he sweetest thing of all,
The sunshine of each day.

"I shall sing that to myself and try to do my part," said Eva, as the
elves got out their paints and brushes of butterfly-down, and using
large white leaves for paper, learned to imitate the colors of every
flower.

"Why do they do this?" asked Eva, for she saw no pictures anywhere.

"We keep the flowers fresh, for in the world below they have trials with
the hot sun that fades, the mould that spots, grubs that gnaw, and frost
that kills. We melt bits of rainbow in our paint-pots, and when it is
needed we brighten the soft color on Anemone's cheeks, deepen the blue
of Violet's eyes, or polish up the cowslips till they shine like cups of
gold. We redden the autumn leaves, and put the purple bloom on the
grapes. We made the budding birches a soft green, color maple keys, and
hang brown tassels on the alder twigs. We repair the dim spots on
butterflies' wings, paint the blue-bird like the sky, give Robin his red
vest, and turn the yellow bird to a flash of sunshine. Oh, we are
artists, and hereafter you will see our pictures everywhere."

"How lovely!" said Eva. "I often wondered who kept all these delicate
things so beautiful and gay. But where are we going now?" she added, as
the elves led her away from the school.

"Come and see where we learn to ride," they answered, smiling as if they
enjoyed this part of their education.

In a little dell where the ground was covered with the softest moss Eva
found the fairy riding-school and gymnasium. The horses were all kinds
of winged and swift-footed things, and the race-ground was a smooth path
round the highest moss mound. Groups of elves lay on the ground, swung
on the grass-blades, or sat in the wood flowers, that stood all about.

In one place the mothers and fathers were teaching their little ones to
fly. The baby elves sat in a row on the branch of a birch-tree,
fluttering their small wings and nestling close together, timid yet
longing to launch boldly out into the air and float as the others did.
The parents were very patient, and one by one the babies took little
flights, getting braver and braver each time.

One very timid elf would not stir, so the sly papa and mamma put it on a
leaf, and each taking a side, they rode the dear about for a few
minutes, till she was used to the motion; then they dropped the leaf,
and the little elf finding herself falling spread her wings and flew
away to a tall bush,