Wiggs had been by herself in the forest. A baby rabbit had run past her, terrified; a ferret in pursuit. Wiggs had picked the little fluffy thing up in her arms and comforted it; the ferret had slowed down, walked past very indifferently with its hands, as it were, in its pockets, hesitated a moment, and then remembered an important letter which it had forgotten to post. Wiggs was left alone with the baby rabbit, and before she knew where she was, the rabbit was gone and there was a fairy in front of her. [Illustration: _The rabbit was gone, and there was a fairy in front of her_] "You have saved my life," said the fairy. "That was a wicked magician after me, and if he had caught me then, he would have killed me." "Please, your Fairiness, I didn't know fairies _could_ die," said Wiggs. "They can when they take on animal shape or human shape. He could not hurt me now, but before----" She shuddered. "I'm so glad you're all right now," said Wiggs politely. "Thanks to you, my child. I must reward you. Take this ring. When you have been good for a whole day, you can have one good wish; when you have been bad for a whole day, you can have one bad wish. One good wish and one bad wish--that is all it will allow anybody to have." With these words she vanished and left Wiggs alone with the ring. So, ever after that, Wiggs tried desperately hard to be good and have the good wish, but it was difficult work. Something always went wrong; she tore her apron or read books when she ought to have been dusting, or---- Well, you or I would probably have given it up at once, and devoted ourselves to earning the bad wish. But Wiggs was a nice little girl. "And, oh, I _do_ so want to be good," said Wiggs earnestly to the Princess, "so that I could wish to dance like a fairy." She had a sudden anxiety. "That _is_ a good wish, _isn't_ it?" "It's a lovely wish; but I'm sure you could dance now if you tried." "I can't," said Wiggs. "I always dance like this." She jumped up and danced a few steps. Wiggs was a dear little girl, but her dancing reminded you of a very dusty road going up-hill all the way, with nothing but suet-puddings waiting for you on the top. Something like that. "It isn't _really_ graceful, is it?" she said candidly, as she came to rest. "Well, I suppose the fairies _do_ dance better than that." "So that's why I want to be good, so as I can have my wish." "I really must see this ring," said the Princess. "It sounds fascinating." She looked coldly in front of her and added, "Good-morning, Countess." (How long had the woman been there?) "Good-morning, your Royal Highness. I ventured to come up unannounced. Ah, sweet child." She waved a caressing hand at Wiggs. (Even if she had overheard anything, it had only been child's talk.) "What is it?" asked the Princess. She took a firm hold of the arms of her chair. She would _not_, _not_, _not_ give way to the Countess this time.