nki and Avrillia's children it was quite a long
procession, so that the only way they could tell the head from the
tail of it was by remembering that Sara was the head and that the
Snimmy's wife was the tail. The Echo, who could not leave the pool to
march, spread out the lyre-shaped feathers on the top of her head and
played the most beautiful rippling chords for them to march by.

And suddenly, when they had gone three times around the fountain,
Pirlaps said, "Take the seat of honor, Sara, and receive our gifts."
And there, in front of the Gugollaph-tree, was an enormous frosted
cake, as big around as a wagon-wheel. Sara was sure it had not been
there when the march began. She would have rubbed her eyes, had she
not felt that such a conventional proceeding would be wholly
inadequate.

"Take your seat, Sara," said Pirlaps kindly, enjoying her delight and
astonishment.

Sara came to herself with a start. "Wh-where?" she asked. She was
anxious not to appear awkward, but she did not see any particular
place to sit.

"On the cake, dear, of course," said Pirlaps, who seemed never to tire
of smiling at her odd little questions.

Sara had never done this before, but she was willing to try; and she
was just about to climb upon the cake when another thought deterred
her.

"But the candles? Won't my dress catch?"

"Try and see," said Pirlaps; but Avrillia whispered in her ear, "They
aren't flames, dear: they're only colored perfumes."

So, reassured, Sara took her seat on the cake; and at once she saw
that it made a very nice sort of throne. The frosting was resilient,
but firm; and she now saw that the candles were arranged so that they
made a sort of semicircle about her. Just as Avrillia had said, she
could pass her hands across their wicks without being burned at all;
they only winked and breathed out sweet odors--each flame a different
color and scent. They were as tall as her head, as she sat among them;
and the one at her right ear was of isthagaria, while the one on the
left faintly suggested tinnulalia-flowers.

Before she had finished examining the candles, the Plynck flew down
with the first present. "A lock of my hair," she said, looking eager,
but a little embarrassed; and she actually perched on the rim of the
pool while Sara unwrapped it, so that she might see whether or not she
was pleased. But I do not need to tell you that Sara was; for it was
one of her loveliest tail-feathers, a rich, curling plum