Then the father hid his face in his hands and the mother threw her apron over her head; but in a moment the young man had sprung down from the chariot of steel and was crying, “Father, father, don’t you know your own boy?” And the beautiful young woman who had been in the chariot that was all a-glitter with diamonds had pulled the apron away from the face of the mother and was crying, “Mother, mother, have you forgotten your own daughter?” The Moon King sent away the knights, and then he and Silvergirl, the Pearl Princess and Silverboy, and the Moon Lady and the Gentle Giant sat down together on the soft grass just outside the cottage. Such stories as they had to tell of the search for the silver door! They told about the Wizard Squirrel, the All-Alone Axe, the Wonder Palace, the Slippery Spider, and no one can say how many other folk. They talked and talked and talked; and while they were talking, they heard a funny little chattering over their heads. They all looked up, and there on the bough of a pine tree sat the Wizard Squirrel and the All-Alone Axe, hobnobbing in the most sociable way, while the Friendly Glowworm and the Thoughtful Snail, who had come, of course, with the rest of the company and were now sitting on the moss at the foot of the tree, were staring at them with all their eyes, for they had never before seen an axe and a squirrel dancing together on a branch. For three days and three nights the happy people talked of the wonderful things that had happened. Then Silvergirl said:-- “But, father and mother, you haven’t asked for the silver door.” “Little we care for silver doors,” they cried, “now that we have our children back again.” “But we have one for you. It is in the country of the Moon King; and when you go through the silver door, you come into a golden palace. Will you come with us and stay all your lives long?” “Yes, we will come,” said the father and the mother, and they stepped joyfully into the golden chariot that had been empty before. Then the knights came back and lifted their plumed hats and bowed before the father and the mother. They all rode away and away and away from the gloomy forest to the happy country of the Moon King; and when a messenger last came from that country, they were all living together in the greatest peace and happiness in the beautiful golden palace with the silver door. KING HANSEL THE FIRST KING HANSEL THE FIRST There was once a boy named Hansel who had lost his father, mother, and sister. Some people thought that they had been stolen by trolls, but no one knew certainly. Everybody’s house was full, and there was no room for the lonely little boy. “There is nothing for you to do but to go out into the world and seek your fortune,” people said to him; so Hansel put on his little cap and started out.