MABEL. "Thou art a handy maiden, The fairy lady said; "Thou hast not spilled a drop, nor yet The fairy spring troubled! "And for this thing which thou hast done, Yet mayest not understand, I give to thee a better gift Than houses or than land. "Thou shalt do well whate'er thou dost, Shalt have the will and power to please, Thus having said, she passed from sight, But the little bird, the sky-blue bird, "And now go," said the grandmother, Away went kind, good Mabel, Into the fir-wood near, Where all the ground was dry and brown, 161 66 She did not wander up and down, Nor yet a live branch pull, But steadily of the fallen boughs She picked her apron full. And when the wild-wood brownies She drove them thence, as she was told, But all that while the brownies Within the fir-wood still, They watched her how she picked the wood, And strove to do no ill. And, O, but she is small and neat," Said one, "'t were shame to spite A creature so demure and weak, A creature harmless quite;" "Look only," said another, "At her little gown of blue; “O, but she is a comely child," MABEL. Seeing she broke no living wood; With that the smallest penny, With joy she picked the penny up, And with the fagots dry and brown "Now she has that," said the brownies, "T will buy her clothes of the very best, For many and many a year!" "And go now," said the grandmother, Go down unto the lonesome glen, All down into the lonesome glen, 163 Through moist, rank grass, by twinkling streams, Went on the willing child. And when she came to the lonesome glen, She kept beside the burn, And neither plucked the strawberry-flower Nor broke the lady-fern. And while she milked the mother-ewe Within this lonesome glen, She wished that little Amy Were strong and well again. And soon as she had thought this thought, As if a thousand fairy-folk And then she heard a little voice, "The lady-fern is all unbroke, The strawberry-flower unta'en! "Give her a fairy cake!" said one; Kind Mabel heard the words they spoke, THE LITTLE STAR. 165 Unto the good old grandmother Thus happened it to Mabel 'Tis good to make all duty sweet, To be alert and kind; 'Tis good, like little Mabel, To have a willing mind. THE LITTLE STAR. Twinkle, twinkle, little star; When the glorious sun is set, MARY HOWITT. |