airy Crapaudine, the Queen of the Vermilion Towers, the richest of
all the fairies."

"What does she require of you?" asked Graceful.

"Nothing, except to wear this gold ring in the nose and to pay her a
tribute of milk," returned the bull, "or, at most, to give her one of
our children from time to time to regale her guests. At this price we
enjoy our plenty in perfect security, and we have no reason to envy
any on earth, for none are so happy as we."

"Have you never heard of the Castle of Life and the Fountain of
Immortality?" asked Graceful, who, without knowing why, blushed as he
put the question.

"There were some old men among our ancestors who still talked of these
visions," replied the bull; "but we are wiser than our fathers; we
know that there is no other happiness than to chew the cud and
sleep."

Graceful rose sadly to resume his journey, and asked what were those
reddish square towers which he saw in the distance.

"They are the Vermilion Towers," returned the bull; "they bar the way;
and you must pass through the castle of the Fairy Crapaudine in order
to continue your road. You will see the fairy, my young friend, and
she will offer you hospitality and riches. Take my advice and do like
those that have gone before you, all of whom accepted the favors of
our mistress, and found that they had done well to abandon their
dreams in order to live happy."

"And what became of them?" asked Graceful.

"They became buffaloes like us," rejoined the bull, who, not having
finished his afternoon nap, closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Graceful started and awakened Fido, who rose, grumbling. He called
Pensive. Pensive did not answer; she was talking with a spider that
had spun a great web between the branches of an ash-tree, which was
glittering in the sun, full of flies. "Why take this long journey?"
said the spider to the swallow. "What is the use of changing your
climate and putting your life at the mercy of the sea, the weather, or
a master? Look at me; I depend on nobody, and have everything for
myself. I am my own mistress; I enjoy my art and genius; I bring the
world to me; nothing can disturb either my calculations, or a
serenity which I owe to myself alone."

Graceful called Pensive three times without making her hear, so
completely was she engrossed in admiration of her new friend. Every
instant some giddy fly fell into the web, and each time the spider,
like an attentive hostess, offered the prey