g farewell to his kind friend, the Fairy Queen, and her three
Ladies-in-Waiting, he accompanied the Gnome down the valley.

THE MAGIC AXE

Ned meets the King and proposes to cut down the big Oak Tree.

[Illustration]

THE MAGIC AXE

PRESENTLY the Gnome turned to Ned and said:

"I must leave you for a time. But with the Fairy Queen's magic ring upon
your finger, you will be safe from harm. Self reliance is what all boys
should practise. Therefore, travel for a few days alone. At the end of
that time I will join you." And with these words the Gnome disappeared.

For a moment Ned felt a wild desire to call him back. But with a shrug
of his shoulder, he put away the thought and bravely set out in search
of further adventure.

He had gone but a short distance when he came to a Magic Axe, chopping
away all by itself at one of the tallest trees.

"Good morning, Mistress Axe," he said. "Doesn't it tire you to be
chopping away all alone there at that old tree?"

"Not at all, my son. Put me in your knapsack and I will make you
famous."

Picking up the axe, Ned placed it in his knapsack and set off once more.
After a while, he came to a place where the road was hollowed out of a
mass of solid rock, and here, in the distance, he heard a sharp noise
like that of iron striking against stone.

"Some giant must be breaking rocks away up there," he said to himself,
and climbed up the mountain. When he reached the top of the high rock,
he found a Magic Pickaxe, all alone by itself, digging away at the hard
stone as if it were soft clay.

Every time that wonderful pickaxe struck a blow it went more than a foot
into the rock.

"Good morning, Mistress Pickaxe," said Ned. "Doesn't it tire you to be
digging alone here, hollowing away at that old rock?"

"Not at all, my little man. Put me in your knapsack and I will make you
famous."

Ned picked up the pickaxe and placing it in his knapsack, again went on.

After a while he came to a brook which he followed up the hillside.

The farther he went the smaller it grew until finally, it ended in a
little nutshell, from which this tiny stream began its journey down the
mountain.

"Good morning, Miss Spring," said Ned. "Doesn't it tire you to be
gushing away all alone by yourself in your little corner?"

"Indeed it does, my little man. Put me in your knapsack and I will make
you famous."

Ned picked up the little nutshell and plugging it up with moss, placed
it car