[翻译]The Counterpane Fairy

呃。。。原文我手上是PDF文件。。英语部分大家参考下面那个贴吧

第二章 猫头鹰和赌棍矮人
第二天一大早，还没等汉娜开始工作，泰迪就醒了。
外面大雾弥漫，不时有水珠滴落在走廊的屋檐上。
静静地躺了一会后，泰迪越来越不想睡了。他开始变得不耐烦起来，希望妈妈能来看他。过了一会，他喊了一声妈妈，但是由于房子里很安静，他不想喊得太大声，所以妈妈没有听到。
他想再喊一次妈妈，不过他突然想起了床单精灵，琢磨着她是否会喜欢这么一大早就嚷着要妈妈的小男孩。
他在床上翻了个身，然后盯着那块黄格子，慢慢地曲起了膝盖，又想起了床单精灵昨天带他去的那个奇妙的黄金城堡。他好想知道那些鸟人们走上台阶后会做什么。他想他们可能会把王冠戴在他头上，让他做国王。
他盼望着再次见到美丽的公主。如果汉娜听到了那些声音，上楼来看到他是位头戴王冠的国王，而美丽的公主正和他坐在一起，她该会多么惊奇啊！要是她知道这件事该多好呀，那她就再也不会说他淘气了。他做了那么多汉娜做不到的事情。
“天哪，天哪！”就在他膝盖后面来传来了一个细小的声音，”总算要爬到顶了。”泰迪知道这是床单精灵的声音，然后他看到了她的棕色帽尖露出了他的膝头。他看着膝头，急切得连大气都不敢喘一下，直到看到她的脸从那露了出来，才大声叫了起来：”我还在想你会不会来呢。见到你真高兴。你要给我看另外一个故事吗？你会呆很长时间吗？
床单精灵在他膝头坐了一会，平顺了呼吸后才说道：”哎呀，这山坡比昨天陡多了。我想我再也不应该走从那块缎子做的格子上过了，它实在是太滑了。
“要我把膝盖放平吗？”泰迪动了动膝盖，问道。
“千万不要！”精灵紧紧地抓着床罩说，”你会把我绊倒的。别动，我给你看另外一个故事。”
“哦，好的！”泰迪叫道，”请让我回到黄金城堡去吧。”
“不行，我做不到，”床单精灵说，”因为那个是昨天的故事，而这个将会是另外一个故事。”
“那公主后来怎么样了呢？”泰迪问。
“噢！她当然是嫁给那位英雄了。”精灵说。
“但是，我想我才是那位英雄。”
“好了，好了！”精灵不耐烦地说，”我已经告诉你了那个是昨天的故事，如果你想看更多的故事，就必须选择另外一块格子。”
“好吧，”泰迪说，”我可以选择那块绿格子吗？”
“当然可以。”精灵说，”在我数数的时候紧紧地看着它。”
泰迪的眼睛开始一动不动地盯着那个绿格子，不过他听到床单精灵正在用细小的声音不停地数着，一直到数到了四十九。
就像黄格子那样，绿格子也在她数数的时候慢慢越变越宽，越变越大，，直到泰迪觉得自己好像逐渐地飘进了无边无际的绿色里。接着，床单精灵拍了拍手，他就发现自己正在翻越一个长满草的山坡。
“现在你是一个矮人了。”他听到精灵说。
山脚下有一条小溪，尽头那有一排郁郁葱葱的树林。蔚蓝的天空里飘荡着一朵朵闪亮的云儿，像棉花一样洁白。微风习习，阳光和煦，忙碌的小虫子正嗡嗡地飞来飞去。一只棕色的小鸟呼地一下从他身边掠过，消失在了草丛里。
泰迪在空中飘浮着，好像比一片羽毛还要轻。他开心极了，拍着手在空中翻了个跟斗。把身体转回来之后，他看见了一些蓟种子冠毛正飘荡在山坡的上方。他现在的身体是那么小，在追上那根蓟种子冠毛并骑在上面后，它看起来就像一个桶那么大。他骑着蓟种子冠毛在山坡上方不停地漂浮，身后的风就像是一个靠垫。
到了山坡的边上后，蓟种子冠毛粘上了灌木丛。泰迪的腿差点被夹在了蓟种子冠毛和一片叶子之间。他立即从蓟种子冠毛上跳了下来，站在那边看四周边想接下来该做什么。
突然，他看见了让他惊奇得目瞪口呆的情景。四只黑黄相间的大蝴蝶被拴在附近一棵老树的节子上，但是令他大为吃惊的还不是这些蝴蝶本身（因为他经常看见它们在田野里飞来飞去）而是它们竟能这样驼起这些奇怪的东西：精灵家里用的各种家具——一些小桌椅，几个床架，厨房里用的坛坛罐罐，几乎和黑果木一样大的汤罐，两个蓟种子冠毛床垫，还有一些别的东西。所有的这些东西都被收拾得整整整齐齐，用蜘蛛丝做成的绳子绑在蝴蝶的背上。
在树节子的中间有个洞，但是和平常的圆形的树节子洞不同，它是方的，上面还有一扇小门。
突然，门被打开了，一个漂亮的小精灵走了出来。她向四周张望了一下，然后就从口袋里掏出了一块像蜘蛛网一样薄的手帕，擦了擦眼睛。擦完后，她开始呜呜地哭了起来，这下泰迪终于明白了他刚所认为的树节洞里子的蜜蜂的嗡嗡声其实就是她的哭声。
“你好！”小矮人喊道。
小精灵停止了哭泣，看了看周围，想知道是谁在跟她说话。当看到泰迪时，她打量了他一会，然后擦了下眼睛又哭开了。
泰迪顺着一棵黑刺李的枝条一直往上爬到离那个树节子洞很近的地方，然后坐在枝干上盯着她看。”你为什么哭呢？”他问。
小精灵还是一言不发，但是她把已经被泪水湿透了的手帕折起来，小心地放回了口袋。
就在这时，门口出现了另一个精灵。尽管他的身体也非常小的，但是和她很不一样。他老得如同一粒干枯的豌豆，看起来起码有一百岁了。
“东西都收拾好了吗？”他不耐烦地问道。接着，他的目光落在了泰迪这个小矮人身上。他皱着眉头，几乎要把那双和针眼一样小的眼睛挤得看不见了。”呸！一个让人讨厌的赌棍矮人，”他说，”这下肯定没好事了。”
“我不是一个赌棍矮人！”泰迪大声抗议。
“你就是！”皱巴巴的老精灵说，”你用不着告诉我！看看你的红帽子，还有向下弯的脚趾头。要我说，你就是个赌棍矮人。”
泰迪看了看他的脚趾头，他们的确是向下弯的。”我是不是一个赌棍矮人呢？”他想。
但是那个老精灵再也没理他了。他看起来很忙，也很生气。他急急忙忙地走进树节子洞又走了出来，手里拿着刚才落下的一把扫帚和一件旧外套，然后他把它们收拾起来，放在了蝴蝶的背上。接着，在帮那个精灵女孩爬上了一只蝴蝶之后，他自己也吃力地爬上了另一只蝴蝶。
当他们准备出发时，他发现他忘记了揭开蝴蝶的缰绳，于是，他又骂骂咧咧地爬下蝴蝶，去解开它们的缰绳。等他再次爬上蝴蝶后，这些蝴蝶就飞下了山坡，慢慢地看不见了。自始至终，那个精灵女孩一直都在哭，好像伤心极了。
“我想知道她在哭什么。”赌棍矮人看他们的远去的背影，自言自语道。
“我可以毫不费力地告诉你。”一个细小的声音在距离他胳膊肘非常近的地方说道，把他吓了一大跳。
他四处找了找，发现一只棕色的甲虫正坐在离他很近的一片黑刺李的叶子上。他一声不响地看了甲虫一会，说道：”那好，告诉我他们为什么要走呢？”
“都是因为老猫头鹰太太，”甲虫说，”她和老猫头鹰爸爸以前住在树林深处的一棵空心树上，不过有一次，他们决定搬出树林住到山坡边上去，因为那里的空气更好些。不过，有那么多树可以用来安家，他们却偏偏选择了格来迪迪•黑思勒托普住的那棵树。在我的记忆中，格来迪迪•黑思勒托普一直就在那里住着。然后，等完全安定下来之后，猫头鹰夫妇却又开始抱怨了。他们说格来迪迪•黑思勒托普和罗赛恩整天吵得他们睡不了觉。”
“自从小猫头鹰们出生以后，情况就变得更糟了，因为老妈妈说每次罗赛恩做饭的时候，小猫头鹰们就会打喷嚏，所以，精灵们必须搬走。”
