round where he had fallen
there lay a large seed that shone in the sun. It was as blue as the
little blue shoes, and Wee-Wun had never seen any seed like it before.
He took it in his hand, and how it twinkled and shone!

"I shall plant this in my garden," said Wee-Wun, "and I shall have a
plant which will have sunbeams for flowers."

So he dropped it into his pocket and flew away home. That evening he
made a little hole, and when he had dropped the blue seed into it he
patted the earth down.

"Grow quickly, little seed," said he. Then he thought of the
Stir-about Wife's garden, and he began to laugh, and he laughed now
and again the whole night through.

But when he awakened in the morning, alack! he laughed no more, for
his fine home was so dark that he could see not a pace in front of
him.

"This is very odd, very odd, indeed!" said Wee-Wun the gnome, and he
rubbed his eyes very hard. But this was no dream, and no matter how
hard he rubbed, he could not rub it away. Then he heard upon the floor
a clatter and a rustle, and then a stepping noise--one, two; one,
two--and that was the little blue shoes that were marching round and
round over the floor very steadily.

And as they marched they sang this song:

"Ring-a-ding-dill, ring-a-ding-dill,
The Hop-about Man comes over the hill.
Why is he coming, and what will he see?
Rickety, rackety--one, two, three."

And they sang it over and over again.

"Well, this is a fine time to sing, when it is as dark as can be!"
cried Wee-Wun. But the little shoes took no notice at all.

So Wee-Wun went outside to his garden, and then he saw that the whole
world was not dark, as he had supposed, but only his little home. For
in the spot where he had sown the blue seed had sprung up a huge plant
which covered over the window of Wee-Wun's fine house, and reached far
above its roof.

Wee-Wun began to weep, for he did not see why this thing had come to
him. And after he had wept awhile he went close to the fearful plant
and walked round it, and looked up and down.

And then he said, "Why, it is a blue blow-away!" And so it was, but
far, far larger than any Wee-Wun had ever seen in his life before. And
it had grown so high and as big as that in just one night.

"What will it be like to-morrow?" thought Wee-Wun, and he began to
weep again. But the blue blow-away took no notice of his tears, and
the little shoes inside the house went on singing; so Wee-Wun had t