a great carpet of purple and
gold. One corner of it was moored to the side of Jack's boat; but he
had not observed this, because of his canopy. However, that was now
looped up by the apple-woman, and Jack and Mopsa saw what was going
on.

Hundreds of swans had been towing the carpet along, and were still
holding it with their beaks, while a crowd of doves walked about on
it, smoothing out the creases and patting it with their pretty pink
feet till it was quite firm and straight. The swans then swam away,
and they flew away.

Presently troops of fairies came down to the landing-place, jumped
into Jack's boat without asking leave, and so got on to the carpet,
while at the same time a great tree which grew on the bank began to
push out fresh leaves, as large as fans, and shoot out long branches,
which again shot out others, till very soon there was shade all over
the carpet,--a thick shadow as good as a tent, which was very
pleasant, for the sun was already hot.

When the Queen came down, the tree suddenly blossomed out with
thousands of red and white flowers.

"You must not go on to that carpet," said the apple-woman; "let us sit
still in the boat, and be served here." She whispered this as the
Queen stepped into the boat.

"Good-morning, Jack," said the Queen. "Good-morning, dear." This was
to the apple-woman; and then she stood still for a moment and looked
earnestly at little Mopsa, and sighed.

"Well," she said to her, "don't you mean to speak to me?" Then Mopsa
lifted up her pretty face and blushed very rosy red, and said, in a
shy voice, "Good morning----sister."

"I said so!" exclaimed the Queen; "I said so!" and she lifted up her
beautiful eyes, and murmured out, "What is to be done now?"

"Never mind, Queen dear," said Jack. "If it was rude of Mopsa to say
that, she is such a little young thing that she does not know
better."

"It was not rude," said Mopsa, and she laughed and blushed again. "It
was not rude, and I am not sorry."

As she said this the Queen stepped on to the carpet, and all the
flowers began to drop down. They were something like camellias, and
there were thousands of them.

The fairies collected them in little heaps. They had no tables and
chairs, nor any plates and dishes for this breakfast; but the Queen
sat down on the carpet close to Jack's boat, and leaned her cheek on
her hand, and seemed to be lost in thought. The fairies put some
flowers into her lap, then each took some,