“换做是我，我就不搬走。”泰迪说。
“哦，不，你会搬走的，”甲虫说，”猫头鹰夫妇可能会停在门上或窗子上，或者他们可能会……好吧，他们可能会做出任何事情，他们是那么的大。如果你想的话，你可以进去看看精灵的房子。我得去下去看望老蚂蚁太太了。再见了！过一会我再来看你。”
甲虫走后，泰迪爬上树节子洞，走了进去。跟老鼠洞一样，里面是一条又黑又窄的长走廊，旁边到处是打开着的门。走廊的尽头有个房间，过去应该是个厨房，而现在里面什么都没有了。厨房的一头有一个壁炉，上面有一道从烟囱里照射进来的阳光。
站在烟囱边，泰迪听到头顶上传来一阵沙沙的声音：一只小猫头鹰在睡梦里动着它的嘴巴。他又听到了一个迷迷糊糊的声音哼哼唧唧道：”不要挤我了。斯格瑞老是挤我！”
接着，他听到猫头鹰妈妈说：”安——静！安——静！睡觉去，现在还是大白天。”随后，一切恢复了平静。
“我希望，”泰迪想，”我能做点什么事情把这些猫头鹰赶走。”随后，他咯咯地笑了起来，又赶紧用手捂住了嘴巴，免得被上面的猫头鹰听到。
他蹑手蹑脚地走回门口，低头看着旁边一棵长着长刺的灌木。”就这么干，”他自言自语道，”我把这些刺折下来，放到猫头鹰的窝里去，他们就住不下去了。”不一会，他就下到那棵灌木上拽起了一根刺。
那根刺一折断，他就扛上它，顺着粗糙的树皮爬到了猫头鹰住所住的大黑洞的洞口。向下面的洞里看时，他看到那些毛茸茸的灰色猫头鹰正在巢里，一个个都睡得死死的。他悄悄地溜下去，把刺插在了巢壁上。之后，他又轻手轻脚地爬了出来。
他从树上不停地爬上爬下，把刺悄悄地放进猫头鹰的巢里。期间，他一直轻声地对自己说：”我是一个赌棍矮人，噢，是的，我确实是一个赌棍矮人。”
当他觉得巢里的刺已经够多了之后，他走进了老格来迪迪•黑思勒托普的厨房，蹲在壁炉底下听着上面的动静。快黄昏了，猫头鹰就要开始出去活动了。过了一会，他听到有一个声音大叫道：”哎唷！佛理菩提在用脚趾头戳我。”
“我没有，”另外一个声音说，”是皮泥•维泥。你看，她也正在戳我。不要戳了。”
“不是我，”一个细小的声音尖叫道，”是斯格瑞。啊哟！啊哟！我要去告诉妈妈。”接着，她哭了起来。
“你们这些淘气的小猫头鹰，”猫头鹰妈妈大声说道，”你们干什么戳你们的妹妹？”
“我没有，”斯格瑞和佛理菩提一起大叫起来，”啊哟！啊哟！巢里有尖东西。”
“亲爱的夫人，”老猫头鹰爸爸在巢外的一根树枝上说，”你不能让这些孩子安静下来吗？”
“安静你个头！”老猫头鹰妈妈大叫道，”巢里到处都是刺，而你却想让他们安静。怪不得这些可怜的孩子闹个不停。你进来，帮我把这些刺弄出去。”
“硬刺！”猫头鹰爸爸大叫道，”它们怎么会在巢里？”
“我无法告诉你，”猫头鹰妈妈说，”也许是老格来迪迪•黑思勒托普干的。我本以为这些精灵已经走了，但是他们肯定还在下面。我这就飞下去看看，如果他们还在那，我就要他们好看。”
说完，猫头鹰妈妈就飞了下去，把一只黄色的大眼睛凑在厨房的窗子上，往里瞄了瞄。”喔！你们这些精灵，”她喊道，”你们还在吗？”
刚开始，看到她的眼睛又大又黄，泰迪感到很害怕。接着，他想起了他是一个赌棍矮人，所以他就朝她做了一个鬼脸，然后开始单脚跳上跳下，并踮起脚尖转起了身子，唱道：”我不会走的！我不会走的！我要整晚呆在这，我还要整天呆在这。噢，看看我的帽子和脚趾！我是一个赌棍矮人。老猫头鹰，你最好当心你自己。”
老猫头鹰朝厨房里看了一会，然后匆匆忙忙地飞回了自己的窝，没说一句话。泰迪跑到烟囱那，听了起来。他听到老猫头鹰磕磕碰碰地挤进了上面的洞里，又听到她害怕地说道：”老公，老公，你猜我看到了什么！一个赌棍矮人住进了老格来迪迪•黑思勒托普的家。”
“噢，我的天！”老猫头鹰爸爸惊恐地叫道，”大事不妙了，我们要有麻烦了。早知道就不赶走老黑思勒托普了。我们应该怎么办呢？”
“赶快行动！赶快行动！”老猫头鹰妈妈愤怒地说，”除了把孩子们弄走，我不知道还能怎么办？我不会让孩子们和那个赌棍矮人呆在一棵树上的——不，连一个晚上都不行——就算你把所有的田鼠都给我也不行。”
“但是我们怎么带走他们呢？”老猫头鹰爸爸问，”他们还不会飞。”
“不行，我们还不会飞！”小猫头鹰们叫嚷起来，”噢，我们该怎么办？啊哟！啊哟！”
“不会飞！他们必须飞，”猫头鹰妈妈说，”你和我必须帮助他们。我们今晚就回到那颗老树上去。”
接着，上面的洞里乱成了一团。泰迪趴在树节子洞的门口，把这一切都看在了眼里，因为此时的月光明亮得如同白天。
小猫头鹰们爬到洞口的边上，坐在那摇摇晃晃地拍着翅膀却不敢飞。他们的妈妈越来越生气了，最后，她走到他们的背后推了他们一把，他们就扇着翅膀在树干上跌跌撞撞地掉了下来。
猫头鹰爸爸在枝丫上飞来飞去，喊着：”喔——喔——快呀！打开你们的翅膀，像我一样飞。喔——”然后他就飞到了另外一棵灌木上。而猫头鹰妈妈则飞下来陪在他们身边，教他们怎样打开翅膀，并且用嘴巴推着他们往前走。慢慢地，他们扇着翅膀朝着黑漆漆的树林越走越远，他们的叫喊声也越来越小，逐渐消失了，到最后泰迪只能远远地听到猫头鹰爸爸微弱的声音：”喔——喔——”再后来，连猫头鹰爸爸的声音也听不到了，树林恢复了平静。
过了一会，月亮下山了，泰迪也开始瞌睡了。
突然刮起了一阵微风，天色越来越亮了，东方的天空也开始变红了，最后，太阳从对面山坡的上方升了起来。
当第一缕阳光照射在老格来迪迪•黑思勒托普的树上时，泰迪跪了起来，低头望着外面的山坡。四只黑黄相间的蝴蝶正快速地朝着这棵树径直地飞过来，而在最前面的两只蝴蝶上坐着老格来迪迪•黑思勒托普和漂亮的罗赛恩。
他们在树节子处停了下来，随后，老精灵跳下蝴蝶，急忙系好缰绳后又摇摇晃晃地朝泰迪径直走来，搂住了他的脖子。”我们的保护者！”他大叫道，”想想，这个时候我本来可能会叫你赌棍矮人！但是不要介意，我会补偿你的。”
突然，他转过身，抓住了罗赛恩的手，而此时的罗赛恩正害羞得满脸通红。”看！”他大声说道，”她是你的了，而且你将和我们住在一起，学会怎样把你的脚趾弯上去。大家在一起都会非常开心的。”
“但是……但是……”泰迪向后退着喊道，”难道你不知道吗？我根本不是一个矮人。我是……”
* * * * * * *
“好啦，好啦！我们又回来了，”床单精灵说，”走那么多路累得我腰酸背疼。”
“噢~难道不有趣吗？”泰迪笑得连膝盖都晃了起来，说道，”他们真的以为我是一个赌棍矮人呢。”
“当心！”精灵叫道，”你又在摇你的膝盖了。小乖乖，我想如果你能非常非常小心地把膝盖放低一点，这个山坡就不会那么陡峭了。”
“好的，夫人，我会小心的。”泰迪说着，开始在床上慢慢地放平双脚。突然，门把手转动了，泰迪吃惊得一下放平了双脚——床单精灵就在一瞬间消失了。
他的妈妈用托盘装着他的早餐和一小瓶紫罗兰花走了进来。
“哟，我的小乖乖，你这么开心呀！”她说，”我想我的小男孩今天早上一定觉得好多了。”

