ward is coming. Because your soul has been made beautiful
by your suffering, I will give you a body blazing with such beauty as
shall make all stand in adoration when you pass." Then Mother Earth
said, "Our little one shall have extra care because he has had extra
trials." So the tired little Horn-devil did not even have to make
himself a hammock, for Mother Earth received him and he snuggled into
her bosom. As Mother Carey waved her wand, he dropped off asleep. And he
slept for two hundred days.

Then came the great Awakening Day, the resurrection day of the woods.
Many new birds arrived. Many new flowers appeared. Sleepers woke from
underground, as Mother Carey's silent trumpeters went bugling ahead of
her, and her winged horse, the Warm Wind, came sweeping across the
meadows, with the white world greening as he came.

The bundle-baby of the Horn-devil woke up. He was cramped and sleepy,
but soon awake. Then he knew that he was a prisoner, bound up in silken
cords of strength. But new powers were his now, he was able to break the
cords and crawl out of his hole. He put up his feelers to find those
horrible horns, but they were gone, and his devil form fell off him like
a mask. He had wings, jewelled wings! on his back now. Out he came to
fluff the newfound wings awhile, and when they were spread and supple he
flew into the joyful night, one of the noblest of all the things that
fly, gorgeous in gold and velvet, body and wings; filled with the joy of
life and flight, he went careering through the soft splendour of the
coming night. And as he flew, he glimpsed a radiant form ahead, a being
like himself, with wings of velvet and gold. At first he thought it was
the Princess of the Hickory Tree, but now his eyes were perfect, and he
could see that this was a younger and more beautiful Spangled Princess
than the one of his bygone life, and all his heart was filled with the
blazing fire of love. Fearlessly now he flew to overtake her; for was
she not of his own kind? She sped away, very fast at first, but maybe
she did not go as fast as she could, for soon he was sailing by her
side. At first she turned away a little, but she was not cross or
frightened now. She was indeed inclined to play and tease. Then in their
own language, he asked her to marry him, and in their own language she
said, "yes." Away they flew and flew on their wedding flight, high in
the trees in the purple night, glorious in velvet and gold, more happy