ng themselves, two
of them flew to the brookside, and perching on a buttercup said close to
Eva's ear,--

"We have come to thank you for your berries, and to ask if we can do
anything for you, because this is our holiday and we can become visible
to you."

"Oh, let me go to fairyland! I have longed so to see and know all about
you dear little people; and never would believe it is true that there
are no fairies left," cried Eva, so glad to find that she was right.

"We should not dare to take some children, they would do so much harm;
but you believe in us, you love all the sweet things in the world, and
never hurt innocent creatures, or tread on flowers, or let ugly passions
come into your happy little heart. You shall go with us and see how we
live."

But as the elves spoke, Eva looked very sad and said,--

"How can I go? I am so big I should sink that pretty ship with one
finger, and I have no wings."

The elves laughed and touched her with their soft hands, saying,--

"You cannot hurt us now. Look in the water and see what we have done."

Eva looked and saw a tiny child standing under a tall blue violet. It
was herself, but so small she seemed an elf in a white pinafore and
little pink sun-bonnet. She clapped her hands and skipped for joy, and
laughed at the cunning picture; but suddenly she grew sober again, as
she looked from the shore to the rock.

"But now I am so wee I cannot step over, and you cannot lift me, I am
sure."

"Give us each a hand and do not be afraid," said the elves, and whisked
her across like dandelion down.

The elves were very glad to see her, and touched and peeped and asked
questions as if they had never had a mortal child to play with before.
Eva was so small she could dance with them now, and eat what they ate,
and sing their pretty songs. She found that flower-honey and dewdrops
were very nice, and that it was fine fun to tilt on a blade of grass, to
slide down a smooth bulrush-stem, or rock in the cup of a flower. She
learned new and merry games, found out what the brook said, saw a
cowslip blossom, and had a lovely time till the captain of the ship blew
a long sweet blast on a honeysuckle horn, and all the elves went aboard
and set sail for home.

"Now I shall find the way to Fairyland and can go again whenever I
like," thought Eva, as she floated away.

But the sly little people did not mean that she should know, for only
now and then can a child go to that lovely plac