it was that we _did_ want!
But now, as far as I can make out, what we wanted was just you
yourself." "That is it!" Christlieb chimed in; "now that you are with
us, we are happy again. Why were you so long in coming?"

In fact, both children felt as though they had known and played with
the Stranger Child for a long time already, and that their unhappiness
had been only because this beloved playmate was not with them.

"You see," Felix said, in continuation, "we really haven't got any
playthings left; for I, like a stupid fool, went and destroyed a number
of the very finest, which my cousin Pump-breeks gave me, and I shied
them away. Never mind; we shall play somehow for all that."

"How can you talk so, Felix," said the Stranger Child, laughing aloud.
"Certainly the stuff you threw away wasn't of much value; but you, and
Christlieb too, are in the very middle of a quantity of the most
exquisite play-things that were ever seen."

"Where--where are they?" Felix and Christlieb cried.

"Look round you," said the Stranger Child; and Felix and Christlieb
then saw how, out of the thick grass and the wool-like moss, all sorts
of glorious flowers were peeping, with bright eyes gleaming, and
between them many-coloured stones and crystalline shells sparkled and
shone, while little golden insects danced up and down, humming little
gentle songs.

"Now we will build a palace," said the Stranger Child. "Help me to get
the stones together." And the Stranger stooped down and began choosing
stones of pretty colours. Felix and Christlieb helped, and the Stranger
Child knew so well how to set the stones up on one another that soon
there arose tall columns, shining in the sun like polished metal, while
an aerial golden roof vaulted itself over them at the top. Then the
Stranger Child kissed the flowers which were peeping from the ground;
when, with sweet whisperings, they shot up higher, and, embracing each
other lovingly, formed sweet-scented arcades and covered walks, in
which the children danced about, full of delight and gladness. The
Stranger Child clapped hands; and then the golden roof of the palace,
which was formed of insects' golden wings vaulted together, went
asunder with a hum, and the pillars melted away into a plashing silver
stream, on whose banks the varied flowers took up their stations, and
peered inquiringly into its ripples, or, moving their heads from side
to side, listened to its baby pattering. Then the Strange