The Queen of all the Fairies was once trying a new car that had been made for her in the workshop of the Little Grey Men. It was a wonderful car, and had been woven from threads spun from the rainbow.
Hundreds of dainty blue moths pulled the car along. Their wings shone in the moonlight like pale blue silk when ever so many lights shine upon it. The reins were made of woven moonlight, and, as they trembled in the night air, you could see the beams ripple up and down like the lights you see on the ocean on a clear night.
Suddenly, there was a faint, sad cry. One of the blue moths caught her legs in the reins; and, before she could free them, the reins gave a quick jerk, and down, down, down she fluttered. The Queen of all the Fairies stopped her car, and flew to the aid of the moth. She caught the moth just as the poor little thing was about to strike the earth. With the greatest care, she placed her on a bed of the softest moss, and knocked at the door of a ground-spider who lived near.
The ground-spider was very sleepy. When he heard theknock at his door, he rubbed his eyes in wonder. You see, it was very late, and, for the life of him, he could not understand what was the matter. However, he got out of bed, and opened his door very, very slowly. He was taking no risks. By and by, he peeped out.
When he heard the gentle voice of the Queen of all the Fairies, he flung back his door with such a bang that the baby brownies crept close to their mother in alarm. The Fairy Queen now told him to spin the finest and softest of threads. When he had finished, the gentle Queen wound it round and round the broken leg of the blue moth until it was firmly held together.
The Queen of all the Fairies thanked the ground- spider and asked him if there was anything she could do for him. "Make me beautiful, O dear Queen, so that all things will not shun me! " he cried. " Very well, " replied the Queen. She told him to go back to his little snug house, which was lined with the warmest of silken threads. She then closed the door ever so gently, that she might not frighten the little folk.
Sitting down by the house of the ground-spider, the Fairy Queen began to sing a most beautiful song. As she sang, all the beetles, all the crickets-indeed, all the life that lives on and under the ground-gathered round her in a circle. The brownies and pixies, far and near, collected in groups, and, as the song rang out, they allswayed from side to side, keeping time with the music, until the whole world seemed to be rocking backwards and forwards.
Then the Queen of all the Fairies waved her wand. The door of the ground-spider now slowly, slowly, slowly opened, and up, and up, and up came a glorious flower that looked like a wonderful spider. Indeed, it was the ground-spider, who had been changed into a beautiful orchid.
All the little folk clapped their hands until the leaves of the trees and bushes trembled with the noise, and the blades of grass tumbled over backwards with very joy. Still singing her song, the Fairy Queen carried the blue moth to her home. As she turned round to take a last look at the little folk, she saw the brownies and pixies, the beetles and crickets and spiders, all dancing around the lovely flower, as if they would never stop.
Of course, the spiders were very proud of their beautiful orchid. They took the greatest care of it. Should you ever be in the fields one fine September evening, just as the sun is going to bed, you will see hundreds and hundreds of dainty blankets that the spiders have thrown over the grass to protect their own flower from harm. But you must be very careful not to destroy these blankets. If you do, the orchid might have a very cold night.
From The Crystal Bowl, by J. J. Hall
Author.-J.J. Hall is a living Australian writer, a master in a Church of England Grammar School in Victoria.
General Notes.-Who are the Little Grey Men? What did they make?
Describe the team, the reins. What accident happened? Of whom did the Queen ask help? What help was given? How did the Queen reward the spider? Tell all you know that is quite true about the Spider Orchid.
