is
a little pasteboard box, wound about with tow; open this box and you
will find the scale and the feather carefully wrapped in cotton. Take
care not to break them; handle them respectfully, and I will tell you
what next to do."

Graceful brought the box to the poor woman, who was no longer able to
quit her pallet, and she herself took from it the two articles.

"Now," said she, giving them to her grandson, "put a bowlful of water
in the middle of the room; place the scale and the feather in the
water, and make a wish--wish for fortune, nobility, wit, power,
whatever you please; only, as I feel that I am dying, kiss me once
more, my child, before speaking the words that will separate us
forever, and receive my last blessing; it will be another talisman to
bring you happiness."

But, to the old woman's surprise, Graceful did not come near her,
either to kiss her or to receive her blessing. He quickly placed the
bowl in the middle of the room, threw the feather and scale into the
water, and shouted at the top of his voice, "Appear, Fairy of the
Waters! I wish that my grandmother may live forever. Appear, Fairy of
the Woods! I wish that my grandmother may live forever."

And behold! the water bubbled, bubbled, bubbled; the bowl grew to a
great basin, which the walls of the hut could scarcely hold, and from
the bottom of the basin Graceful saw two beautiful young women rise,
whom he knew directly from their wands to be fairies. One wore a crown
of holly leaves mixed with red berries, and diamond ear-rings
resembling acorns in their cups; she was dressed in a robe of olive
green, over which a speckled skin was knotted like a scarf across the
right shoulder--this was the Fairy of the Woods. As to the Fairy of
the Waters, she wore a garland of reeds on her head, with a white robe
trimmed with the feathers of aquatic birds, and a blue scarf, which
now and then rose above her head and fluttered like the sail of a
ship. Great ladies as they were, they looked smilingly at Graceful,
who had taken refuge in his grandmother's arms, and trembled with fear
and admiration.

"Here we are, my child," said the Fairy of the Waters, who spoke
first, as the eldest. "We have heard what you said, and your wish does
you honor; but, though we can help you in the plan which you have
conceived, you alone can execute it. We can, indeed, prolong your
grandmother's life for some time, but, for her to live forever, you
must go the Castle of Li