The Cricket's Friends Part 16

"'There is one a-piece, any way,' said Perke, plucking one.

"Small and Elfie did the same.

"'Let us save them until mother returns,' said the sister.

"'It must be a gift from our G.o.dmother,' whispered Small, wisely.

"'I shall see what mine contains,' said Perke, boldly.

"He pulled at the folded leaves, but they resisted all his endeavors, and clung firmly together.

"Small concluded to hold his bud under the spring that gurgled into a mossy basin, yet it did not open for the crystal drops that fringed it with fragrant dew.

"Then little Elfie pressed her warm lips gently upon the tulip, and like magic it flew open, disclosing a tiny gold trumpet.

"Her brothers then kissed their flowers as well, and found each to contain a similar gift.

"Within the golden circle now sprang up still another tulip, which opened of its own accord, and forth stepped a quaint little figure. She wore a red-peaked cap, high-heeled shoes, and a tight-laced bodice. Her hair was bright yellow, and the tip of her sharp nose had a blue tinge, which would have been unbecoming to any other person than a fairy. Her carriage consisted of a sweet-pea blossom, drawn by two spirited c.o.c.kchafers. The children could not but admire the skilful manner in which she handled the ribbons and whip, made of a spider's leg, ornamented with ta.s.sels.

"'Here I am at last, dears,' said Madam Pug briskly. 'Whoa! Trot is a most vicious bug. Be still, sir!'

"'Are you our G.o.dmother?' asked Elfie, timidly.

"'Certainly,' answered the fairy, putting on her spectacles, the better to examine them.

"'You have grown to be nice, plump children; I hope no giant may catch and eat you up. I am here to grant whatever you may wish, which can be obtained by blowing the request through the trumpets to be found in the flowers. Use the power wisely; so that, when I come again, I may find the gift has proved a blessing instead of a curse.'

"She then cracked her whip, hoisted a tiny umbrella, which served the purpose of a sail as she rose in the air, and the c.o.c.kchafers spread their wings.

"'It is slow travelling along the rough earth,' she remarked, when she reached a level with the children's noses, 'so I will fly for a time, especially as important business calls me to the North Pole just now.'

"The children were left to examine their trumpets, and look at each other in wonder at the good fortune which had befallen them. What do you suppose they at once did?

"'First, let us wish for clothes handsomer than those of the royal family across the water,' proposed Elfie.

"They blew through the trumpets, and instantly their coa.r.s.e garments were changed to magnificent satin and velvet, with fringes of lace, pearls, and silver ta.s.sels. They could do nothing but caper about in the sunshine, now admiring each other's plumed caps, now comparing shoes on which sparkled radiant jewels, until the court paused to watch their bright forms, in amazement; for, in the distance, the poor widow's children resembled brilliant meteors flashing about among the trees.

"'Now let us wish for a boat, to visit the palace before mother returns,' cried Small.

"The next moment saw them speeding across the water in the most beautiful little boat imaginable. It was made of ivory, lined with a delicate pink shading, like the cavities of sea-sh.e.l.ls, and a sail of pink silk, held by gold cords, expanded like a rose-leaf to the soft breeze. The court clapped their hands at the wonderful sight.

"All at once the children looked down at themselves: they wore their rough clothes again, which only seemed the uglier from contrast with the elegant ship.

"'We can never visit his majesty in these rags,' said Elfie. 'Let us wish for even more splendid dresses than those we just had on the bank.'

"White robes spangled with diamond drops enveloped them; but the boat glided from beneath their feet at the same time, leaving them to sink through the water to the very river bed. This brought them unexpectedly into the presence of the river fairy, a sworn enemy of their G.o.dmother, who caressed them, and coiled her floating hair about them in slender rings, which served to bind them captives.

"'Stay with me always,' coaxed the river spirit, in her sweet voice; 'life is so pleasant under the cool, clear waters here.'

"'I like the sunshine better,' said Small, rubbing his eyes with two chubby little fists.

"'You can bask on the surface,' laughed the fairy. 'Come with me to the neighboring ocean and see all the wonderful forms one can a.s.sume.'

"She gathered them in her arms, and swept down the stream swiftly until the ocean opened broad gates of welcome, and she paused on the threshold of the great deep. She waved her fair arms, and a forest of sea-weeds, some thick-stemmed as trees, others mere tangles of silky threads, rose before them. In shaded nooks scuttled crabs, looking like awkward spiders; marine worms twined about in ribbons of green or brown; and upon the drooping fronds clung gorgeous mollusks, their variegated sh.e.l.ls displaying the fringed edge of no less gorgeous mantles.

