ce of eight-and-forty hours--the sun and
the moon, and all the stars in the firmament--heaven above, the earth
below, and everything below that again, had all been summoned to
register their vows; and at the time that they were then walking they
would have considered it positive heresy to hint at the idea of a
disagreement even in thought; but, as I have before observed, they were
only seventeen years old.

Maya, who had bent his steps towards the castle, perceived these two
young damsels parading up and down, and although he had not the full
power of Oberon, yet he was still a highly-endowed fairy. Among other
powers vested in him, he had a wand, which when it touched any fairy
would change that fairy into mortal size and shape, and if it touched
any mortal would produce the contrary effect, giving them for the time
the size and appearance of fairies, imps, tritons, naiads, or some of
those intermediate creatures, which most accorded with their mortal
propensities and dispositions.

This very wand made him much feared by the other fairies, as they were
often punished by him in this way, and it was only Oberon, the king, who
had the power of reversing the charm; and it is said, that this very
wand was one cause why his fair Elda, generally speaking, behaved so
well, as he often threatened to turn her into a Dutch milkmaid; which,
as she was of a very beautiful figure, would have been a very severe
punishment.

It was with this wand--worn like a harlequin's at his side--that the
fairy Maya was walking up the terrace; he had changed himself to a
handsome young forester, dressed in a suit of green, with bugle by his
side, a cap with black feathers hanging down to his right shoulder;
wearing the appearance of a very handsome young man of about twenty, and
just the description of person to create a difference between two young
ladies, who had half an hour before sworn everlasting friendship.

As he passed he made a very profound obeisance.

"Who is he, dearest?" said Miss Araminta.

"Who is he, dearest?" said Miss Euthanasia, both nudging one another at
the same moment.

"He bowed to _me_, said Araminta.

"No, sweetest, it was to _me_ he bowed," rejoined Euthanasia.

"Well I declare!" cried Araminta. What was to follow is not known, for
the young forester had retraced his steps and now addressed the young
ladies.

"Fair maids of honour, as I presume you are such," said he, taking off
his cap, and displaying such