The-Counterpane-Fairy

TheCounterpaneFairybyKatharinePyleContentsChapterI--THEPRINCESSOFTHEGOLDENCASTLEChapterII--THEOWLSANDTHEGAMBLESOMEELFChapterIII--STARLEINANDSILVERLINGChapterIV--THEMAGICCIRCUSChapterV--ATTHEEDGEOFTHEPOLARSEAChapterVI--THERUBYRINGChapterVII--THERAINBOWCHILDRENChapterVIII--HARRIETT'SDREAMChapterIX--DOWNTHERAT-HOLEChapterX--THECOUNTERPANEFAIRYSAYSGOOD-BYETHECOUNTERPANEFAIRY.CHAPTERFIRST.THEPRINCESSOFTHEGOLDENCASTLETEDDYwasallalone,forhismotherhadbeenupwithhimsomuchthenightbeforethatataboutfouro'clockintheafternoonshesaidthatshewasgoingtoliedownforalittlewhile.TheroomwhereTeddylaywasverypleasant,withtwobigwindows,andthefurniturecoveredwithgayold-fashionedIndiacalico.Hismotherhadsetaglassofmilkonthetablebesidehisbed,andleftthestairdoorajarsothathecouldcallHannah,thecook,ifhewantedanything,andthenshehadgoneovertoherownroom.Thelittleboyhadalwaysenjoyedbeingill,forthenhewasreadaloudtoandhadlemonade,butthishadbeenarealillness,andthoughhewasbetternow,thedoctorstillwouldnotlethimhaveanythingbutmilkandgruel.Hewasfeelingratherlonely,too,thoughthefirecrackledcheerfully,andhecouldhearHannahsingingtoherselfinthekitchenbelow.TeddyturnedovertheleavesofRobinsonCrusoeforawhile,lookingatthegailycoloredpictures,andthenhecloseditandcalled,Hannah!Thesinginginthekitchenbelowceased,andTeddyknewthatHannahwaslistening.Hannah!hecalledagain.AtthesecondcallHannahcamehurryingupthestairsandintotheroom.Whatdoyouwant,Teddy?sheasked.Hannah,Iwanttoaskmammasomething,saidTeddy.Oh,saidHannah,youwouldn'twantmetocallyourpoormother,wouldyou,whenshewasupwithyouthewholeoflastnightandhasjustgonetoliedownabit?Iwanttoaskhersomething,repeatedTeddy.Youaskmewhatyouwanttoknow,suggestedHannah.Yourpoormother'ssotiredthatI'msureyouaretoomuchofamantowantmetocallher.Well,IwanttoaskherifImayhaveacracker,saidTeddy.Oh,no;youcouldn'thavethat,saidHannah.Don'tyouknowthatthedoctorsaidyoumustn'thaveanythingbutmilkandgruel?Didyouwanttoaskheranythingelse?No,saidTeddy,andhisliptrembled.AfterthatHannahwentdown-stairstoherworkagain,andTeddylaystaringoutofthewindowatthewindygraycloudsthatweresweepingacrosstheAprilsky.Hegrewlonelierandlonelierandalumproseinhisthroat;presentlyabigteartrickleddownhischeekanddrippedoffhischin.Ohdear,ohdear!saidalittlevoicejustbackofthehillhiskneesmadeashelaywiththemdrawnupinbed;whatahilltoclimb!Teddystoppedcryingandgazedwonderinglytowardwherethevoicecamefrom,andpresentlyoverthetopofhiskneesappearedabrownpeakedhood,atinywitheredface,aflappingbrowncloak,andlastofalltwosmallfeetinbuckledshoes.Itwasalittleoldwoman,soweazenedandbrownthatshelookedmorelikeadriedleafthananythingelse.SheseatedherselfonTeddy'skneesandgazeddownathimsolemnly,andshewassolightthathefeltherweightnomorethanifshehadbeenafeather.Teddylaystaringatherforawhile,andthenheasked,Whoareyou?I'mtheCounterpaneFairy,saidthelittlefigure,inathinlittlevoice.Idon'tknowwhatthatis,saidTeddy.Well,saidtheCounterpaneFairy,it'sthesortofafairythatlivesinhousesandwatchesoutforthechildren.Iusedtobeoneofthecourtfairies,butIgrewtiredofthat.Therewasnothinginit,youknow.Nothinginwhat?askedTeddy.Nothinginthecourtlife.Alldaythefairieswereswinginginspider-websandsippinghoney-dew,orplayinggamesofhide-and-go-seek.TheonlycomfortIhadwaswithanoldfield-mousewholivedattheedgeofthewood,andIusedtospendagreatdealoftimewithher;Iusedtotakecareofherbabieswhenshewasouthuntingforsomethingtoeat;cunninglittlethingstheywere,--fiveofthem,allfatandsoft,andwithsuchfunnylittletails.Whatbecameofthem?Oh,theymovedaway.TheyleftbeforeIdid.Assoonastheywereoldenough,MotherField-mousewent.Shesaidshecouldn'tstandthecourtfairies.Theywerealwaysplayingtricksonher,stoppingupthedoorofherhousewithsticksandacorns,andmakingfacesatherbabiesuntiltheyalmostdrovethemintofits.SoafterthatIlefttoo.Wheredidyougo?Oh,hitherandyon.Mostlywheretherewerelittlesickboysandgirls.Doyoulikelittleboys?Yes,whentheydon'tcry,saidtheCounterpaneFairy,staringathimveryhard.Well,Iwaslonely,saidTeddy.Iwantedmymamma.Yes,Iknow,butyououghtn'ttohavecried.Icametoyou,though,becauseyouwerelonelyandsick,andIthoughtmaybeyouwouldlikemetoshowyouastory.Doyoumeantellmeastory?askedTeddy.No,saidthefairy,Imeanshowyouastory.It'sagameIinventedafterIjoinedtheCounterpaneFairies.ChooseanyoneofthesquaresofthecounterpaneandIwillshowyouhowtoplayit.That'sallyouhavetodo,--tochooseasquare.Teddylookedthecounterpaneovercarefully.IthinkI'llchoosethatyellowsquare,hesaid,becauseitlookssoniceandbright.Verywell,saidtheCounterpaneFairy.Lookstraightatitanddon'tturnyoureyesawayuntilIcountseventimessevenandthenyoushallseethestoryofit.Teddyfixedhiseyesonthesquareandthefairybegantocount.One--two--three--four,shecounted;Teddyheardhervoice,thinandclearasthehissingofthelogsonthehearth.Don'tlookawayfromthesquare,shecried.Five--six--seven--itseemedtoTeddythattheyellowsilksquarewasturningtoamistbeforehiseyesandwrappingeverythingabouthiminagoldenglow.Thirteen--fourteen--thefairycountedonandon.Forty-six--forty-seven--forty-eight--FORTY-NINE!Atthewordsforty-nine,theCounterpaneFairyclappedherhandsandTeddylookedabouthim.Hewasnolo