ll me who is the fairest fair!

Violet blue and Violet true,
And Violet filled with diamond dew!
I'll give you now to my true love here,
And tell me who is the dearest dear!

Meanwhile great things were accomplished in the glen. A snowy cloth was
spread on the emerald turf, and on it were arrayed all the good things,
in dishes and plates, which had been lately hanging on the great
sycamore-tree under which the feast was spread.

"Nothing like leaves for picnic-plates!" said Uncle Jack. "Now then,
Brighteyes, hand out that chicken pie! So! now for the strawberries and
the sponge cake! ha! this certainly does make one hungry." Indeed it
did, as I felt the pangs of hunger merely from seeing all the good
things in my mirror. "Go, good dog," I said to my faithful companion,
"and bring me some ice-cream from Mt. Vanilla. And dip the ladle into
that syllabub cloud that is drifting by, for it will make a pleasant
addition."

Bmfkgth departed on his errand, and I turned again to watch the picnic.
The kettle was boiling by this time over Nibble's brush fire, and he was
calling for the coffee-pot, when suddenly a shrill scream was heard from
the meadow, and Downy's voice cried, "Fomebody come! oh! oh! I'm
killed!" Brighteyes ran to the rescue, and found the little man gazing
in terror at a very innocent-looking white cow, who was quietly grazing
in the meadow. He ran to his sister, and clung to her, crying, "Dat cow
looked at me! I'm killed!" Brighteyes took his hand and ran back
laughing. "Here is a boy who has been killed by a cow's looking at him,"
she said, "and he wants a sandwich."

[Illustration]

All was ready now. The twins were called, and came back laden with
flowers; Nibble came with his coffee-pot, and the grand feast began in
earnest. Dear! dear! how good everything looked! chicken pie and smoked
tongue and sandwiches, and chocolate custard in a pitcher, and
everything else that you can think of. I never have chicken pie up here,
because there are no chickens, but I think it must be very nice, and it
was very evident that the mice thought so. Uncle Jack carved and helped,
and everybody ate and drank and chattered merrily. My brother Sun smiled
at them, and sent millions of sunbeams, twinkling and sparkling over the
grass and dancing on the ripples of the brook; and when they were too
warm, hosts of merry Winds came flying, and fanned them and kissed them.
Among them wer