he
garden.

The older fairies stood all in a group, saying loudly "I will go," and
"I will go." And before them, scarcely touching the ground with the tip
of her foot, stood poised a glorious fairy, taller than any other there.
She was altogether beautiful; and her wings--as soon as Poppypink saw
them she knew why the visitor had been called Wonderwings. For they
reached high above her head and almost to the ground, and they glowed
with so many colours that it seemed as if a million jewels had been Hung
upon them and had stuck, growing into a million flashing stars that
made a million little rainbows with every sway and movement of her body.

"How lovely! Oh, how lovely!" cried Poppypink. She crept nearer to the
beautiful fairy and sat among the daisies at her feet. "See," she cried.
"My wings are small and colourless. Tell me how I may grow wings like
yours." Just as little girls adore beautiful hair, so do little fairies
adore beautiful wings.

Wonderwings smiled down at her. "Such wings as mine are only to be won
in sadder lands than these," she said. "If you would have them you must
leave your fairyland and come where humans live, and where hunger and
sorrow and death trample the city streets."

"I will come!" cried Poppypink. "I will come!"

"Come then," said Wonderwings. She took the little fairy's hand, and up
they all rose into the clear air, flying far and far away till they left
their fairyland behind and came at last to the sadder lands where humans
lived. There Wonderwings showed them where hunger and sorrow and death
trampled the city streets, and the band of fairies flew lower and lower
to look.

"The children tumble and fight in the dirty lanes, and cry for bread,"
cried Poppypink. "The little ones, I cannot bear to hear them sob."

"Perhaps you can help them," said Wonderwings.

"I am only a little fairy. What can I do?" asked Poppypink. "I have no
bread to give them."

She flew a little lower, to gaze at them more nearly. "What can I do?"
she asked again.

No answer came. She looked around, and found herself alone. Wonderwings
and the older fairies had in a moment gone from sight.

Below, a crippled child sat among rags in a dark corner of a dreary
room, and tears ran down her cheeks. "The sunshine, the pretty yellow
sunshine!" she wailed. "If only I could run and play in the pretty
sunshine!"

"Here is something I can do," thought Poppypink. She gathered armfuls of
the golden sunbeams,