She slipped inside the Door and set to work at once. She sprinkled ashes on the clean-swept floor, and set the chairs askew. She pulled the pictures crooked, and turned their faces to the wall. Into every corner of the room she went, making mischief, and leaving disorder behind her. No one came to interrupt her, so that she kept on and on with her malicious task until the room was in complete confusion. Wearied with the mischief she had done, she paused and looked about her for a place to rest. On the Hearth lay a great bank of warm ashes, soft as a feather-bed. She went to it at once, and threw herself down upon it, thinking to rest only a moment before she journeyed on. Now this was a very dangerous thing for an Earth Fairy to do, because none but Fire Fairies can safely rest so close to Fire and Flame. But this the Earth Fairy did not know, so she sank down, meaning to rest but for a short time, but she was so weary that before she knew it she had fallen off into a deep sleep, and while she slept the Fire stole from her all her Earth magic, and her Earth powers. Since the Fire was burning, that Door to the Fire Country was of course wide open, so that King Red Flame riding out that morning on his flame-colored horse caught a glimpse of the Earth Fairy’s yellow hair as she lay in the ashes. He drew near to see who was slumbering there. At the first glance he knew that she was not a Fire Fairy. It was plain, too, that she was not a House Fairy. Whoever she was, he knew that she was in great danger, and that she must be rescued at once. He called to her, but she neither answered nor stirred. He alighted from his horse, and bending over her shook her gently, but she gave no sign of life. He shook her more roughly, and called louder, but quite in vain. “I shall have to take her to the palace,” murmured King Red Flame to himself. “Here I can do nothing. Queen Glow and I must consult together over the matter.” He lifted the Earth Fairy in his arms, and laid her across his horse. Then mounting again, he rode away with her in the direction of the Palace of Burning Coals, satisfied that there, in counsel with his queen, he could bring succor to the stranger in her great need. Queen Glow was a very beautiful fairy, and as wise and good as she was beautiful. Always her thought was how she could help and comfort those who were in trouble or distress. As soon as King Red Flame arrived at the palace, Queen Glow had the insensible Earth Fairy carried to her own room, and laid upon her royal bed. Here she bent over her, chafing her hands, and trying in every way to revive her. There was deep silence in the room, except for the suppressed whispering of a little group of Fire Fairies gathered about the door. One by one other fairies that belonged to the palace came to join them, and among the rest came Grey Smoke, old and wise, she who had nursed Queen Glow as a child.