"'If you would rather swim about than live at the bottom, look at the fishes,' said the water spirit.

"'Forthwith approached a finny host. The whale cleaved the waters with his powerful tail; the sword-fish flashed swiftly past followed by the stealthy white shark, who showed his terrible teeth. Then came the graceful dolphin, quivering in long tracts of silvery light, the indolent porpoise, the handsome salmon, the greedy cod, the pretty mackerel, and a countless mult.i.tude of beautiful fish, their scales tinged with a golden l.u.s.tre, or dyed in crimson and purple tints.

"Little Elfie clapped her hands when she beheld some lovely medusae dancing lightly along on the surface, their feathery tentacles drifting idly on the current; so the fairy changed her to a crystal globe of a jelly-fish, propelled by several tiny oars, like spun gla.s.s, that reflected all colors of the rainbow in flashing motion.

"'O you silly bubble!' exclaimed Small; 'I had rather be a herring than that,' and he immediately began to swim about a pretty herring.

"'As to that, I believe I should like to try a state of lobsterhood,'

said Perke; and his desire was at once gratified. The thoughtless children had forgotten the importance of retaining their magic trumpets, in case they should ever need them again; so, when they changed forms, the G.o.dmother's gifts were carelessly allowed to sink to the bottom, and the water spirit laughed triumphantly.

"'Now I have you, Madam Pug,' she said to herself. 'Your pets are in the sea; let me see you reclaim them.'

"The trumpets lay on the bottom beside a rock, where there lived a colony of oysters. The oysters are good-natured, save when a hungry star-fish pokes a ray into their sh.e.l.ls to scoop out the delicious-flavored inmate; then they are very apt to close the doors smartly with a sudden clap that snips off the intruder's paw, leaving the star-fish to hobble away, and grow a new one. The grandfather of the colony had listened to all that transpired between the fairy and her visitors with much interest; and now that the trumpets fell to the bottom, he began to wonder how they were to be rescued from harm.

"Presently a c.o.c.kle came skipping gayly along by means of a beautiful scarlet foot, protruded from between the valves of the sh.e.l.l for the purpose of locomotion; and the grandfather oyster hailed him for a chat.

"'If you would only push the trumpets nearer we might swallow them,'

urged the former, when he had explained matters.

"'Wait a bit,' said the c.o.c.kle, 'until I fetch a few of my brothers, who are prowling about here somewhere.'

"He darted off, and soon returned with the requisite a.s.sistance. So the c.o.c.kles nimbly pushed and rolled the trumpets close to the oysters.

"'Can you accommodate the others, my sons?' inquired the grandfather of two no less plump children.

"'It will be inconvenient; still'--here the little waves gathered in a sparkling heap, and swept the trumpets into the oysters' mouths; who, with a gulp or two, succeeded in swallowing them. None too soon was all this labor accomplished.

"The fairy amused herself watching the children for a while, and then she despatched some of her attendants to search for Madam Pug's gifts. A rare search they made of it, too. The tiny courtiers, clothed in rainbow frills and scales, poked about everywhere, peering into the anemones'

mouths, which made the sea-flowers very angry, as they were not used to such liberties; tumbling the crabs about, and pushing the lazy flat-fish into motion. They even knocked on the oysters' houses with their little knuckles; but the oysters said never a word, so they were obliged to relinquish the search, and return to their queen.

"Elfie and her brother splashed about, thinking it great fun to live in the sea. One day they altered their minds; and this is how it all happened:--

"Perke, the lobster, became very hungry (lobsters are generally hungry); and he sniffed about in search of food, until he smelt a most savory odor, which proceeded from a wicker sort of cage, that bobbed up and down in the most tempting manner. Had Perke been born a lobster, his mother would probably have taught him wisdom. Not knowing any better, he now swam about until he discovered a neat tunnel just large enough to admit him, and leading straight to the meat he coveted. In he slipped for a nibble; but, having entered, he found to his sorrow he could not get out again; so there he sat, looking out through the slats, as miserable an object as one would wish to behold, when Small came darting by.

"'Oh! why did we ever leave home?' groaned Perke.

"'Hulloa!' exclaimed his brother, pausing. 'How did you get there?'

"'I am caught in a trap,' cried Perke. 'When the fisherman hauls me up, I shall be boiled alive and eaten.'

"Small flashed up to the surface, where Elfie was sporting with her companions, and said, dryly,--