wn to her feet,
and wrapped her round like a glittering cloud, and she held the lily
in her hand. And the music pealed on like a grand triumphal march,
and made the girl feel very proud and joyful.

Not very far off there was a carved chair, with some velvet cushions
upon it.

"Perhaps for me to be crowned in," said the girl, tossing her head.
"I wonder where my crown is?"

And as she said this she heard a burst of laughter, as if a thousand
grasshoppers were chirping. And an owl seated not far off said--

"Only queens are crowned, little girl."

"How do you know I am not a queen?" asked the girl, angrily. "Look at
my dress and my veil."

But the owl only said--

"Tu-whit, tu-whoo! tu-whit, tu-whoo!" and laughed so loudly that all
the wood-elves began to laugh also; so did the birds and the frogs,
and even the flowers. And the echoes answered back again.

There was so much noise that a troop of little sailors came running
up from the shore to see what was the matter.

"Are you ready?" said they to the girl; "the boat is waiting

With its silken sails,
The moon shines clear and bright;
There is no fear of stormy gales
Upon the sea to-night."

"I don't know what you are talking about," answered the girl. "There
is no sea near here, and if there is I am not going upon it."

But the sailors had wheeled the carved chair close to the marble
steps, and they went on speaking--

"To-night upon the sea we go,
And you with us must sail.
Step in; the tide is up, and we
Must start off without fail."

And the girl found herself in the chair, which the sailors pushed
down to the beach.

On the sea was a fine boat, with silken sails and a crimson flag.

The boat had a gilt figure-head, and its sides were painted blue and
gold. A red velvet carpet was spread upon the deck, and the sailors,
having hoisted the girl in the chair up the side of the vessel,
placed her upon the velvet carpet, and she found herself sailing fast
away from the land before she had time to think of how she had got
there.

The sailors were all standing at one end of the deck playing upon
various musical instruments, and the tune they played seemed to
answer back the beautiful music that she had heard for so many days
floating in the air. Also the sailors sang--

"Away it sails, the music-ship,
Over the moonlit sea,
And the trumpet that the captain blows
Is the only rudder the vessel knows,
As we sa