jumping about in her usual happy way.

"The old woman knew what he meant without his explaining, and she nodded
her head sadly, and just then Sunny came flying into the cottage to
show them some flowers she had actually found in the forest, which, you
see, was the greatest wonder possible, for there were almost _never_ any
flowers to be seen. And Sunny told them how she had found them in a
little corner where the trees did not grow quite so thick, so that more
light could get in. And when she saw how surprised the old people were,
she looked at them rather strangely, and some new thoughts seemed to be
awaking in her mind, and she said, 'Grandfather, why aren't there more
flowers in the forest, and why am I the only little girl that laughs and
sings? Why does everybody look sad here? I can remember a little, just a
little, about the other country I lived in before I came here. People
used to laugh and smile there, and my mother had bright hair like mine,
and father too was not sad till after mother had gone away and we came
to this dark land. Why is it so dark, and why do you all look so sad?'

"The old man told her it was all for want of the sun, 'the blessed sun,'
he called it, and Sunny thought about his words a great deal. And bit
by bit she got the whole story from him, for he was one of the few
remaining old people who knew the reason of their misfortunes. And Sunny
thought and thought it over so much that she began to leave off dancing
and laughing and singing as she used, so that her poor grandfather and
grandmother began to be afraid that the sadness of the forest was at
last spoiling her happy nature, and for a while they were very sorry
about her. But one day she told them what she had in her mind. This was
what she said to them--

"'Dear grandfather and grandmother, I cannot bear to see the sadness of
the poor people here, and I have been thinking if nothing can be done.
And a few nights ago I had a strange dream. I dreamt that a beautiful
lady stood beside me and said, 'Go, Sunny, and have no fear. The giant
will not harm you.' And since then it has come into my mind that I might
win back the sunshine for our poor neighbours, and for you too, dear
grandfather and grandmother, for you are not so very old yet, if you
will let me go to see if I can melt the giant's hard heart.'

"Sunny was standing in front of the old couple, and as she spoke, to
their amazement, a sudden ray of sunshine crept in through the