te an opposite direction, it was necessary for their young
guests to choose which it would be best to visit first; therefore they
had now come to inquire of Master No-book whom he thought it would be
most agreeable to accompany on the present occasion.

"In my house," said the fairy Teach-all, speaking with a very sweet
smile and a soft, pleasing voice, "you shall be taught to find
pleasure in every sort of exertion, for I delight in activity and
diligence. My young friends rise at seven every morning, and amuse
themselves with working in a beautiful garden of flowers, rearing
whatever fruit they wish to eat, visiting among the poor, associating
pleasantly together, studying the arts and sciences, and learning to
know the world in which they live, and to fulfil the purposes for
which they have been brought into it. In short, all our amusements
tend to some useful object, either for our own improvement or the good
of others, and you will grow wiser, better, and happier every day you
remain in the palace of Knowledge."

"But in Castle Needless, where I live," interrupted the fairy
Do-nothing, rudely pushing her companion aside with an angry,
contemptuous look, "we never think of exerting ourselves for anything.
You may put your head in your pocket and your hands in your sides as
long as you choose to stay. No one is ever asked a question, that he
may be spared the trouble of answering. We lead the most fashionable
life imaginable, for nobody speaks to anybody. Each of my visitors is
quite an exclusive, and sits with his back to as many of the company
as possible, in the most comfortable arm-chair that can be contrived.
There, if you are only so good as to take the trouble of wishing for
anything, it is yours without even turning an eye round to look where
it comes from. Dresses are provided of the most magnificent kind,
which go on themselves, without your having the smallest annoyance
with either buttons or strings; games which you can play without an
effort of thought; and dishes dressed by a French cook, smoking hot
under your nose, from morning till night; while any rain we have is
either made of lemonade or lavender-water, and in winter it generally
snows iced punch for an hour during the forenoon."

Nobody need be told which fairy Master No-book preferred, and quite
charmed at his own good fortune in receiving so agreeable an
invitation, he eagerly gave his hand to the splendid new acquaintance
who promised him s