[Illustration: Queen Wishtah summons the Four Little Elves.] THE LITTLE ELVES SEEKING THE BEAUTIFUL WORLD _A BOOK FOR CHILDREN_ BY LUCY HAMILTON WARNER Author of “THE FIVE LITTLE FINGER STORIES” And Other Stories _ILLUSTRATED BY GEO. W. BARDWELL_ NEW YORK DUNREATH PUBLISHING CO. 1895 COPYRIGHT, 1895, BY LUCY HAMILTON WARNER WYNKOOP & HALLENBECK, NEW YORK. I DEDICATE THIS LITTLE VOLUME TO My Father WHOSE TOUCH OF GENTLENESS AND LOVE EVER WARMS MY HEART _The Author_ LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE QUEEN WISHTAH SUMMONS HER FOUR LITTLE ELVES, _Frontispiece_ THE ELVES’ DEPARTURE, 9 SPIDER EYES FEELS AN EARTHQUAKE, 13 THE ELVES HIDE FROM MR. GARDEN TOAD, 17 SPIDER EYES ASLEEP IN THE POPPY, 21 THE MENDING OF SPIDER EYES’ WING, 27 SPIDER EYES ASKS THE GLOWWORM THE WAY, 35 THEY HEAR THE GLOWWORMS TALKING, 39 SPIDER EYES HAS A FALL, 43 IS RESCUED BY GRANDFATHER GRASSHOPPER, 47 GRANDFATHER GRASSHOPPER INTRODUCES THE FOUR LITTLE ELVES TO MRS. FIELD MOUSE, 51 SPIDER EYES TRIES TO LIFT THE BABY MOUSE, 59 MRS. FIELD MOUSE’S HOUSE IS DESTROYED, 65 THE CROW AND THE FOUR LITTLE ELVES, 69 THE WHIP-POOR-WILL AND THE LITTLE ELVES, 73 THE FOUR LITTLE ELVES WASH THEIR FACES WITH DEWDROPS, 77 GOLD JACKET, THE BUMBLEBEE, LEADS THEM, 79 THE LITTLE ELVES SEEKING THE BEAUTIFUL WORLD PART I CHAPTER I The beautiful Queen Wishtah had quite decided to change her home from the Northern to the Southern clime. She had heard of evergreen groves, where around each pine-tree could be built a palace that would stand for years. So she summoned to her presence four of her trusty elves, named Spider Eyes, Chip Wing, Pointed Toes and Dusty Cap. They came and knelt before the throne, waiting her command.