今天来发第三章~~~
第三章 斯达琳和思尔凡林
「托马斯夫人，安•米菲尼正在楼下等着见您，关于你让她做的那件衣服的事，」汉娜探进头来，在门旁说道。妈妈正坐在床边，和泰迪玩着「老小姐」游戏。
「好极了，汉娜。告诉她我马上就下去。」她说。
「噢，请不要现在就走，」泰迪说，「轮到我抓牌了。配上了！你是老小姐。噢，妈妈！你是一个老小姐！」说完，他用手指指着她，大笑起来。
「哎呀，我真是老小姐，」妈妈说，「现在你可以把牌洗一下，那么等我回来的时候，我们就可以玩下一把了。」
「不要去太久。」泰迪恳求道。
「我会尽可能快地回来的。」说着，她就出去了。
泰迪支起身子靠着枕头，在一遍遍地洗牌中盼着他妈妈能尽快回来。他不喜欢安•米菲尔，因为她每次来的时候，总是是一边哭，一边用围裙角擦眼泪，还不停地说着他丈夫是如何失业的，而她的孩子们又是如何如何需要鞋穿。
妈妈去了好久才回来，头上戴着帽子。「宝贝，」她说，「我必须得出去会。米菲尔太太的孩子生病了，而我答应了这个可怜的小家伙要过去看他。我不会去太久的，而且回来时，我会给你带一套纸人士兵。
「我想要一套纸人马戏团。」泰迪说。
「好极了，」妈妈说，「那我就给你带一套纸人马戏团吧。」说完，她拿了一些图画书让他看。然后，她亲了亲他，跟他说要做个乖孩子。
当她往外走过隔壁的那个房间时，他听到她停下来，给音乐盒上了发条，使它唱了起来。「你瞧，」她回头对他喊道，「有音乐陪着你了。」说完，她下楼了。
她走后，泰迪躺在床上，用手指翻弄着那些图画书，但是并不想去打开它们，因为他已经看厌了。「唉！」他叹气道，「我多么希望床单精灵能在这呀！」。
「天哪，天哪，天哪！好陡峭的山！」一个细小的声音正从他的膝盖后面传来，「千万别折断了，我的小拐杖，要不我就会一头栽下山坡的。」听到这个熟悉的声音，泰迪的心头一阵狂喜。床单精灵那尖尖的帽子和干枯的脸正从「床单山」的上方露出来。
「噢，精灵夫人，你能来，我太高兴了。我已经选出了最漂亮的那块方格子了！」泰迪喊道，「我以前从没见过它，因为它在我膝盖的另一边。就是那个带有银薄片的方格子，我妈妈说这是从她的婚纱弄下来的。」
「等一下，等一下，」精灵说，「得让人喘过气来。哪一块方格子？」
「就是那个，」泰迪说，「你能跟我说说它的故事吗？」
「嗨，当然可以，」精灵说，「如果这就是你选的那块方格子。好了，在我数数的时候，把目光集中在它上面。」
接着，床单精灵开始数数了。他听到她在不停地数着。「四十九！」她喊道。
* * * * * * *
打量四周时，泰迪发现自己正站在一条长长的走廊里。走廊是由带着银花纹的白色大理石建成的。里面有银拱门和银柱子，而且所有的墙上都雕刻着百合花。
沿着走廊里慢慢地走着，泰迪发现一团玫瑰色的光似乎在随他移动。他低下头看，想弄明白这团光是由什么东西发出来的。他发现自己正穿着一件从未见过的玫瑰色的短丝袍，腰间系着一条金腰带。他的脚是光着的，但是空气很温暖，因此踩在大理石地面上也并不会觉得寒冷。
沿着走廊缓慢而又惊奇地走了一会后，他转过了一个弯，发现自己走进了另一条和前面那条一模一样的走廊，只是在墙壁的一面上有一个很大的水晶玻璃窗，而坐在窗前大理石座位上的正是床单精灵。她非常安静地坐着，好像正在听着什么，并没有注意到泰迪。
他确定这一定就是床单精灵，因为看上去很像她，尽管她这时看起来和真实的女人一样大。
泰迪站在那看了她一会，等着她去发现他，但是她并没有理会，所以，他最后轻声地说道：「床单精灵！」
「别出声！」她说，「我正在听东西。」
听了她这话，泰迪也听了听，而且马上就听到了一阵音乐声，就像是家里儿童房里的音乐盒发出来的，只是来得清晰些、动听些，也要微弱些。
它听起来像是从水晶窗外传来的，而透过窗子，泰迪看到外面是一座他所见过的最漂亮的花园。花园里的绿草泛着银色的光芒，草丛间是一条白色的小路。树叶镶着银叶脉，树枝上挂着闪亮的果实。小路边长着百合花，而在花园的中间有一处喷泉，喷泉里的水涌上来，又落回到一个大理石盆子里。这些水闪耀着，像是用钻石做成。当他听的时候，泰迪知道自己听到的音乐就是喷泉的声音。
过了一会，声音停了，然后，精灵转向他，笑了笑。
「噢，床单精灵！」泰迪喊道，「我可以到外面的花园里去吗？」
「那个我不知道，」精灵说，「但是如果想去那，你最好找到斯达琳和思尔凡林，因为只有他们才能带你去花园里。」
「他们在哪？」泰迪问。
「我也同样不知道那个，」精灵说，「但是他们是在那些走廊里的某个地方。」
「我要去找到他们，」泰迪大声说道，然后毫不犹豫地转过身，顺着走廊飞快地跑了起来。他迫不及待地想去找到他们，让他们带自己去花园里。
他顺着发出回声的走廊不停地跑着，穿过了一条条的走廊，一扇扇的拱形大门，直到觉得非常困惑，而且喘不过气来为止。跑着的时候，他似乎总能听到自己的耳朵里有那处喷泉的音乐声，但是，每当停下来倾听的时候，他又发现周围一片寂静。
他实在是喘不过起来了，开始走了起来。当转过另一个弯的时候，他突然看见前面有一个小女孩。不知为什么，他确信她就是斯达琳。
她的头发是银黄色的，像一团薄雾环绕在头上。她非常漂亮，穿着一身银装，随着她的移动，那身衣服也闪闪发光。此刻，她正和一群飞舞在她身边的白鸽们嬉戏、交谈。
一见到泰迪，她就叫了起来：「噢，是个小男孩！」说完，她顺着走廊跑了过来，用一双小手捧起他的脸，亲了亲他，而她的鸽子在她身边飞舞着。然后，她向后退了一些，捂着手盯着他看。「你这个可爱的小男孩！」她说，「你是从哪里来的？」
「我是通过那块白色的方格子来到这里的。」泰迪说。
「我不知道什么白色的方格子，」小女孩说，「但是我很高兴你能来这儿。思尔凡林走了以后，都没人和我一起玩了。」
「思尔凡林去哪了？」泰迪问，「我必须要找到他。」
小女孩摇了摇头。「我不知道，」她说，「我们吵了一架后他就走了。他一定是在某条走廊里，我一直都在找他，但是没有找到。」
接着，泰迪告诉了她床单精灵对他说的话，他必须找到思尔凡林和斯达琳，然后才有可能进入那处音乐喷泉所在的花园。
小女孩又一次摇了摇头。「我是斯达琳，」她说，「但是我不能带你进入那个花园，因为思尔凡林离开以后，我就再也没有找到过进入花园的大门了。」说完，她走到了墙边的大理石长椅子那，坐了下来。所有的鸽子都降落在她的周围——膝盖上、肩膀上。「没关系，」泰迪勇敢地大声说道，「你在这等着，我去找他。我找到了你，同样会找到他的。」
他转过身，顺着走廊跑了起来，穿过了一扇拱门，来到了另一条走廊。在走廊远处的尽头，他看见了一个穿着银装的小男孩正漫不经心地把一个银球抛到空中，又接住它。看到泰迪时，他迅速地把球放进了口袋，向他跑过来，一边欢快地跳着一边拍手。「噢，小男孩！小男孩！」他喊道，「能过来和我一起玩吗？」
「你是思尔凡林吗？」泰迪气喘吁吁地喊道。
「是的。」小男孩说。
「那么，过来！快点过来！」泰迪喊道，「斯达琳就在那边拐弯处等你。她会带我们去那处音乐喷泉所在的花园。」
他抓住了思尔凡林的手，然后他们没多说什么，顺着走廊飞快地跑了起来，拐了一个弯，穿过了银拱门，来到了另一条走廊里。在那里，泰迪停了下来，迷惑地看着四周。斯达琳不见了。思尔凡林难过地摇了摇头。「我知道是怎么回事，」他说，「吵架以后，我一直都在找她，但是没有找到。我也同样找不到去那处音乐喷泉所在花园的路。」
「你们为什么吵架呢？」泰迪问。
「我们为了这个吵架，」小男孩摸着脖子上的一条细细的金项链，说道，「我们在花园里找到了它，然后为谁应该戴它而吵架，但是我现在非常乐意把它交给斯达琳，只要她能回来。」
「好了，等着！」泰迪说，「她不会走远的，我去找她。」
「别，别！」思尔凡林喊道，「你找不到她的，而我也同样会找不到你的。在这呆一小会吧，小男孩，和我一起玩吧，因为我好孤独。瞧！我们来玩我的银球吧。」说着，他从口袋里拿出银球，抛给了泰迪。泰迪接住它，又抛了回去。他们就这样在大理石走廊里玩着，一边抛银球，一边笑着、喊着。
最后，思尔凡林接丢了球，银球就顺着走廊滚了下去。他追上去，弯下腰，想要抓住它，但总是差一点。泰迪拍着手大喊着，光着脚丫子跳上跳下，然后，他静静地站在那，看着思尔凡林顺着走廊渐渐地跑远。
他就这样站着。突然，他听到拐弯附近传来了斯达琳的鸽子的咕咕叫声。他立刻跑过转角，来到了隔壁的走廊里。在那里的就是斯达琳，身边是她的鸽子。
「噢，小男孩！」她喊道，「我担心再也找不到你了。」
但是泰迪抓住了他的手。「快来！」他喊道，「我找到了思尔凡林。」
他们一起跑进了刚才思尔凡林玩银球的那条走廊，但是那里现在空荡荡的，并没有思尔凡林的身影。
「真想不到会是这样！」泰迪说。说完，他转向斯达琳。「斯达琳，你不应该走的，我告诉过你不要走的。」
「我没有走，」斯达琳说，「我就呆在那。」
泰迪想了一会。「那么，一定是走错走廊了，」他说，「但是没有关系！我会再找到他的，而且这次，我一定带他来见你。不管要多长时间，你只要呆在这等着就行了。」
「停下！噢，停下！」斯达琳喊道。她用手抓住一只鸽子，递给泰迪。「拿着，小男孩，」她说，「带上这只鸽子，如果你们又找不到我了，就把它交给思尔凡林，告诉他这是给他的。」
「好，我会的，」说完，泰迪接过鸽子，放进了怀里。它舒服地躺在那里，又软又暖，也很安静。
然后，他转身顺着走廊安静地走下去，来到了另一条走廊。他不停地走着，不再又跑又跳了，因为他正在思考。过了一会，当进入另一条走廊时，他又一次看见了玩着银球的思尔凡林。
「你找到她了吗？」思尔凡林急切地喊道。
「是的，」泰迪说，「我找到她了。她送了一只鸽子给你。但是，思尔凡林，我是这样想的。我觉得我们一起找到她的唯一的办法就是放飞这只鸽子，然后在它飞回到她身边的时候跟着它。」
「但是我们跟不上它的，」思尔凡林说，「它飞得那么快，一会就看不到了。」
「我知道，」泰迪说，「但是我们可以在它身上系点东西。」
「我们可以在它身上系什么呢？」思尔凡林问。
这两个小男孩站在那四处张望着，琢磨着他们可以用什么东西系到鸽子身上。突然，泰迪拍了拍手，而他怀里的鸽子随即动了起来。「我们可以把你金项链系在它身上。」他大声说道。
说干就干。不一会，思尔凡林就从脖子上解下了项链。
取下项链花了很长时间，因为它在他的脖子上打了好几次结。他们小心地捧着鸽子，在它腿上系上项链后就把它放飞了。
它飞到他们的头顶上，盘旋了一两次，然后就顺着走廊飞走了，后面跟着那两个小男孩。
他们转过了很多弯，走过了很多门，最后来到了一条走廊里。在那里，斯达琳正等着他们，身边是她的鸽子。
「噢，斯达琳！」思尔凡林喊道。
「噢，思尔凡林！」斯达琳喊道。
他们跑向对方，搂着对方的脖子亲了亲，而那些白鸽正在他们身边盘旋。他们彼此倾诉，说自己因为吵架的事而难过，还说再也不会吵架了，说完，他们又亲了亲对方。
「金项链给你吧，斯达琳。」思尔凡林说。
「不，不！它是你的。」斯达琳说。
「噢，我知道我们该怎么做了！」思尔凡林喊道，「我们可以把它给那个小男孩，因为要不是他，我们就找不到对方了。」
「噢，对！」斯达琳说。
但是泰迪举起了手——「别出声！」他轻声说道，「你们没听到吗？」
接着，他们都听了起来：美丽花园里的那处音乐喷泉发出了比以往任何时候都要动听、都要清晰的声音。
「是喷泉！」斯达琳和思尔凡林异口同声地大叫了起来，激动的样子有点吓人。
他们一人抓住泰迪的一只手，拉着他一起顺着走廊跑了起来。刚转过第一个弯，他们就发现自己正站在花园的大门前。
风吹百合动，而在美丽的树上，阳光下的果实闪闪发光，还有那喷泉——啊！喷泉不再唱歌了，因为儿童房里的音乐盒已经停下来了。
泰迪看了看四周。花园不在了，只有开满鲜花的印度式小屋。钟滴答滴答地走着，壁炉里的火噼里啪啦地烧着——他又一次回到了床上。听到门外的走廊里妈妈和汉娜的说话声，他知道她回家了。
「这个故事讲完了。」床单精灵说。

