the
dust-boy, and he told Snowflower to wash her face, rub up her chair, and
go to the highest hall, for the great King Winwealth wished to hear a
story.

Nobody offered to help her; but when Snowflower had made herself as
smart as she could with soap and water, and rubbed the chair till it
looked as if dust had never fallen on it, she seated herself and said:
"Chair of my grandmother, take me to the highest hall."

At once the chair marched in a grave and courtly manner out of the
kitchen, up the grand staircase, and into the highest hall. The chief
lords and ladies of the land were feasting there, besides many fairies
and noble people from far-off countries. There had never been such
company in the palace since the time of Prince Wisewit. Nobody wore less
than the finest satin.

[Illustration: ALL CAME TO TALK WITH SPARE

_See page 32_]

King Winwealth sat on his ivory throne in a robe of purple velvet, stiff
with flowers of gold. The Queen sat by his side in a robe of silver
cloth clasped with pearls. But the Princess Greedalind was finer still,
the feast being in her honour. She wore a robe of cloth of gold clasped
with diamonds. Two waiting-ladies in white satin stood, one on either
side, to hold her fan and handkerchief, and two pages, in gold-lace
livery, stood behind her chair. With all that, Princess Greedalind
looked ugly and spiteful. She and her mother were angry to see a
barefooted girl and an old chair allowed to enter the highest hall.

The supper table was still covered with golden dishes, and the best of
good things, but no one offered Snowflower a morsel. So, having made a
humble bow to the King, the Queen, the Princess, and the good company,
most of whom hardly noticed her, the poor little girl sat down upon the
carpet, laid her head on the velvet cushion, as she used to do in the
old cottage, and said: "Chair of my grandmother, tell me a story."

Everybody was greatly surprised, even the angry Queen and the spiteful
Princess, when a clear voice from under the cushion said: "Listen to the
story of the Christmas Cuckoo."

CHAPTER II

THE CHRISTMAS CUCKOO

Once upon a time there stood in the midst of a bleak moor, in the north
country, a certain village. All its people were poor, for their fields
were barren, and they had little trade; but the poorest of them all were
two brothers called Scrub and Spare. They were cobblers, and had but one
stall between them. It was a hut built of c