"Turn them all back to back, then," said the fairy, snappishly. "I should think any fool might have known enough to do that long ago."
Vance opened his box, and trembling with excitement arranged his relatives and friends in two rows, back to back.
Pouf! The effect was magical! Quicker by far than they had grown small, the little folk regained their former size. Then, indeed, confusion reigned. Such gabbling and chattering and running about; such hand-shakings, embracing, and congratulations; such beratings and cuffings of Vance because he had made them small, and then such kissings and caressings because he had made them large again! Never was there known such a mighty confusion and uproar in any royal palace before or since.
"But, G.o.dmother," ventured Vance, timidly, when the excitement had died away enough to allow a body to begin once more to think,--"But, G.o.dmother, if you please, may I ask you one question?"
"If it"s a short one," replied the sharp old lady, "and not _too_ foolish."
"Well, then," asked Vance, "I would like very much to know, if you please, what we should have done if the peahen had happened not to lay an egg?"
"Pshaw!" said the G.o.dmother, crisply. "Stuff!"
[Ill.u.s.tration]
University Press: John Wilson & Son, Cambridge.