maidens in the world, nay even more so indeed than her own little countrywomen. Her longing to see Men and Women in the world without, of whom she had heard so many wonderful things, had grown very strong. The good old King did all in his power to dissuade her from this wish, representing Men as fierce and selfish giants: "No living creature," said he, "is secure from their mastery; the biggest elephant is obliged to dance to their will, as well as the smallest flea." But all was of no avail; his daughter had taken it into her head to visit the world, and go she would. The thought of this preyed upon her mind, and she grew more and more melancholy and thin; until at length the King resolved to grant her wish, in the hope that the sight would frighten her for ever, and drive away her curiosity.

A beautiful new Birds'-nest was therefore immediately selected, cushioned with feathers and moss, and over this was fixed a shadowy roof of leaves, as a shelter from the sun. In this car the Root-King seated himself with the Princess; nor was it forgotten to place in it also a delicate repast of juicy berries, honey, and tender young buds. Two Cranes, who had practised their task for a week previously, took up the nest with their bills, and flew with it through the air to the nearest large Town inhabited by Men.

In a few hours the two birds were hovering with the nest over the houses of the town. With a gentle flight they descended, and deposited the royal aerial chariot carefully upon the tower of the Townhouse, whence there was a view over all the streets, without any fear of being seen. That was indeed a sight! Even the King himself had never imagined that a city of Men could be so splendid. The Princess too shouted and jumped with joy, until she nearly fell out of the nest, had not one of the Cranes with his long bill suddenly caught her by her little leg.

Now, as chance would have it, on this same day the Prince of that country was celebrating his wedding with the daughter of a foreign King, so that the whole city was in one blaze of splendour.

What shows and sights were there to be seen! processions, fairs, reviews of a thousand regiments, theatres in the open air, rope-dancers, races,—in short, it is impossible to describe them all. But first and foremost the Prince and his young wife! how splendid he looked in his scarlet uniform, with the star upon his breast, moustachios, and large blue eyes; and she, in a red velvet dress, covered with pearls and precious stones, which sparkled and sent their light high up to the very gallery of the Townhouse. Wherever you looked there was something new and strange, and so it went on from early in the morning until the sun disappeared behind the mountains.

However much all these marvellous sights delighted the old King, his opinion of Mankind remained unaltered, and he was sorry that his daughter should just have chosen this day to witness the most brilliant side of Men's doings. He was however too weak to deny himself a view of the scene; nay, he would even have remained up there still longer, but that, as night fell and darkness came on, some men suddenly appeared on the gallery, to illuminate the building and let off the fireworks. The men approached the nest. How the Princess started with affright at the sight of such gigantic forms! The King too lost his speech from terror; and had not the Cranes, of themselves, lifted up the stork's nest into the air and borne it quickly off, there would have been an end of the King and his daughter, and of our story too. However fortunately they were just in time: and still from afar off the aerial travellers saw the fireworks fly into the air, whizzing and fizzing, and crackling and sparkling, from the tower of the Townhouse, which was certainly all very splendid at a distance, but close by would have been certain death. So the King and his daughter returned safe and sound to their own Root-Valley.

The little Princess of course now saw well that Men were too big for her to be able to share in their grand doings; still her old fancies and longing returned, and even stronger than ever, although in a somewhat altered form. She was firmly convinced that there must be upon earth yet another race of beings as small as her own little countrymen, but as clever and wise as Men; and so she resolved never in her life to marry, unless a Prince of her own size should take her for his wife; but then too he must have exactly such an hussar's jacket, and exactly such a star on his breast, and just the same large blue eyes, as the Man-Prince in the city; and he must also rule over a little People, who possessed exactly the same peculiarities as they.

These whims and fancies of his daughter made the good old King quite sad. Right gladly would he have had a son-in-law,—but such a one! where in the wide world was he to be found? He indeed did all in his power to form and teach his People according to the rules and laws of Men, but nothing came of it,—they were not a whit the cleverer. The little fellows were never tired of hearing of Men and their doings, but to become like them—no indeed! They would remain for ever and aye what they were,—free, merry little Rootmen! The end of it was that the Princess got no husband, and the King no son-in-law.

CHAPTER THE SECOND.

the spring festival in root-valley.—the nut-field.—the migrating birds.—a strange people make their appearance.—nutcracker and harlequin.—the princess falls into raptures.

Several years had passed, and the Spring Festival was returning. All was green and blooming; the trees and hedges were already in full leaf, and rock, vale, hill and dale were clothed with their new dress. The Rootmen had already quitted their dark winter-quarters, and betaken themselves to their summer abodes by the cool brook, which now once more ran purling merrily along. All awaited with eager expectation the appearance of the winged guests.

At length the important day arrived. It was a fine May morning; through the young foliage of the nut-trees the sunshine played and sparkled on flowers and turf, on pebbles and rippling waters. Early in the morning the little Heralds, decked out in new coats of moss, were seen riding through the Valley upon grasshoppers, and crying aloud with a clear voice,—

The summons was no sooner heard, than the whole of the little People came pouring from all sides into the Nut-field, which was set apart for such festivals, and was on this occasion decked out in the most beautiful manner. In the middle, upon a molehill prettily covered with small pebbles, stood the throne for the good King and his fair daughter; it was made of snail-shells and mussel-shells, and cushioned with feathers. A long alley of lilies-of-the-valley,

six deep, led up to the throne; and when the royal procession galloped up on squirrels, all the little lily-bells rang with a lovely melody; for at each lily was stationed a spider, to pull the bells with a thread of its cobweb.

A solemn silence followed. The Birds had not yet made their appearance. They had probably alighted somewhere in the neighbourhood, to smooth and arrange their feathers, ruffled by their long flight; they