As they resumed their journey the guide told them the history of the bird. “The mocking-bird is really the southern fairy, you know,” he began, “and the entrancing song it sings is only the story of its life. It tells the tale over and over again, in a delicious burst of song; as the little children alone understand the fairies’ speech, I cannot tell all it says, but I will repeat exactly what I have heard. Once upon a time there dwelt in the midst of that great magnolia grove we have just left a band of fairies. They were the lightest-hearted and happiest little band in the world, and they had just celebrated a splendid marriage. One of their most beautiful Princesses had married a nephew of the Queen. He was as handsome as his bride was beautiful, and everything went merry as a marriage bell. Now, Prince Adelstan, in spite of his high rank and station, was always playing some prank upon some one, but his tricks were generally good-natured, and the fairies seemed to love him the better for his fun; he was, indeed, a great favorite with them all. Now, when he married the dignified and beautiful Princess Verdande, every one predicted that he would become more sober, and, as a married man, put aside his boyish manners. “It really seemed just about as they prophesied. Of course, a fairy’s life is a brilliant round of pleasure, but Prince Adelstan seemed contented to travel the world over with his lovely wife and act just as all well-behaved fairies should. The little people were all delighted, of course, with the change in their favorite, and said among themselves he was even more attractive than ever. In reality Prince Adelstan was so absorbed in a plan he was forming for himself and bride that he had no time to think of playing foolish pranks on others. Fairies, as you know, are free to do exactly as they please, except for one rule, and that rule can never be broken. Their life must be lived at night, amid moonshine and starlight, and then they pass many gladsome hours together; from dusk until dawn they are the merriest little people in the world. But at the first streak of light every fairy must vanish,—under a leaf, in the heart of a rose, behind a dewdrop, the fairy may hide; but hide he must, and there remain sleeping until darkness again falls upon the world. This rule in Fairyland has been enforced for centuries, and no one, however brave, has had the hardihood to break it. Sometimes (but very rarely), on a day when the Sun does not shine and the Earth is covered with a white veil of mist, a fairy can peep out, but he must be extremely careful that he is only in the mist, for he must never see a ray of sunshine for a moment.