THE PIXIES
From England
Therewas once a little cottage in the middle of a flower garden. Its walls were covered with roses, and its porch was twined with clematis. The bees buzzed over the flowers, and the butterflies fluttered about the porch. And a hundred little green Pixies lived in the wood near by.
In this cottage two orphan sisters dwelt all alone. One morning the elder sister, Mary, got up at break of day. She milked the cow, churned the butter, swept the hearth, and made the breakfast. Then she sat on the porch to spin, and sang:—
“How merrily the wheel goes round,With a whirring, humming sound!”
“How merrily the wheel goes round,With a whirring, humming sound!”
“How merrily the wheel goes round,
With a whirring, humming sound!”
But the younger sister, Alice, lay in bed asleep. Then Mary put her spinning aside, and called:—
“Wake, Alice, wake! There is much for you to do while I go to the market-town. I must sell our yarn, and buy your new dress. While I am gone, don’t forget to bring in the firewood, drain the honeycomb, and fill the Pixies’ water-pail.”
But Alice did not answer. So Mary put on her hood and took her basket full of yarn. Shewalked all the way to the market-town and sold her yarn, and bought the new dress. Then she walked home again.
The sun was set when she reached the cottage, and Alice was sitting idle on the porch. The honeycomb was not drained, the firewood was not brought in, the bed was not made, and the supper was uncooked. And although Mary was tired and hungry, she had to cook the supper and make the bed. Then the sisters went to sleep.
By and by, the hundred little green Pixies came creeping, creeping into the kitchen. They pattered softly about and whispered so that the sisters should not hear them. Some ran to the spinning-wheel and began to spin, others built a fire under the oven, and mixed and kneaded the bread. One took a broom and swept the floor, and another brought in the firewood.
When all the yarn was spun, the bread baked, and the kitchen tidy, the Pixies ran to the water-pail to get a drink. But there was not a drop of water in it! And, oh! how angry they were!
Then Mary awoke, and cried: “Alice! Alice! Don’t you hear those angry buzzings? Surely you did not forget to fill the Pixies’ water-pail!”
But Alice answered: “I did not draw the water to-day. And I will not leave my bed now to fetch it for any little Pixy!” Then she went to sleep again.
But Mary got up, and, though her feet were tired and sore, she took the pail and ran through the garden to the spring. And as she stooped she saw a hundred little faces laughing at her from the water. She dipped her pail, and they were gone. She lifted the full pail, and felt little hands seize it and bear it along. It was carried to the door, and into the kitchen, and set down by the hearth. But she could see no one, so she went to bed again.
The next morning early, Mary got up. She ran to the pail and looked into it. Then she clapped her hands and called:—
“Come, Alice, come! See the silver pennies shining at the bottom of the clear water! There must be a hundred of them! Come, sister, dear!”
Then Alice, waking, tried to sit up. But she screamed with fright, for she could not move her hands and feet. Indeed, she could not rise at all! And that day, and the next, and for many days after, she lay helpless on her bed, and Mary fed and comforted her.
And every night the hundred little green Pixies came creeping, creeping into the kitchen. They swept, they baked, they sewed, they spun, and they drank from Mary’s water-pail. And every night they left one piece of silver there.
And so a whole year passed, and Alice lay and thought, and thought, and thought about heridle ways. And one night she called Mary to her, and wept and said:—
“Oh, sister, if only I could get up to-morrow, and feel the warm sunshine and play among the flowers! And if only I were strong enough to work for you, as you have worked for me!”
And Mary kissed and comforted her.
The next morning came, and Mary got up at break of day. She ran and looked into the water-pail. Then she clapped her hands and called:—
“Come, Alice, come! See the silver pennies shining at the bottom of the clear water! There must be a hundred of them! Come, sister, dear!”
And Alice forgot that she could not move. She sprang lightly out of bed and ran into the kitchen. And she was all well and happy again!
And oh, how glad the sisters were! How they kissed each other and laughed with joy! They milked the cow, and churned, and baked, and cooked, and sat spinning on the porch. And the bees buzzed, and the butterflies fluttered, and the sisters sang:—
“How merrily the wheels go round,With a whirring, humming sound!”
“How merrily the wheels go round,With a whirring, humming sound!”
“How merrily the wheels go round,
With a whirring, humming sound!”