FAIRIES I HAVE MET

"PLEASE," SHE SAID, "I WANT TO BE A NIGHTINGALE"

F A I R I E S

I   H A V E   M E T

BY MRS. RODOLPH STAWELL

ILLUSTRATED IN COLOUR BY

EDMUND DULAC

HODDER AND STOUGHTON

NEW YORK AND LONDON

[Pg 7]DEDICATION

BEFORE Penelope could toddle she lived far awayamong the oleanders. The sunbeams whocame down to see the oleanders saw Penelopetoo. She sat on the grass and played withthem, and they loved her very much.

One day the sunbeams were sad.

"Penelope is going to England," they said to eachother.

"I am going to England with her," said Sunbeamthe First.

"How?" asked the others.

"I shall hide in her hair," said Sunbeam the First.

"Then," said Sunbeam the Second, "I shall go too.I shall hide behind her eyelashes."

"And I," said Sunbeam the Third, "shall hide in herheart."

So Penelope went to England, with one sunbeam inher hair, and one in her eyes, and one in her heart.

When she was old enough to talk she spoke to thesunbeams.

"Shall you always stay in my hair?" she asked Sunbeamthe First.

"That[Pg 8] is more than I can say," he answered. "Perhapswhen you are old I shall be obliged to go away."

Then Penelope asked Sunbeam the Second—

"Shall you always stay in my eyes?"

"I hope so," said Sunbeam the Second; "but perhapsif you are unhappy I shall be obliged to go away."

Then the corners of Penelope's mouth began to droopa little.

"Dear Sunbeam," she said to Sunbeam the Third,"shall you be always in my heart?"

"Yes, if you keep me there," said Sunbeam the Third.

"How can I keep you there?" asked Penelope.

"You must love the fairies," said the sunbeam, "andunderstand them when they speak to you. If you lovethe fairies even when you are old, I shall stay in yourheart always."

These stories have been written for Penelope, so thatshe may love the fairies, and keep the sunbeam alwaysin her heart.

CONTENTS[Pg 9]