to find out what was wrong. But she was
half afraid to touch the wing for fear of hurting the bird more, and
was quite at a loss what to do, when suddenly a very soft cooing voice
reached her ears. It was so soft that it didn't startle her, still she
felt, as you can fancy, _very_ much surprised to hear a little dove
talking.

"'Don't be afraid, Letty,' it said. 'Put your hand in your pocket and
you will find a white ribbon. With that you must bind up my wing.'

"Letty put her hand in her pocket as if she couldn't help doing so,
though she felt sure there was no ribbon in it. To her surprise she drew
out a piece of the prettiest, softest ribbon she had ever seen--pure
white and satiny--softer than satin even. And too surprised, as it were,
to speak, she carefully and tenderly bound it round the dove's body in
such a way as to support the wing. No sooner was it firmly tied, than to
her increased surprise, the dove raised itself, gave a sort of flutter,
and rose in the air. It hovered a few moments over her head, and Letty
held her breath, in fear that it was going to fly away, when, as
suddenly as it had left her, it fluttered back again, and perching on
her knees, looked at her with its soft plaintive eyes.

"'What can I do for you, little girl?' it said, 'for you have cured my
wing,' and looking at it closely, Letty saw it was true. Both wings were
perfectly right, and the pretty white ribbon was now tied like a
necklace two or three times loosely round its neck. And at last Letty
found voice to reply--

"'Oh, white dove,' she said, 'you are a fairy. I see you are. Oh, white
dove, take me with you to Fairyland.'

"'Alas!' said the dove, 'that I cannot do. But see here, little girl,'
and as he spoke he somehow managed to slip the ribbon off his neck. 'I
give you this. It will open the door if you are good and gentle and do
your work well.'

"The ribbon fluttered to Letty's feet, for with his last words the dove
had again risen in the air. Letty eagerly seized it, for she saw
something was fastened to it--to the ribbon I mean. Yes--a little key
was hanging on it--a tiny little silver key, and Letty would have
admired it greatly but for her anxiety to get some explanation from the
dove before it flew away.

"'_What_ door does it open?' she said. 'Oh, white dove, how shall I know
what to do with it?'"

[Illustration: "Wait for the first moonlight night and you will see,"
said the dove, and then it flew off.]