CHAPTER FIRST
.
THE PRINCESS OF THE GOLDEN CASTLE
TEDDY was all alone, for his mother had been up with him so much the night before that at about four o'clock in the afternoon she said that she was going to lie down for a little while.
The room where Teddy lay was very pleasant, with two big windows, and the furniture covered with gay old-fashioned India calico. His mother had set a glass of milk on the table beside his bed, and left the stair door ajar so that he could call Hannah, the cook, if he wanted anything, and then she had gone over to her own room.
The little boy had always enjoyed being ill, for then he was read aloud to and had lemonade, but this had been a real illness, and though he was better now, the doctor still would not let him have anything but milk and gruel. He was feeling rather lonely, too, though the fire crackled cheerfully, and he could hear Hannah singing to herself in the kitchen below.
Teddy turned over the leaves of Robinson Crusoe for a while, looking at the gaily colored pictures, and then he closed it and called, "Hannah!" The singing in the kitchen below ceased, and Teddy knew that Hannah was listening. "Hannah!" he called again.
At the second call Hannah came hurrying up the stairs and into the room. "What do you want, Teddy?" she asked.
"Hannah, I want to ask mamma something," said Teddy.
"Oh," said Hannah, "you wouldn't want me to call your poor mother, would you, when she was up with you the whole of last night and has just gone to lie down a bit?"
"I want to ask her something," repeated Teddy.
"You ask me what you want to know," suggested Hannah. "Your poor mother's so tired that I'm sure you are too much of a man to want me to call her."
"Well, I want to ask her if I may have a cracker," said Teddy.
"Oh, no; you couldn't have that," said Hannah. "Don't you know that the doctor said you mustn't have anything but milk and gruel? Did you want to ask her anything else?"
"No," said Teddy, and his lip trembled.
After that Hannah went down-stairs to her work again, and Teddy lay staring out of the window at the windy gray clouds that were sweeping across the April sky. He grew lonelier and lonelier and a lump rose in his throat; presently a big tear trickled down his cheek and dripped off his chin.
"Oh dear, oh dear!" said a little voice just back of the hill his knees made as he lay with them drawn up in bed;
"what a hill to climb!" Teddy stopped crying and gazed wonderingly toward where the voice came from, and presently over the top of his knees appeared a brown peaked hood, a tiny withered face, a flapping brown cloak, and last of all two small feet in buckled shoes. It was a little old woman, so weazened and brown that she looked more like a dried leaf than anything else.
She seated herself on Teddy's knees and gazed down at him solemnly, and she was so light that he felt her
weight no more than if she had been a feather.
Teddy lay staring at her for a while, and then he asked, "Who are you?"
"I'm the Counterpane Fairy," said the little figure, in a thin little voice.

