u have gone. Stay with us, gentle fairy, and
be my queen!"

Then all the Snow-Spirits gathered eagerly round Violet, and cried,
"Stay with us, and be our Queen!"

Violet shivered as their icy-breath blew upon her, and her hand grew
cold in the Snow-King's frozen clasp; but she turned to him, and said,
very gently, for she was sorry to give him pain, "I cannot leave my
beautiful fairy-land to become your Queen. I should pine away in your
beautiful ice-palace, for I love the warm sunshine and the bright
flowers, and the soft breath of balmy spring, and this cold air would
kill me. So do not ask me again, noble King, for I cannot say yes, and
it grieves me to say no."

Then the Snow-King urged her no more, but went back to his throne, and
watched her with such sad, wistful eyes, that Violet's heart ached, and
she was glad when they brought her the wings that she might fly away.

They were very beautiful, made of soft feathery snow, and fastened to
her shoulders with crystal buckles.

Violet knelt down and kissed the King's hand, thanking him gratefully
for his kindness, and praying him to forgive her any pain she had caused
him; and then flew away side by side with her faithful bird. The
Snow-King watched her till the bright sheen of her hair, and the soft
flutter of her wings could no longer be seen, and then turned back, sad
and lonely, to his palace.

But Violet was very happy; "I shall see fairy-land again; bright,
beautiful fairy-land!" she sang softly to herself over and over.

But when the frozen seas were past, and she was hovering once more above
the land, the sun shone full upon her, the snow-wings melted away, and
she fell helplessly to the ground.

"Dear Violet, are you hurt?" asked the Fairy Anenome, by whose side she
had fallen. But Violet could not speak. She hid her face in Anenome's
white robe, and wept bitterly.

"Dear sister Violet," said Anenome, winding her arms lovingly round the
weeping fairy, "be comforted. This night we will go together and seek an
audience of the Owl. Perhaps he will give us wiser counsel this time."

"The Owl only mocks me," said Violet; "I will not ask counsel from him
again."

Then Anenome was silent, for she knew not what else to advise, and only
tried to show her pity by tender words and caresses. But Fairy Kingcup
lifted up her bright face, and said, cheerily:--

"Why not try the Wizard of the Black Rock? He lives a long way off, but
he is the wisest magician