2 QUEEN IN A, OR THE 



the wonder of all fairy land, and her dress of gossa- 

 mer, gemmed with pearls of dew, no less won the 

 admiration of her subjects. In truth, Ina was a 

 perfect being, the loveliness of her mind correspond- 

 mg with the outward splendour of her person. No 

 fairy could compete with her in wisdom, none could 

 excel her in aerial beauty. There was a mystery 

 too about her birth and parentage, which threw addi- 

 tional attractions around her person. She dwelt in 

 a hallowed sphere into which none dared intrude. 

 Ages had rolled away without changing her beauty, 

 or impairing the wondrous structure of her mind. 

 Her subjects lived in peace and security beneath the 

 gentle rule of their beloved queen. Each night she 

 watched their gambols on the shelving banks of 

 their favourite stream ; each morn beheld their exit 

 into the secret recesses of the oak. 



Thus time passed on, until one unlucky evening a 

 wandering fairy of doubtful character, named Re- 

 port, intruded on their peaceful retreat. She in- 

 formed them that in a cavern on the wild moor 

 resided a tribe of pixies, a wicked and spiteful race, 

 who were ever willing, and eager to commit mischief. 

 Then she recounted some of their horrible deeds ; 

 how they were in league with some of the giants of 

 old, who had turned a noble forest into a barren 

 waste, and piled rocks upon rocks to mock the order 

 of the universe ; how they caused the herbs to fade 

 and the trees to wither, and the waters to spread 

 themselves, so that all was damp and unwholesome 

 under their blighting influence ; how they revelled 

 in the storm, which drove the poor traveller to seek 

 for shelter, because with flickering torches they 

 might lead him astray. And how worse than all 

 that very night, they had enticed a poor weak rustic 

 from his home and friends to wander up and down 

 and down and up, in pursuit of a light, which would 

 only lead to his own destruction. Even now, con- 

 tinued the elfin gossip, they are close behind me, 

 and I flew on the wings of the wind to warn you of 