"I don't know what that is," said Teddy.
"Well," said the Counterpane Fairy, "it's the sort of a fairy that lives in houses and watches out for the
children. I used to be one of the court fairies, but I grew tired of that. There was nothing in it, you know."

"Nothing in what?" asked Teddy.
"Nothing in the court life. All day the fairies were swinging in spider-webs and sipping honey-dew, or playing
games of hide-and-go-seek. The only comfort I had was with an old field-mouse who lived at the edge of the
wood, and I used to spend a great deal of time with her; I used to take care of her babies when she was out

hunting for something to eat; cunning little things they were,--five of them, all fat and soft, and with such
funny little tails."
"What became of them?"
"Oh, they moved away. They left before I did. As soon as they were old enough, Mother Field-mouse went.

She said she couldn't stand the court fairies. They were always playing tricks on her, stopping up the door of her house with sticks and acorns, and making faces at her babies until they almost drove them into fits. So after that I left too."
"Where did you go?"
"Oh, hither and yon. Mostly where there were little sick boys and girls."
"Do you like little boys?"
"Yes, when they don't cry," said the Counterpane Fairy, staring at him very hard.
"Well, I was lonely," said Teddy. "I wanted my mamma."
"Yes, I know, but you oughtn't to have cried. I came to you, though, because you were lonely and sick, and I

thought maybe you would like me to show you a story."
"Do you mean tell me a story?" asked Teddy.
"No," said the fairy, "I mean show you a story. It's a game I invented after I joined the Counterpane Fairies.

