"I'm not a grasshopper; but I have on fairy shoes to-day, and so do many things that I never did before," answered Kitty, much surprised to be able to understand what the cricket said. "It is midsummer day, and fairies can play whatever pranks they like. If you didn't have those shoes on, you couldn't understand what I say. Hark, and hear those squirrels talk, and the birds, and the ants down here. Make the most of this chance; for at sunset your shoes will stop skipping, and the fun all be over." While the cricket talked Kitty did hear all sorts of little voices, singing, laughing, chatting in the gayest way, and understood every word they said. The squirrels called to one another as they raced about,-- "Here's a nut, there's a nut; Hide it quick away, In a hole, under leaves, To eat some winter day. Acorns sweet are plenty, We will have them all: Skip and scamper lively Till the last ones fall." The birds were singing softly,-- "Rock a bye, babies, Your cradle hangs high; Soft down your pillow, Your curtain the sky. Father will feed you, While mother will sing, And shelter our darlings With her warm wing." And the ants were saying to one another as they hurried in and out of their little houses,-- "Work, neighbor, work! Do not stop to play; Wander far and wide, Gather all you may. We are never like Idle butterflies, But like the busy bees, Industrious and wise." "Ants always were dreadfully good, but butterflies are ever so much prettier," said Kitty, listening to the little voices with wonder and pleasure. "Hello! hello! Come down below,-- It's lovely and cool Out here in the pool; On a lily-pad float For a nice green boat. Here we sit and sing In a pleasant ring; Or leap frog play, In the jolliest way. Our games have begun, Come join in the fun." "Dear me! what could I do over there in the mud with the queer green frogs?" laughed Kitty, as this song was croaked at her. "No, no, come and fly Through the sunny sky, Or honey sip From the rose's lip, Or dance in the air, Like spirits fair. Come away, come away; 'Tis our holiday." A cloud of lovely yellow butterflies flew up from a wild-rose bush, and went dancing away higher and higher, till they vanished in the light beyond the wood. "That is better than leap-frog. I wish my skipping shoes would let me fly up somewhere, instead of carrying me on errands and where I ought to go all the time," said Kitty, watching the pretty things glitter as they flew. Just at that minute a clock struck, and away went the shoes over the pool, the hill, the road, till they pranced in at the gate as the tea-bell rang. Kitty amused the family by telling what she had done and seen; but no one believed the Fairyland part, and her father said, laughing,-- "Go on, my dear, making up little stories, and by and by you may be as famous as Hans Christian Andersen, whose books you like so well."