rass. Then
sterner feelings filled his breast, and revenge stirred up the depths of
his soul.

"This thing shall end!" he said, hissing the words between his teeth.
"No more of us shall die like Ling-a-ting!"

So he ran quickly, and with his little sword cut down two violets, and
of the petals he made two little soft bundles, and, tying them together
with his garters, he slung them over his shoulder. Full of his terrible
purpose, he then ran to the Princess, and, going behind her, clambered
up her dress until he stood on her shoulder, and, getting on the top of
her head, he loosened a long hair, and lowered himself down with it,
until he stood upon the under lashes of her left eye. Now, his intention
was evident. Those violet bundles were to "end this thing." They were to
be crammed into the source of those fatal tears, to the beauty of which
poor Ling-a-ting had fallen a victim.

"Now we shall see," said he, "if some things cannot be done as well as
others!" and, kneeling down, he took one bundle from his shoulder, and
prepared to put it in her eye. It is true, that, occupying the position
he did, he, in some measure, obstructed the lady's vision; but as her
eyes had been so long dimmed with tears, and her heart overshadowed with
sorrow, she did not notice it.

Just as Ting-a-ling was about to execute his purpose, he happened to
look before him, and saw, to his amazement, another little fairy on his
knees, right in front of him. Starting back, he dropped the bundle from
his hand, and the other from his shoulder. Then, upon his hands and
knees, he stared steadfastly at the little man opposite to him, who
immediately imitated him. And there they knelt with equal wonder in each
of their countenances, bobbing at each other every time the lady winked.
Then did Ting-a-ling get very red in the face, and, standing erect, he
took strong hold of the Princess's upper eyelash, to steady himself,
resolved upon giving that saucy fairy a good kick, when, to his dismay,
the eyelash came out, he lost his balance, and at the same moment a
fresh shower of tears burst from her eyes, which washed Ting-a-ling
senseless into her lap.

When he recovered, he was still sticking to the Princess's silk apron,
all unobserved, as she sat in her own room talking to one of her maids,
who had just returned from a long visit into the country. Slipping down
to the floor, Ting-a-ling ran all shivering to the window, to the seat
of which he climbed,