TWO FAIRY SPONGES 35 



little fairy whose works abound in meadow, wood, 

 and copse, and which any of us may discover if 

 we can once be brought to realize that our imp is 

 visible. Then we must not forget that ideal type 

 of the true "fairy" -a paragon of beauty and 

 goodness, with golden hair and dazzling crown of 

 brilliants, with her airy costume of gossamer be- 

 gemmed and spangled, her dainty, twinkling feet 

 and gorgeously painted butterfly wings. And we 

 all remember that wonderful 

 wand which she carried so 

 gracefully, and whose simple 

 touch could evoke such a 

 train of surprising conse- 

 quences. 



And who shall say that 

 our pretty fay is a myth, 



or her magic wand a wild creation of the fancy? 

 May we not see the wonder - workings of that 

 potent wand on every hand, even though our 

 fairy has eluded us while she cast the spell? 

 There are a host of these wee fairies continually 

 flitting about among the trees plotting all sorts of 

 mischief and leaving an astonishing witness of 

 their visitation in their trail as they pass from 

 leaf to leaf or twig to twig. But these fairies, like 

 those of Grimm and Laboulaye, are agile little 

 atoms, and are not to be caught in their pranks if 

 they know it, and even though our eye chanced 



