little story
about itself, could you understand it. In May the tiny eggs are dropped
on the water, and sink to the bottom, where little creatures are
born,--ugly, brown things, with six legs and no wings. They feed on
water-insects, and for a long time swim about in this state. When ready,
they climb up the stem of some plant, and sit in the sun till the ugly
brown shells drop away, and the lovely winged creatures appear. They
grow in an hour to be perfect dragon-flies, and float away to lead happy
lives in the sunshine by the river."

As if only waiting till the story was done, the dragon-fly flew off with
a whirr, and darted to and fro, hunting for its breakfast, glittering
splendidly as it flashed among the leaves or darted close above the
water. Daisy forgot her disappointment in a minute, and went fishing for
lilies; while the turtles came up to sun themselves on the rocks, the
merry little tadpoles wiggled in the shallow places, and a wild duck
paddled by with a brood of ducklings following in her wake.

"Oh, dear! it rains; and we can't go fairy-hunting at all," said Daisy
next morning, as the patter on the window-pane woke her up, and Aunt Wee
came in to dress her.

"Yes, we can, dear; jump up, and see what a funny place I'll take you
to."

Daisy thought the rain would be a capital excuse for lying in bed; for
she still liked to cuddle and drowse in her cosey, warm nest. But she
was curious to know where the curious place was; so she got up and
followed.

"Why, Aunt Wee, this is the garret; and there isn't any thing nice or
funny here," she said, as they climbed the stairs, and came into the big
attic, filled with all manner of old things.

"Isn't there? We'll soon see." And so they did: for Aunt Wee began to
play; and presently Daisy was shouting with fun as she sat on an old
saddle, with a hair-covered trunk for a horse, a big old-fashioned
bonnet on her head, and a red silk petticoat for a habit. Then they went
to sea in a great chest, and got wrecked on a desert island, where they
built a fort with boxes and bags, hunted bears with rusty guns, and had
to eat dried berries, herbs and nuts; for no other food could be found.
Aunt Wee got an old fiddle, and had a dancing-school, where Daisy
capered till she was tired. So they rummaged out some dusty books, and
looked at pictures so quietly that a little mouse came out of a drawer
and peeped about, thinking no one was there.

"Let's find the nest, since