ere was at least a sporting chance of the old woman being a fairy
in disguise, in which case it would be perfectly sickening to have
neglected so good a thing. On the other hand he knew also that there
were a great many undeserving cases. As he was deliberating, however, he
perceived beneath the old woman's gown the glitter of a white satin toe,
and this decided him to risk it. [N.B. For our youthful readers, this is
an infallible sign for the detection of disguised fairies--try it at the
next pantomime you go to.] "Come in and welcome, Mother," said the
woodcutter, and flung wide the door.

Accordingly the old woman entered the hut, and having done apparent
justice to what was left of the woodcutter's meal, "Now," said she,
striking an appropriate attitude, "behold!" and in the twinkling of an
eye there she stood, the complete fairy, all shimmer and spangles.

"Well!" exclaimed the woodcutter, looking as astonished as he could
manage, "I haven't a notion how that's done!"

"And as a reward for your hospitality," continued the fairy, "choose
three wishes, and they shall be granted."

"I assure you," began the woodcutter politely, "nothing was further from
my----" but a look in the fairy's eyes stopped him. "Of course, if you
insist," he said; adding in rather a different tone, "Perhaps you'll
excuse me for putting the matter on a business-like footing."

So saying, he produced from his pocket a small pamphlet entitled, _On
Transactions with Fairies; with Some Hints to Beginners_. Having studied
this for a moment, "I suppose," said the woodcutter, "that by 'wishes'
you mean without restriction? Not anything within reason, or economies
of that sort?"

The visitor looked surprised and a little hurt. "There is no such thing
as reason in Fairyland," she said stiffly.

"The mistake was mine," said the woodcutter.

"Only one wish is closed to you," resumed the fairy; "you may not wish
to have any more wishes."

"That's a pity," said the woodcutter, "especially as I'd only just
thought of; it."

"An obvious precaution that we were obliged to take in our own
interests. We lost heavily in that way at one time. But consider well.
You have the choice of wealth beyond the dreams of avarice. You can
become the most powerful monarch in the world. Beauty can be yours, or
wisdom or piety. You can--"

"I wonder," asked the woodcutter, "if you'd mind not talking for a
moment? This is a delicate crisis and demands concentratio