and smelling delightfully. So they all sat
down, for there was room enough for every man, and nobody said a word
until he was as tight as a drum.

When they had all had enough, and were just about to begin to talk,
there were heard strains of the most delightful soft music; and
directly, in at a window came the Queen of the fairies, attended by her
court, all mounted on beautiful golden moths and dragon-flies. When they
reached the velvet table in front of the throne, where the King had been
eating, with his plate on his lap, they arranged themselves in a circle
on the table, and the Queen spoke out in a clear little voice, that
could have been heard almost anywhere, and announced to the King that
the little Ting-a-ling, who now wore her royal scarf, was the preserver
of his daughter.

"O ho!" said the King; "and what can I do for such a mite as you, my
fine little fellow?"

Then Ting-a-ling, who wanted nothing for himself, and only thought of
the good of his people, made a low bow to the King, and shouted at the
top of his voice, "Your royal gardeners are going to make asparagus beds
all over our fairy pleasure grounds. If you can prevent that, I have
nothing more to ask."

"Blow, Horner, blow!" cried the King, "and hear, all men! If any man,
woman, or child, from this time henceforward forever, shall dare to set
foot in the garden now occupied by the fairies, he shall be put to
death, he and all his family, and his relations, as far as they can be
traced. Take notice of that, every one of you!"

Ting-a-ling then bowed his thanks, and all the people made up their
minds to take very particular notice of what the King had said.

Then the