t what seemed to him a very stupid answer:

"You can make it point to anything that you please."

The moment he had said this, shouts of ecstasy filled the hall, and
all the fairies clapped their hands with such hurrahs of delight that
he blushed for joy.

The dame also looked truly glad, and as for the other Jack, he
actually turned head over heels, just as Jack had often done himself
on his father's lawn.

Jack had merely meant that Mopsa could point with the wand to anything
that she saw; but he was presently told that what he had meant was
nothing, and that his words were everything.

"I can make it point now," said Mopsa, "and it will point aright to
anything I please, whether I know where the thing is or not."

Again the hall was filled with those cries of joy, and the sweet,
child-like fairies congratulated each other with "The Queen has got a
wand,--a wand! and she can make it point wherever she pleases!"

Then Mopsa rose and walked towards the beautiful staircase, the dame
and all the fairies following. Jack was going too, but the other Jack
held him.

"Where is Mopsa going? and why am I not to follow?" inquired Jack.

"They are going to put on her robes, of course," answered the other
Jack.

"I am so tired of always hearing you say 'of course,'" answered Jack;
"and I wonder how it is that you always seem to know what is going to
be done without being told. However, I suppose you can't help being
odd people."

The boy-king did not make a direct answer; he only said, "I like you
very much, though you don't like me."

"Why do you like me?" asked Jack.

So he opened his eyes wide with surprise: "Most boys say Sire to me,"
he observed; "at least they used to do when there were any boys here.
However, that does not signify. Why, of course I like you, because I
am so tired of being always a fawn, and you brought Mopsa to break the
spell. You cannot think how disagreeable it is to have no hands, and
to be all covered with hair. Now look at my hands; I can move them and
turn them everywhere, even over my head if I like. Hoofs are good for
nothing in comparison; and we could not talk."

"Do tell me about it," said Jack. "How did you become fawns?"

"I dare not tell you," said the boy; "and listen!--I hear Mopsa."

Jack looked, and certainly Mopsa was coming, but very strangely, he
thought. Mopsa, like all other fairies, was afraid to whisper a spell
with her eyes open; so a handkerchief was tied acro