lendid cowslip-ball of the rest; then she put
them in her hat, well sprinkled with water, and sat on a fallen log
knitting busily, while Daisy lay down to chew her cud, with a green
wreath of oak leaves round her neck for full dress.

They did not have to wait long. Soon the tramp of horses was heard, and
along the wood-road came the white ponies tossing their heads, the
pretty carriage with coachman and footman in blue and silver coats, and
inside the little Princess, with white plumes waving from her hat as she
sat by her nurse, wrapt in a soft silken cloak, for the summer air
seemed cold to her.

"Oh, there's the Brownie and her pretty white cow! Tell her not to run
away, I want to see her and hear her sing," cried the little Princess,
eagerly, as they came nearer.

Betty was rather scared, but did not run away; for the nurse was a
kind-looking old woman in a high peasant cap, who smiled and nodded at
her with a motherly look, and seemed much pleased when she held up the
cowslips, saying,--

"Will the little lady have them?"

"Oh yes, I wanted some; I never had a cowslip ball before. How pretty it
is! Thank you, Brownie," cried the Princess, with both hands full of
flowers as she laughed with pleasure.

"I picked them all for you. I have so many, and I heard you cried for
some," said Betty, very glad that she had not run away and spoiled the
little lady's drive.

"How did you know?" asked the Princess, staring at her.

"The birds told me," said Betty.

"Oh yes! brownies are fairies, and understand bird-talk; I forgot that.
I know what parrots say, but not my other birds. Could you tell me?"
asked the Princess, leaning down very earnestly, for any new thing
pleased her.

"I think so, if tame ones sing like the wild ones," answered Betty,
proud to know more than the fine child did.

"Come to the palace and tell me; come now, I can't wait! My canary sings
all day, but I never understand a word, and I must. Tell her to come,
Nurse," commanded the Princess, who always had her own way.

"Can you?" asked the old woman. "We will bring you back at night. Her
Highness has a fancy to see you, and she will pay you for coming."

"I can't leave Daisy; we have no field to put her in, and if I shut her
up in the shed all day she will be hungry and call for me," answered
Betty, longing to go, but not liking to leave her dear cow to suffer.

"Put her in that field till you come back; I give you leave. All this
land i