Choose any one of the squares of the counterpane and I will show you how to play it. That's all you have to

do,--to choose a square."
Teddy looked the counterpane over carefully. "I think I'll choose that yellow square," he said, "because it looks so nice and bright."
"Very well," said the Counterpane Fairy. "Look straight at it and don't turn your eyes away until I count seven times seven and then you shall see the story of it."
Teddy fixed his eyes on the square and the fairy began to count. "One--two--three--four," she counted; Teddy heard her voice, thin and clear as the hissing of the logs on the hearth. "Don't look away from the square," she cried. "Five--six--seven"--it seemed to Teddy that the yellow silk square was turning to a mist before his eyes and wrapping everything about him in a golden glow. "Thirteen--fourteen"--the fairy counted on and on. "Forty-six--forty-seven--forty-eight--FORTY-NINE!"
At the words forty-nine, the Counterpane Fairy clapped her hands and Teddy looked about him. He was no longer in a golden mist. He was standing in a wonderful enchanted garden. The sky was like the golden sky at sunset, and the grass was so thickly set with tiny yellow flowers that it looked like a golden carpet. From this garden stretched a long flight of glass steps. They reached up and up and up to a great golden castle with shining domes and turrets.
"Listen!" said the Counterpane Fairy. "In that golden castle there lies an enchanted princess. For more than a hundred years she has been lying there waiting for the hero who is to come and rescue her, and you are the hero who can do it if you will."
With that the fairy led him to a little pool close by, and bade him look in the water. When Teddy looked, he saw himself standing there in the golden garden, and he did not appear as he ever had before. He was tall and strong and beautiful, like a hero.
"Yes," said Teddy, "I will do it."
At these words, from the grass, the bushes, and the tress around, suddenly started a flock of golden birds. They circled about him and over him, clapping their wings and singing triumphantly. Their song reminded Teddy of the blackbirds that sang on the lawn at home in the early spring, when the daffodils were up. Then in a moment they were all gone, and the garden was still again.
Their song had filled his heart with a longing for great deeds, and, without pausing longer, he ran to the glass steps and began to mount them.
Up and up and up he went. Once he turned and waved his hand to the Counterpane Fairy in the golden garden far below. She waved her hand in answer, and he heard her voice faint and clear. "Good-bye! Good-bye! Be brave and strong, and beware of that that is little and gray."
Then Teddy turned his face toward the castle, and in a moment he was standing before the great shining gates.
He raised his hand and struck bravely upon the door. There was no answer. Again he struck upon it, and his blow rang through the hall inside; then he opened the door and went in.
The hall was five-sided, and all of pure gold, as clear and shining as glass. Upon three sides of it were three arched doors; one was of emerald, one was of ruby, and one was of diamond; they were arched, and tall, and wide,--fit for a hero to go through. The question was, behind which one lay the enchanted princess.
While Teddy stood there looking at them and wondering, he heard a little thin voice, that seemed to be singing to itself, and this is what it sang:
"In and out and out and in, Quick as a flash I weave and spin. Some may mistake and some forget, But I'll have my spider-web finished yet."
When Teddy heard the song, he knew that someone must be awake in the enchanted castle, so he began looking about him.
On the fourth side of the wall there hung a curtain of silvery-gray spider-web, and the voice seemed to come from it. The hero went toward it, but he saw nothing, for the spider that was spinning it moved so fast that no eyes could follow it. Presently it paused up in the left-hand corner of the web, and then Teddy saw it. It looked very little to have spun all that curtain of silvery web.
As Teddy stood looking at it, it began to sing again:
"Here in my shining web I sit, To look about and rest a bit. I rest myself a bit and then, Quick as a flash, I begin again."
"Mistress Spinner! Mistress Spinner!" cried Teddy. "Can you tell me where to find the enchanted princess who lies asleep waiting for me to come and rescue her?"
The spider sat quite still for a while, and then it said in a voice as thin as a hair: "You must go through the emerald door; you must go through the emerald door. What so fit as the emerald door for the hero who would do great deeds?"
Teddy did not so much as stay to thank the little gray spinner, he was in such a hurry to find the princess, but turning he sprang to the emerald door, flung it open, and stepped outside.
He found himself standing on the glass steps, and as his foot touched the topmost one the whole flight closed up like an umbrella, and in a moment Teddy was sliding down the smooth glass pane, faster and faster and faster until he could hardly catch his breath.
The next thing he knew he was standing in the golden garden, and there was the Counterpane Fairy beside him looking at him sadly. "You should have known better than to try the emerald door," she said; "and now shall we break the story?"
"Oh, no, no!" cried Teddy, and he was still the hero. "Let me try once more, for it may be I can yet save the princess."
Then the Counterpane Fairy smiled. "Very well," she said, "you shall try again; but remember what I told you, beware of that that is little and gray, and take this with you, for it may be of use." Stooping, she picked up a blade of grass from the ground and handed it to him.
The hero took it wondering, and in his hands it was changed to a sword that shone so brightly that it dazzled his eyes. Then he turned, and there was the long flight of glass steps leading up to the golden castle just as before; so thrusting the magic sword into his belt, he ran nimbly up and up and up, and not until he reached the very topmost step did he turn and look back to wave farewell to the Counterpane Fairy below. She waved her hand to him. "Remember," she called, "beware of what is little and gray."
He opened the door and went into the five-sided golden hall, and there were the three doors just as before, and the spider spinning and singing on the fourth side: "Now the brave hero is wiser indeed; He may have failed once, but he still may succeed. Dull are the emeralds; diamonds are bright; So is his wisdom that shines as the light."
"The diamond door!" cried Teddy. "Yes, that is the door that I should have tried. How could I have thought the emerald door was it?" and opening the diamond door he stepped through it.
He hardly had time to see that he was standing at the top of the glass steps, before--br-r-r-r!--they had shut up again into a smooth glass hill, and there he was spinning down them so fast that the wind whistled past his ears.
In less time than it takes to tell, he was back again for the third time in the golden garden, with the Counterpane Fairy standing before him, and he was ashamed to raise his eyes.
"So!" said the Counterpane Fairy. "Did you know no better than to open the diamond door?"
"No," said Teddy, "I knew no better."
"Then," said the fairy, "if you can pay no better heed to my warnings than that, the princess must wait for another hero, for you are not the one."
"Let me try but once more," cried Teddy, "for this time I shall surely find her."
"Then you may try once more and for the last time," said the fairy, "but beware of what is little and gray." Stooping she picked from the grass beside her a fallen acorn cup and handed it to him. "Take this with you," she said, "for it may serve you well."
As he took it from her, it was changed in his hand to a goblet of gold set round with precious stones. He thrust it into his bosom, for he was in haste, and turning he ran for the third time up the flight of glass steps. This time so eager was he that he never once paused to look back, but all the time he ran on up and up he was wondering what it was that she meant about her warning. She had said, "Beware of what is little and gray." What had he seen that was little and gray?
As soon as he reached the great golden hall he walked over to the curtain of spider-web. The spider was spinning so fast that it was little more than a gray streak, but presently it stopped up in the left-hand corner of the web. As the hero looked at it he saw that it was little and gray. Then it began to sing to him in its little thin voice:
"Great hero, wiser than ever before, Try the red door, try the red door. Open the door that is ruby, and then You never need search for the princess again."
"No, I will not open the ruby door," cried Teddy. "Twice have you sent me back to the golden garden, and now you shall fool me no more."
As he said this he saw that one corner of the spider-web curtain was still unfinished, in spite of the spider's haste, and underneath was something that looked like a little yellow door. Then suddenly he knew that that was the door he must go through. He caught hold of the curtain and pulled, but it was as strong as steel. Quick as a flash he snatched from his belt the magic sword, and with one blow the curtain was cut in two, and fell at his feet.
He heard the little gray spider calling to him in its thin voice, but he paid no heed, for he had opened the little yellow door and stooped his head and entered.
Beyond was a great courtyard all of gold, and with a fountain leaping and splashing back into a golden basin
in the middle. Bet what he saw first of all was the enchanted princess, who lay stretched out as if asleep upon
a couch all covered with cloth of gold. He knew she was a princess, because she was so beautiful and because
she wore a golden crown.

He stood looking at her without stirring, and at last he whispered: "Princess! Princess! I have come to save

you."
Still she did not stir. He bent and touched her, but she lay there in her enchanted sleep, and her eyes did not
open. Then Teddy looked about him, and seeing the fountain he drew the magic cup from his bosom and,
filling it, sprinkled the hands and face of the princess with the water.

Then her eyes opened and she raised herself upon her elbow and smiled. "Have you come at last?" she cried.
"Yes," answered Teddy, "I have come."
The princess looked about her. "But what became of the spider?" she said. Then Teddy, too, looked about, and

there was the spider running across the floor toward where the princess lay.

Quickly he sprang from her side and set his foot upon it. There was a thin squeak and then--there was nothing left of the little gray spinner but a tiny gray smudge on the floor. Instantly the golden castle was shaken from top to bottom, and there was a sound of many voices shouting
outside. The princess rose to her feet and caught the hero by the hand. "You have broken the enchantment," she cried, "and now you shall be the King of the Golden Castle and reign with me."
"Oh, but I can't," said Teddy, "because--because---" But the princess drew him out with her through the hall, and there they were at the head of the flight of glass steps. A great host of soldiers and courtiers were running up it. They were dressed in cloth of gold, and they shouted at the sight of Teddy: "Hail to the hero! Hail to the hero!" and Teddy knew them by their voices for the golden birds that had fluttered around him in the garden below.
"And all this is yours," said the beautiful princess, turning toward him with--
* * * * * * * *
"So that is the story of the yellow square," said the Counterpane Fairy.
Teddy looked about him. The golden castle was gone, and the stairs, and the shouting courtiers. He was lying

in bed with the silk coverlet over his little knees and Hannah was still singing in the kitchen below.
"Did you like it?" asked the fairy.
Teddy heaved a deep sigh. "Oh! Wasn't it beautiful?" he said. Then he lay for a while thinking and smiling.

"Wasn't the princess lovely?" he whispered half to himself.

