" Beam of the Sun, come here. I will 



NOT HARM YOU." 



PRINCESS RUBY-THROAT. 



THE STORY OF A HUMMINGBIRD. 



THE Princess Ruby-Throat belonged 

 to a certain race of fairies who lived 

 in the most beautiful country in the world. 

 Cold and frost were unknown in this fair 

 land, and its inhabitants had nothing to do 

 but enjoy themselves continually, for nature 

 furnished such an abundance of food that 

 work was unknown. 



It was not even necessary to build houses 

 to live in, for the trees and flowers afforded 

 such pleasant places of retreat that, had it 

 not been for the needs of the fairy babies, 

 no one would ever have thought of making 

 separate homes. 



As it was, the dwellings consisted of only 

 one room, which was so tiny that it could 

 just hold one mother fairy and two babies 

 comfortably, and they were never used very 

 much after the children grew large enough 



to fly about and choose their own places of 

 resort. 



This race was considered the most beau- 

 tiful of all the races of fairies, and indeed 

 they ranked so high in this regard that they 

 were looked upon by the others as almost 

 a superior race, of whom it would be silly 

 and ridiculous to be jealous, for the very 

 first glance would immediately prove to any 

 one that such beauty must be as rare as it 

 was exquisite. 



It was true that it had been whispered 

 among them that great travelers spoke 

 sometimes of another race of fairies living 

 far across the great sea, that equalled them 

 in fine looks and graceful motion; but then 

 who was so foolish as to believe all that 

 travelers said? Perhaps it was not true at 

 all. The fairies doubted it, and looked so 



