t standing still in her place. The sceptre, on the
contrary, became brighter than ever, and the precious stones glowed like
burning coals.

"Dear child," she sighed, in a faint, mournful voice, "I had better have
left you with the gift of your satisfied, contented heart, than thus
have urged you to form a wish to my destruction. Alas! alas! my power
and my happiness fade from me, and are as if they had never been. My
wand must now go to you, who can make no use of it, and I must flutter
about forlornly and alone in the cold world, with no more ability to do
good, and waste away my time--a helpless and defenceless thing."

"Oh, no, no!" replied little Hulda. "Do not speak so mournfully, dear
fairy. I did not wish at first to ask for it. I will not take the wand
if it is of value to you, and I should be grieved to have it against
your will."

"Child," said the fairy, "you do not know our nature. I have said
whatever you wished should be yours. I cannot alter this decree; it
_must_ be so. Take my wand; and I entreat you to guard it carefully, and
never to give it away lest it should get into the hands of my enemy; for
if once it should, I shall become his miserable little slave. Keep my
wand with care; it is of no use to you, but in the course of years it is
possible I may be able to regain it, and on Midsummer night I shall for
a few hours return to my present shape, and be able for a short time to
talk with you again."

"Dear fairy," said little Hulda, weeping, and putting out her hand for
the wand, which the fairy held to her, "is there nothing else that I can
do for you?"

"Nothing, nothing," said the fairy, who had now become so transparent
and dim that they could scarcely see her; only the wings on her
shoulders remained, and their bright colors had changed to a dusky
brown. "I have long contended with my bitter enemy, the chief of the
tribe of the gnomes--the ill-natured, spiteful gnomes. Their desire is
as much to do harm to mortals as it is mine to do them good. If now he
should find me I shall be at his mercy. It was decreed long ages ago
that I should one day lose my wand, and it depends in some degree upon
you, little Hulda, whether I shall ever receive it again. Farewell."

And now nothing was visible but the wings; the fairy had changed into a
moth, with large brown wings freckled with dark eyes, and it stood
trembling upon the table, till at length, when the children had watched
it some time, it flutt