"I've been dreaming. Oh, it was such a beautiful dream!" she exclaimed. "I was with the fairies in a big cave. They were having a party, and they looked just lovely. Indade, it was the sweetest dream I ever had." "Do tell us about it," cried Katie. "Oh, do, Norah. And don't forget a single thing." Norah's cheeks were rosy red, and her blue eyes sparkled as she painted the dream picture to the listening family. She had been in the grand hall of a cave. It was like no other hall she had ever seen. The walls were shining with precious stones. Shining pendants hung from the ceiling and glistened in the light given by hundreds of fairy torches. But the fairies themselves were the loveliest sight of all. Oh, they were such tiny creatures! The young lady fairies were all in white, and their soft, fair hair hung far down over their shoulders. The young gentlemen fairies wore green jackets and white breeches. The fairy queen had a golden crown on her head, and when she waved her golden wand, every one hastened to do her bidding. They all had sweet, kind faces, and looked lovingly at Norah as they danced around her to the fairy music. When Norah had got this far in her story, she turned to her father, and said: "Then you called me, and the fairies all looked sad, and then--then--that's all I can remember." "The fairies are wonderful people, and we must keep them for our friends, but I don't want them to call my Norah away from me. You must never turn your ears to the fairy music, my child." Norah's father looked serious as he said these words. He had heard of a young girl who had listened to fairy music. It made her lose all love for her dearest friends. She forgot everything that had happened in her life. After that, she could only think of the fairies, and long to be with them. She died a short time afterward. But, of course, Norah had only been _dreaming_ of the fairies. That was quite different. "Tell us some fairy stories, father dear. It is just the night for them," begged Katie. Her father liked nothing better. He began at once to tell of a battle between two bands of fairies. It was in the night-time, and not far from the very place where they were living. Norah's father had seen with his own eyes the man who told the story of the strange battle. The fairies were no more than nine inches tall, but there were millions of them. They marched along in rows just like any other soldiers. The men of one army were in green coats, and the men of the other in red ones. When they had drawn up and faced each other, the signal was given to begin the battle. What a fight it was! The man who saw it became so excited he began to shout. Then, lo and behold! every fairy vanished from sight, and he found himself lying all alone on the roadside. Had he been asleep? was it all a dream, like that of Norah's? He declared that was impossible. The mother and children listened eagerly to the story. They believed every word of it.