told me not to stop. But I'll give you an apple, because I
like you very much."

Antony took the apple and kissed Fanny nicely.

[Illustration]

They loved each other dearly, these two. He would say: "She's my little
wife." And she would agree: "He's my little man."

As she went on her way with even steps and looking very wise and good
she heard a pretty sound of birds crying behind her, and turning her
head she recognized the little beggars that she had fed when they were
hungry. They had been following her.

"Goodnight, little friends," she called to them. "Good night. It's time
to go to bed now. Good night!"

And the little winged singers replied in cries that meant, in bird
language: "God keep you safe."

Thus Fanny came back home to her mother, followed by bird music in the
air.

IV

[Illustration]

Fanny went to bed before candle time in a little bed that a
cabinet-maker of the village had made a long time ago, with a frame of
walnut and graceful banisters. Long ago the good man had gone to sleep
in the shadow of the church, under a black cross, in a bed with a
coverlet of grass, for Fanny's bed had been her grandfather's when he
was a little baby, and the little girl slept now in the same place as
her ancestor. She slept. A cotton curtain with a pattern of roses
protected her slumbers. She slept and dreamed. She saw the blue bird
flying toward the castle of his love. He looked as beautiful as a star,
but she did not expect for a moment to see him perch on her shoulder.
She knew she was not a princess, and couldn't expect visits from a
prince changed into a bird the color of deep sky. However, she told
herself that all birds are not princes, that the birds in the village
are villagers and among them may well enough have been some country boy
changed into a sparrow by a wicked fairy, and having a love for Fanny in
his heart beneath his gray feathers. Such an one, if she should find
him, she would give not only bread, but cakes and kisses too. She would
like to see him. And now she does see him! He comes and perches on her
shoulder. He's just a little cock sparrow, not fine or rare, but very
alert and lively. To tell the truth his appearance is a little tousled:
one tail feather is missing, lost in a fight, that is unless he has
encountered some bad fairy in the village. Fanny suspects him of having
a bad head; but she is a girl, and it does not worry her that her cock
sparrow has a bad head if his h