main in their beds, and then they fall to earth; and if we could wait
so long we might hear the children teach them their patter-song. But
we have much else to see, and must go forward. Now, Children!"

At this there was a slight commotion while the deft hands put aside
their tasks; but it was over in a moment, and the Piper once more in
the midst of the merry crowd, who laughed gayly and chattered like
magpies, while Doris looked her admiration and delight, and the Piper
smiled approvingly.

"The next is the Summer-room," he said, as they wandered on. "Thou
seest we are never idle. The world is so large, there is always plenty
to do; and what would become of it if it were not for the children?
They are the ones who make the world bright, little Doris; and so
everything depends upon their keeping their hearts glad; and one 's
heart cannot be glad if one's soul is not beautiful. Thou thoughtest
not so much depended upon the children, didst thou, dear heart?"

Oh, the wonders of that Summer-room! The perfect chorus that rose as
the fresh young voices taught the birds to sing; the beauty of the
rainbows, the glory of the sunsets. It was all so wonderful that Doris
scarcely knew how to show her appreciation of it all.

The Autumn-room was scarcely less bewildering, and the Winter-room was
so dazzling that Doris shut up her eyes for very wonder.

In the Autumn-room all the little musicians set about transposing the
melody of the bird-songs from the major to the minor key, and they
taught the Piper to bring his fifing into harmony with their voices.
The small artists began changing the sky-coloring, and brought about
such wonderful effects that it was marvellous to see, and Doris could
scarcely realize at all that such wonders could be.

After they had shown her the Winter-room and had seen her amazement at
the glory of the snow-crystals and the mysterious way in which the
rainbow colors were hidden in the ice, the Piper nodded his head, and
they all turned back and began to retrace their steps.

"I suppose thou didst wonder where we had been when thou didst join us,
little friend," said the Piper. "I will tell thee. In the spring we
all set out on our travels; for my children must see and learn, besides
showing and teaching others. So in the spring we leave this place and
go into the world. Then I go wandering about with my fife north and
south, east and west, and the people think me the wind. But my dear