The merry little queen took it from him, looked at it closely, saying to herself: "Humph! I didn't think he could, but he did,"--and, turning to Jim, said, much more graciously than before: "I suppose you think yourself quite a cobbler; and so you are--for a mortal. Since you have done your work so well, I will do as I said. Now," she continued, handing him a little package about as big as a baby's thumb, "plant these melon-seeds, and----" "Are these little things melon seeds? They look too small," interrupted Jim,--for he had made no ceremony, even in the queen's presence, about peeping into the package,--and it must be confessed that they were very small indeed. "Certainly they are, or I would not tell you so. They are the magic melons of fairy-land. As I was about to say when you rudely interrupted, plant----" "I beg your pardon, your majes----" [Illustration: "BEFORE NIMBLE JIM COULD GET BACK TO THE HOUSE, THE YARD WAS FULL OF MELON-VINE."] "_Will_ you keep still? Was there _ever_ such a chatterbox!" said she. "I say, plant these melon-seeds to-morrow at sunrise, and you will have your wish, foolish boy." And, while Jim was thinking of melons and wealth, she skipped away up the moonbeam, singing: "Nimble Jim is quite demented,-- Wants to be a melon-king! Silly mortal! not contented With the riches home-joys bring! Oh! ho! Oh! ho! He will be sorry to-morrow; To-morrow will bring only sorrow." But Nimble Jim heeded her not. This night also he could not close his eyes, and in the early morning he hastened to tell his mother their good fortune. She looked grave, and said: "Ah, my lad! I'd rather you minded the cobbler's bench, nor trafficked with fairies. I fear me they're uncanny folks to deal with." "Never fear, mother; we'll be rich yet, and I'll make you a queen yourself, and then you need spin no more," said Jim, wild with hope and excitement. "I don't mind the spinnin', my boy. I'd rather be----". Jim heard no more, for he dashed off at once to the garden to plant his precious seeds just at sunrise. With furious energy, he tore up all his old vines, flung them over the fence, and, after that, spaded up the melon-bed with the greatest care. Then he opened the paper and poured the magical seeds into his hand. There were only _four_--four wee seeds, each no bigger than a pin's head! His first impulse was to fling them away in wrath, for he thought such little things couldn't possibly make as big a fortune as he wanted. But then he reflected, "Fairies are little, so I suppose their seeds are little, too. I'll try them, anyhow." And with that he put them in the ground and carefully covered them. In an instant, the ground burst open in four places, and up shot four sturdy melon-vines, that grew east, west, north, south!