The Counterpane Fairy got up slowly and stiffly, and picked up the staff that she had laid down beside her.
"Well, I must be journeying on," she said.
"Oh, no, no!" cried Teddy. "Please don't go yet."

"Yes, I must," said the Counterpane Fairy. "I hear your mother coming."
"But will you come back again?" cried Teddy.
The Counterpane Fairy made no answer. She was walking down the other side of the bedquilt hill, and Teddy heard her voice, little and thin, dying away in the distance: "Oh dear, dear, dear! What a hill to go down! What a hill it is! Oh dear, dear, dear!"  
Then the door opened and his mother came in. She was looking rested, and she smiled at him lovingly, but the little brown Counterpane Fairy was gone.

CHAPTER SECOND
.
THE OWLS AND THE GAMBLESOME ELF.
THE next morning when Teddy awoke it was still very early; so early that even Hannah was not yet stirring.
Outside everything was wrapped in a silvery mist, and now and then a drop of moisture plumped down on the porch roof.
Teddy lay still for a while, growing wider and wider awake, and then he began to stir restlessly and wish that his mother would come. After a while he called her, but the house was so silent that he didn't like to call very loudly, and there was no answer.
He thought he would call again, and then suddenly he remembered the Counterpane Fairy, and wondered if she would like little boys who called their mothers so early.
He turned over in bed, and raising his knees into a hill stared at the yellow silk square and thought of the wonderful golden castle where she had taken him the day before. He wished he knew what all the bird people would have done when they reached the top of the stairs. He thought they would have put a golden crown on his head and made him king.
And the princess was so beautiful he longed to see her again. How surprised Hannah would have been if she had heard voices, and had come up-stairs to see who it was, and had found the beautiful princess sitting with him, and had seen the golden crown on his head! If she only knew about it she would never call him a mischievous boy again. He had done a great deal more than Hannah could.
"Oh dear, oh dear!" said a little voice just back of his knees; "almost at the top, anyway." Teddy knew the voice; it was that of the Counterpane Fairy, and there was the top of her brown hood showing over his knees. He watched, breathless with eagerness, until he saw her face appear above them, and then he cried out: "I wondered whether you would come; I'm so glad. Are you going to show me another story, and will you stay a long while?"
The Counterpane Fairy said nothing until she had sat down on top of his knees for a while and caught her breath, and then she said: "Well, well! It's steeper than it was yesterday. I thought I should never get across that satin square, it was so slippery."
"Shall I put my knees down?" asked Teddy, moving them.
"For mercy's sake! no," said the fairy, clutching at the quilt. "You might upset me. Keep right still and I'll show you another story."
"Oh, yes!" cried Teddy; "please do; and let me go to the golden castle again."
"No, I can't do that," said the Counterpane Fairy, "for that was yesterday's story, and this will be another."
"But what became of the princess?" asked Teddy.
"Oh! she married the hero, of course," said the fairy.
"But I thought I was the hero."
"There, there!" said the fairy, impatiently, "I told you that was yesterday's story, and if you want to see any more you must choose another square."
"Well, I will," said Teddy. "May I choose that green square?"
"Yes," said the fairy. "Now fix your eyes on it while I count."
Teddy began to stare at the green square so hard that he scarcely winked, but he heard the Counterpane Fairy counting on in her thin little voice until she reached FORTY-NINE.
The green square spread and grew just as the yellow one had done while she counted, until Teddy seemed drifting off into endless green spaces. Then the Counterpane Fairy clapped her hands and he saw that he was hovering over a grassy hillside.
"Now you are an elf, you know," he heard the fairy say.
At the bottom of the green hill there was a brook, and at the top was a line of shady green woods. Overhead the sky was very blue, with shining heaps of cottony white clouds; a soft wind was blowing, but the sun was warm, and insects were buzzing past intent on business. A brown bird whirred by and dropped out of sight among the grasses.
Teddy floated through the air lighter than a feather, and he felt so happy that he clapped his hands together and turned head over heels in the air. As he came right side up again he saw a bit of thistle-down drifting on up the hill, and he was so little that when he flew after it and set himself astride of it, it seemed as big as a barrel to him. He floated on up the hill with it, and the wind was like a cushion behind him.
As they reached the edge of the hill the thistle-down caught on a bush, and Teddy almost has his leg wedged between it and a leaf. He jumped off in a hurry, and stood looking about him and wondering what he should do next.
Suddenly he saw something that made him open his eyes wide in astonishment. Four large black-and-yellow butterflies were tied to a knot on an old tree close by, but it was not at the butterflies themselves that he wondered, for he had often seen them flitting about the fields; it was at the way they were loaded down with the strangest things: all sorts of fairy household furniture--little chairs and tables, bedsteads, tiny pots and pans, a great soup-kettle almost as large as a huckleberry, two thistle-down mattresses, and a number of other things. All these were very neatly packed and tied between the butterflies' wings with spider-web ropes.
In the middle of the knot was a hole, but instead of being round, as a knot-hole generally is, it was square, and there was a little door fitted into it.
Suddenly this door opened, and on the threshold of it stood a beautiful little fairy. She stood there looking about, and then she drew from her pocket a handkerchief, thin and delicate as gossamer, and wiped her eyes. After that she began to sob, and Teddy knew that what he had thought was the buzzing of a bee inside the knot had really been the sound of her weeping.
"Hello!" called the elf.
The fairy stopped sobbing and looked about her. When she saw Teddy she stared at him for a moment and then she began to wipe her eyes and sob again.
Teddy climbed up the branch of a blackberry bush until he was quite close to the knot-hole, and sat down on the stem and stared at her. "What makes you cry?" he asked.
Still the fairy said nothing, but she folded her little handkerchief, though it was quite wet, and put it carefully back into her pocket.
Just then in the doorway at her side appeared another fairy. He was quite different from her, though he, too, was very small. He was as withered as a dried pea, and looked as though he must be at least a hundred years old.
"Is everything packed up?" he asked in a querulous voice. Then his eyes fell on Teddy the elf. He scowled until his little pin-pricks of eyes almost disappeared. "Ugh! there's one of those nasty gamblesome elves," he said. "Now mischief's sure to follow."
"I'm not a gamblesome elf!" cried Teddy.
"Yes you are!" said the withered old fairy. "You needn't tell me! Look at your red cap and the way your toes turn down. I say you are a gamblesome elf."
Teddy looked at his toes and sure enough they did turn down. "I wonder if I am a gamblesome elf," he thought.
But the old fairy paid no more attention to him. He seemed to be in a great hurry and very cross. He bustled in and out of the knot-hole, bringing a broom and an old coat that had been forgotten, and packed them on the butterflies, and then he helped the lady fairy on to one, and clambered on another himself.
After they were all ready to start he found that he had forgotten to unhitch the butterflies, and grumbling and scolding he clambered down again and untied them. Then he climbed back once more, and away they flew down the hillside and out of sight, the lady fairy weeping all the time as though her heart would break.
"I wonder what she was crying about," said the gamblesome elf to himself, as he stared after them.
"I can tell you that easily enough," said a little voice so close to his elbow that it made him jump.
He looked around and saw close to him a brown beetle, sitting on a blackberry leaf. Teddy looked at the beetle for a while in silence, and then he said, "Well, why is it they're going?"
"It's all because of old Mrs. Owl," said the beetle. "She and old Father Owl used to live deep in the woods in a hollow tree, but one time they determined to move out to the edge of the hill, because the air was better, and what tree should they choose for their home but this very one where Granddaddy Thistletop has been living as long as I can remember. Then when the owls were all settled they began to complain. They said that Granddaddy Thistletop and Rosine were so noisy all day that they couldn't sleep.
"After the little owls hatched out it was worse than ever, for the old mother said that every time Rosine cooked the dinner it made the little owls sneeze, and so the fairies must go."
"I wouldn't have gone," cried Teddy.
"Oh, yes you would," said the beetle. "The owls could have stopped up the doors and windows, or they could--well, they could have done almost anything, they're so big. You may go in and look at the house, if you want to. I have to go down the bush and see old Mrs. Ant. Good-bye! I'll see you again after a while."
When the beetle had gone, Teddy climbed up to the knot-hole and went in. There was a long entry as narrow and dark as a mouse-hole, and with doors opening off from it here and there. At the end of the hall was a room that must have been the kitchen. It was very bare and lonely now, and there was a fireplace at one end with a streak of light shining down through the chimney.
While Teddy was standing by the chimney, he heard a rustling and stirring about overhead; one of the little owls clicked its beak in its sleep, and he heard a sleepy, whining voice: "Now just you stop scrouging me. Screecher is scrouging me!"
Then he heard the Mother Owl: "Hus-s-s-h! Hus-s-s-h! Go to sleep; it's broad daylight yet." After that all was still again.
"I wish," thought Teddy to himself, "that I could do something to make the owls go away." Then he began to giggle to himself, and put both hands over his mouth so that the owls up above wouldn't hear him.
He tiptoed back to the door in the knot-hole, and looked down at a bush with long thorns on it, that grew close by. "I'll do it," he said to himself; "I'll break off the thorns and put them in the nest, so that the owls just can't stay there." In a moment he was down on the bush and tugging at a tough thorn.
As soon as it broke off, he lifted it on his shoulder and clambered up the rough bark of the tree to the great black hole where the owls lived. When he looked down into it, there they were in the nest, fluffy and gray, and fast asleep. Very quietly he slipped down, and set the thorn in the side of the nest, with the point sticking out. After that, he softly clambered out again.
Up and down, up and down the tree he climbed again and again, carrying thorns and quietly setting them in the nest, and as he went up and down he kept whispering to himself: "I'm a gamblesome elf; oh, yes, indeed I am a gamblesome elf."
After he thought he had put enough in the nest, he went into old Granddaddy Thistletop's kitchen, and, crouching down by the fireplace, he listened. It was getting to be twilight now, and the owls were beginning to stir. Presently he heard a voice cry out: "Ouch! Flipperty is sticking his toes into me."
"No I ain't, neither," said another voice. "It's Pinny-winny. There, she's doing it to me, too. Now just you stop."
"'Tain't me," cried a little squeaky voice; "it's Screecher hisself. Ow! Ow! I'm going to tell," and she began to cry.
"You naughty little owls," cried the Mother Owl's voice, "what do you mean by digging your little sister?"
"I didn't," cried Screecher and Flipperty, together. "Ouch! Ouch! There's something sharp in the nest."
"My dear," said old Father Owl's voice from the branch outside, "can't you keep those children quiet?"
"Quiet indeed!" cried old Mother Owl. "Here is the nest all set full of thorns, and you expect them to be quiet. No wonder the poor children make a noise. Just you come here and help me get the thorns out."
"Thorns!" cried Father Owl. "How did they get in there?"
"That's more than I can tell," said the Mother Owl. "Perhaps it's old Granddaddy Thistletop's doings. I thought those fairies had gone away, but they must be down there still. I'll just fly down and see, and if they are, I'll make them sorry enough."
With that, down flew the Mother Owl, and putting one big yellow eye at the kitchen window, she looked in. "Who-o-o! you fairies," she cried, "are you in there still?"
At first, her eye looked so very big and yellow that Teddy was frightened. Then he remembered that he was a gamblesome elf, so he made a face at her, and began to hop up and down and twirl about on his toes, singing:
"I won't go away! I won't go away! I'll stay all night, and I'll stay all day. Oh, my cap and toes! I'm a gamblesome elf. Old owl, you had better look out for yourself."
The old owl looked in for a moment, and then without a word she flew back to her nest as fast as she could. Teddy ran over to the chimney and listened. He heard the old owl brush into the hollow above, and then he heard her saying in a frightened voice: "Husband, husband, what do you think! A gamblesome elf has come to live in old Granddaddy Thistletop's house."
"Oh, my tail-feathers!" cried old Father Owl aghast. "This is bad business; we'll be having trouble and mischief all the time now. It would have been better if we had let old Thistletop stay. What shall we do?"
"Do! do!" cried old Mother Owl in an exasperated voice; "what is there to do, I should like to know, but to get the children away? I wouldn't keep them in the same tree with that gamblesome elf--no, not a night longer--for all the mice you could offer me."
"But how can we get them away?" asked old Father Owl. "They can't fly."
"No, we can't fly!" cried all the little owls. "Oh, what shall we do? Ow! Ow!"
"Can't fly! They've got to fly," said Mother Owl, "and you and I must help them. Back to the old tree we go this very night."
After that there was a great to-do up in the hollow. Teddy watched it all lying on his stomach in the door of the knot-hole, for it was moonlight by this time and almost as bright as day.
The little owls got up on the edge of the hollow and there they sat, teetering and flapping and afraid to fly. Their mother grew crosser and crosser, and at last she got back of them and gave them a push, and then down they went, fluttering and tumbling and bumping into the tree-trunks.
The Father Owl sailed about from branch to branch, calling, "Who-o-o-o! Who-o-o! Come on! Spread your wings and go like this. Who-o-o-o!" and then he would sail on to another bush; but the Mother Owl flew down beside them and showed them how to spread their wings, and pushed them with her beak, and gradually the fluttered farther and farther into the darkling woods, their cries growing fainter and then dying away until all Teddy could hear was the Father Owl's voice, very faint and far away. "Who-o-o! Who-o-o!" Then it too died away, and the woods were still.
After a while the moon set and Teddy began to feel very sleepy.
Then a little breeze sprang up; the light grew clearer and the east was red, and at last the sun peeped over the top of the hill opposite.
As the first beam struck old Granddaddy Thistletop's tree, Teddy started to his knees, gazing out down the hill-slope. There were the four black-and-yellow butterflies flying directly toward the tree as fast as their wings could carry them, and on the two foremost ones were old Granddaddy Thistletop himself and the beautiful Rosine.
They drew rein at the knot-hole, and the old fairy, skipping from his butterfly and never pausing to fasten it, tottered straight to Teddy and threw his arms about his neck. "Our preserver!" he cried. "And to think I should have called you a gamblesome elf! But never mind; I will make it up to you."
Suddenly he turned and caught the blushing Rosine by the hand. "Here!" he cried; "she is yours, and you shall live with us, and learn to turn your toes up, and we will all be happy together."
"But--but--" cried Teddy, starting back, "don't you know? I'm not an elf at all. I'm---"
* * * * * * *
"Well, well! Here we are back again," said the Counterpane Fairy, "and stiff enough I feel after all that journeying."
"Oh! wasn't it funny?" said Teddy, and his knees shook with laughter. "They really thought I was a gamblesome elf."
"Take care!" cried the fairy. "There you are shaking your knees again. I think, my dear, that if you were to lower them very, very carefully, the hill would not be quite so steep."
"Yes, ma'am, I'll be careful," said Teddy, beginning very slowly to slide his feet down in the bed. Suddenly, the door-knob turned, and Teddy gave a start;--quick as a flash the Counterpane Fairy had disappeared.
His mother was coming in carrying his breakfast and a little vase of violets on a tray.
"Why, my darling, what a bright, happy face!" she said. "I think my little boy must be feeling better this morning."

