e. So they set the bells
to chiming softly, and all sung lullabies till Eva fell fast asleep, and
knew nothing of the journey till she woke in Fairyland.

It seemed to be sunset; for the sky was red, the flowers all dreaming
behind their green curtains, the birds tucked up in their nests, and
there was no sound but the whisper of the wind that softly sang,
"Good-night, good-night."

"We all go early to bed unless the moon shines. We are tired, so come
and let us make you cosey till to-morrow," said the elves, showing her a
dainty bed with white rose-leaves for sheets, a red rose-leaf for
coverlet, and two plump little mushrooms for pillows. Cobweb curtains
hung over it, a glow-worm was the candle, and a lily-of-the-valley cup
made a nice night-cap, while a tiny gown of woven thistle-down lay ready
to be put on.

Eva quickly undressed and slipped into the pretty bed, where she lay
looking at the red light till sleep kissed her eyelids, and a lovely
dream floated through her mind till morning came.

As soon as the sun peeped over the hills the elves were up and away to
the lake, where they all dipped and splashed and floated and frolicked
till the air was full of sparkling drops and the water white with foam.
Then they wiped on soft cobweb towels, which they spread on the grass to
dry, while they combed their pretty hair and put on fresh gowns of
flower-leaves. After that came breakfast, all sitting about in parties
to eat fruit and cakes of pollen, while their drink was fresh dew.

"Now, Eva, you see that we are not idle, foolish creatures, but have
many things to do, many lessons to learn, and a heaven of our own to
hope for," said the elves when they had all sung together; while the
wind, who was the house-maid there, cleared the tables by blowing
everything away at one breath. "First of all come to our hospital,--for
here we bring all the sick and hurt things cruel or careless people have
harmed. In your world children often torment and kill poor birds and
worms and flies, and pick flowers to throw away, and chase butterflies
till their poor wings are broken. All these we care for, and our magic
makes them live again. Come and see."

Eva followed to a cool, quiet place, where on soft beds lay many wounded
things. Rose, the fairy nurse, was binding up the leg of a fly as he lay
in a cobweb hammock and feebly buzzed his thanks. In another place an
ugly worm was being put together after a cruel boy had cut him in t