not get back quickly enough to the
Flower-Fairy, who, for her part, was equally delighted to see her again.
[Illustration]
'Now, child,' said she, 'tell me what impression you have received.'
'You sent me, madam,' answered Sylvia, 'to the Court of Iris, on whom
you had bestowed the gift of beauty. She never tells anyone, however,
that it was your gift, though she often speaks of your kindness in
general. It seemed to me that her loveliness, which fairly dazzled me at
first, had absolutely deprived her of the use of any of her other gifts
or graces. In allowing herself to be seen, she appeared to think that
she was doing all that could possibly be required of her. But,
unfortunately, while I was still with her she became seriously ill, and
though she presently recovered, her beauty is entirely gone, so that she
hates the very sight of herself, and is in despair. She entreated me to
tell you what had happened, and to beg you, in pity, to give her beauty
back to her. And, indeed, she does need it terribly, for all the things
in her that were tolerable, and even agreeable, when she was so pretty,
seem quite different now she is ugly, and it is so long since she
thought of using her mind or her natural cleverness, that I really don't
think she has any left now. She is quite aware of all this herself, so
you may imagine how unhappy she is, and how earnestly she begs for your
aid.'
'You have told me what I wanted to know,' cried the Fairy, 'but alas! I
cannot help her; my gifts can be given but once.'
Some time passed in all the usual delights of the Flower-Fairy's palace,
and then she sent for Sylvia again, and told her she was to stay for a
little while with the Princess Daphne, and accordingly the butterflies
whisked her off, and set her down in quite a strange kingdom. But she
had only been there a very little time before a wandering butterfly
brought a message from her to the Fairy, begging that she might be sent
for as soon as possible, and before very long she was allowed to return.
'Ah! madam,' cried she, 'what a place you sent me to that time!'
'Why, what was the matter?' asked the Fairy. 'Daphne was one of the
princesses who asked for the gift of eloquence, if I remember rightly.'
'And very ill the gift of eloquence becomes a woman,' replied Sylvia,
with an air of conviction. 'It is true that she speaks well, and her
expressions are well chosen; but then she never leaves off talking, and
though at fi
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