CHAPTER THIRD
.
STARLEIN AND SILVERLING.
"MIS' THOMAS, Ann McFinney's downstairs to see you about that sewing you said she could do for you,"

said Hannah, putting her head in at the door. Mamma was sitting close to the bed playing a game of Old Maid with Teddy.
"Very well, Hannah; tell her I'll be there in a moment," she said.
"Oh, please don't go yet," said Teddy. "It's my draw. Match! You're the old maid. Oh, Mamma! You're an old
maid!" And he pointed his finger at her and laughed.

"Why, so I am," said mamma. "Now you can shuffle the cards, and when I come back we'll have another game."
"Don't stay long," begged Teddy.
"I'll come back as soon as I can," said mamma, and then she went out.
Teddy lay propped up on the pillow and shuffled and shuffled the cards, and wished his mother would hurry. He did not like Ann McFinney, for when she came she always cried, and wiped her eyes on the corner of her apron, and told how her husband was out of work, and the children needed shoes.
Now it was some time before mamma came back, and when she did she had her bonnet on. "Darling," she said, "I have to go out for a while. Mrs. McFinney's baby's sick, and I've promised the poor thing to come over and see it. I won't be gone long, and when I come back I'll bring you a sheet of paper soldiers to cut out."
"I'd rather have a paper circus," said Teddy.
"Very well," said mamma, "I'll bring you a circus instead." Then she gave him some picture-books to look at while she was out, and kissed him good-bye, telling him to be a good boy.
She went out through the next room, and he heard her pause to wind the music-box and set it playing. "There," she called back to him, "you'll have the music to keep you company," and then she went on down-stairs.
After she had gone Teddy lay fingering the books and not caring to open them, he knew them so well. "Oh dear!" he sighed, "I wish the Counterpane Fairy was here!"
"Oh dear, dear, dear! How steep this hill is!" said a little voice just back of his knees. "Don't break, me little staff, or down I'll go, head over heels to the bottom." Teddy knew the voice well, and his heart gave a leap of pleasure. There was the pointed cap and the withered face of the Counterpane Fairy just appearing above the counterpane hill.
"Oh, Mrs. Fairy, I'm so glad you came, and I have the loveliest square picked out!" cried Teddy. "I hadn't seen it before, because it was the other side of my knees. It's that white one with the silver leaves on it, and my mamma says it was a scrap left from her wedding dress."
"Wait, wait," said the fairy, "till a body gets her breath. Now which one is it?"
"It's that one," said Teddy. "Will you tell me about it?"
"Why, yes," said the fairy, "if that's the one you want. Now fix your eyes on it while I count."
Then the Counterpane Fairy began to count. He heard her voice going on and on and on. "FORTY-NINE!" she cried.
* * * * * * *
When Teddy looked about him he saw that he was standing in a long hall of white marble veined with silver. There were arches and pillars of silver and all the walls were carved with lilies.
Teddy walked slowly down this hall, and as he walked a rosy glow seemed to move with him. He looked down to see what made it, and found that he was dressed in a tunic of rose-colored silk, such as he had never seen before, and it was fastened about the waist with a golden girdle. His feet were bare, but the air was so mildly warm that the marble did not chill him.
After a while, as he walked slowly and wonderingly down the hall, he turned a corner and found himself in another hall just like the first, only at one side there was a great crystal window, and sitting on a marble seat before it was the Counterpane Fairy herself. She sat quite still as though she were listening, and she paid no attention to Teddy.
He was sure it must be the Counterpane Fairy, for it looked like her, though she was quite large now; she looked as large as a real woman.
Teddy stood looking at her for a while, and waiting for her to see him, but she paid no attention, and so at last he whispered, "Counterpane Fairy!"
"Hush!" said she. "I'm listening."
Then Teddy listened too, and as soon as he did he heard a sound of music like that of the music-box in the nursery at home, only it was very much clearer, and sweeter, and fainter.
It seemed to come from outside the crystal window, and looking through it Teddy saw that outside was the most beautiful garden he had ever seen. The grass of the garden was a silvery green; and the paths were white. The leaves of the tress were lined with silver, and the branches hung with shining fruit. There were lilies growing beside the paths, and in the centre of the garden a fountain leaped and fell back into a marble basin. The water sparkled as though it were made of diamonds, and as Teddy listened he knew that the music he heard was the voice of the fountain.
Presently it ceased and then the fairy turned to him and smiled.
"Oh, Counterpane Fairy!" cried Teddy, "may I go out into that garden?"
"That I don't know," said the fairy, "but if you want to get there the best thing for you to do is find Starlein and Silverling, for they are the only ones who can show you the way into the garden."
"Where are they?" asked Teddy.
"I can't tell you that, either," said the fairy, "but they're somewhere in the halls."
"I'll go find them," cried Teddy, and without waiting any longer he turned and ran down the hall as fast as he could, he was in such haste to find them and get them to show him the way into the garden.
On and on he ran, through one hall after another, through arched doorways, and along echoing corridors, until he felt all bewildered and out of breath. All the time he was running he seemed to hear the music of the singing fountain in his ears, but whenever he stopped to listen everything was still.
He was so out of breath that he had begun to walk, when turning another corner he suddenly saw before him a little girl who he somehow felt sure was Starlein.
Her hair was of a silvery yellow and was like a mist about her head; she was very beautiful and was dressed from head to foot in silver that shone and sparkled as she moved. Around her was flying a flock of white doves, and she was playing with them and talking.
As soon as she saw Teddy she cried out, "Oh, it's a little child!" and running down the hall to him, with her doves flying about her, she put her little hands on his cheeks and kissed him. Then she stood back and looked at him with her hands clasped. "You dear little boy!" she said. "Where did you come from?"
"I came through the white square," said Teddy.
"I don't know the white square," said the little girl, "but I'm glad you came. I haven't anyone to play with since
Silverling went away."

"Where has Silverling gone?" asked Teddy. "I must find him."

The little girl shook her head. "I don't know," she said. "We quarrelled once and he went away. He must be in
some of the halls, but I've been hunting and hunting ever since and I can't find him."
Then Teddy told her how the Counterpane Fairy had said that he must find Silverling and Starlein and that

then perhaps he could get into the garden where the singing fountain was.
The little girl shook her head again. "I am Starlein," she said, "but I can't take you into the garden, because I

have never found the gate into it since Silverling went away," and she went over and sat down on a marble bench beside the wall, and all the doves settled about her on her knees and shoulders. "Never mind," cried Teddy, bravely, "you wait here and I'll go and find him. I found you and I'll find him
too."
Turning he ran down the hall and through an arched way into another hall, and there, far, far down at the other end, he saw a little boy dressed in silver, who was tossing a silver ball up into the air and catching it again. When he saw Teddy he slipped the ball into his pocket and ran to meet him, leaping with delight and clapping
his hands. "Oh, little boy! little boy!" he cried, "will you come and play with me?"
"Are you Silverling?" cried Teddy, breathlessly.
"Yes," said the little boy.
"Then come! come quick!" cried Teddy. "Starlein is just around the corner, and she is waiting for you to come

and show us the way into the garden where the singing fountain is."
He caught Silverling by the hand and without another word they ran as fast as they could up the hall and

around the corner, through the silvery archway, and into the other hall. There Teddy stopped short, looking blankly about him. Starlein was gone. Silverling shook his head sadly. "I know how it would be," he said. "I've been hunting for her ever since we  
quarrelled, but I can't find her, and I can't find the way into the garden of the singing fountain either."
"What did you quarrel about?" asked Teddy.
"We quarrelled about this," said the little boy, touching a slender golden chain that hung around his neck. "We

found it in the garden and we quarrelled about who should wear it, but I'd be so glad to give it to Starlein now
if she would only come back again."
"Well, wait!" said Teddy. "She can't be far away and I'll go and find her."
"No, no!" cried Silverling. "You can't find her, and I'll lose you too. Stay here awhile, little boy, and play with

me, for I'm very lonely. Look! Let's play with my silver ball," and taking it from his pocket he tossed it to Teddy. Teddy caught it and threw it back to him, and so they played together in the marble hall, tossing the silver ball and shouting with laughter.
At last Silverling missed the ball, and as it rolled on down the hall he ran after it, stooping and trying to catch it, but always just missing. Teddy shouted and clapped his hands, jumping up and down with his bare feet, and then he stood still watching Silverling as he ran far, far down the hall.
As he stood thus, suddenly he heard from just around the corner the cooing of Starlein's doves.
He did not stop a moment, but turning ran around into the next hall, and there sure enough was Starlein with
her doves about her.
"Oh, little boy!" she cried, "I was afraid I had lost you."
But Teddy caught her by the hand. "Come quick!" he cried, "I have found Silverling."
They ran together into the hall where a moment ago Silverling had been playing with the silver ball, but it was

vacant now; Silverling was gone.

"Well, I never!" said Teddy. Then he turned to Starlein. "Starlein, you shouldn't have gone away when I told
you not to."
"I didn't," said Starlein. "I stayed right there."
Teddy thought awhile. "Then it must have been the wrong hall," he said. "But never mind! I'll find him again,

and this time I'll surely bring him to you; only wait here no matter how long it is."
"Stop! oh, stop!" cried Starlein. She caught one of her doves in her hands and held it out to Teddy. "Here,

little boy," she said; "take this with you, and if you can't find me again, give it to Silverling and tell him he is
to keep it for his very own."
"Yes, I will," said Teddy, and he took the dove and put it in the bosom of his tunic, and it nestled there all

warm and soft and still.
Then he turned and walked quietly down the hall and into another. He went on and on, but he did not run and

jump now, for he was thinking. After a while, when he turned into another hall he once more saw Silverling at
play with his silver ball.
"Did you find her?" cried Silverling, eagerly.
"Yes," said Teddy, "I found her, and she sent you a dove for your very own; but, Silverling, I think this. I

think the only way for us ever to find her together is for us to set the dove free, and to follow it when it flies
back to her."
"But we couldn't follow it," said Silverling. "It would fly so fast that it would be out of sight in a minute."
"I know," said Teddy, "but we could tie something to it."
"What could we fasten to it?" asked Silverling.
The two little boys stood looking about them and wondering what they could use. Suddenly Teddy clapped

his hands so the dove in his tunic started. "We'll fasten the end of your golden chain to it," he cried.
No sooner said than done. In a moment Silverling had taken the chain from his neck and unfastened the ends.

It was so long that it had been twisted several times around his neck. Very gently they took the dove and
fastened the chain to its leg, and then they let it go.
It fluttered up over their heads and circled about them once or twice, and then it flew on down the hall with

the little boys following it.

They turned many a corner and went through many a door, and at last they came into a hall and there--there
was Starlein waiting for them with her doves about her.
"Oh, Starlein!" cried Silverling.
"Oh, Silverling!" cried Starlein.
They ran to each other and threw their arms about each other's necks and kissed, while the white doves flew

circling about them. Then they told each other how sorry they were that they had quarrelled, and that they
would never do it any more, and then they kissed again.
"And you may have the golden chain, Starlein," said Silverling.

"No, no! you must keep it," said Starlein.
"Oh, I know what we'll do!" cried Silverling; "we'll give it to this little boy, because if it hadn't been for him
we wouldn't have found each other."

"Oh, yes!" said Starlein.
But Teddy held up his hand--"Hush!" he whispered; "don't you hear it?"
Then they all listened, and sweeter and clearer than ever before they heard the voice of the singing fountain in

the beautiful garden.
"It is the fountain!" cried Starlein and Silverling, half fearfully.
They each caught Teddy by the hand, and all ran down the hall together, and the very first corner that they

turned they found themselves at the door of the garden.

The wind was blowing the lilies, the fruit on the wonderful trees shone and glistened in the sunlight, and the
fountain--ah! the fountain was no longer singing, for the music-box in the nursery had run down.
Teddy looked about him. Instead of the garden there was the flowery India-room. The clock ticked, the fire

crackled;--he was back in bed once more, and he heard mamma speaking to Hannah in the hall outside, so he
knew she was home again.
"And that is the end of that story," said the Fairy of the Counterpane.

有趣的童话故事，译者辛苦了。如果能中英对照着发贴子，看起来更舒服了。