“Well, can you imagine what Prince Adelstan decided to do? He determined upon a terribly rash thing, and planned it for months. He lay awake thinking of it, for in his excitement he could not sleep. He whispered it at last to his beautiful bride, who trembled in his arms as she listened. She was horrified at first, and pleaded with him to give up his rash plan; but he was bent upon it, and after weeks of pleading from him, she finally yielded and consented to help him. Together they decided to elude the fairies and break the law; for their rash determination was no less than this—to see the Sun rise. “Night after night they discussed it, and one beautiful moonlight one, when they had danced until dawn, and the other fairies, exhausted, had slipped into the hearts of the magnolia blossoms to sleep, Prince Adelstan and Princess Verdande stole carefully down to the waters of the Gulf, and, breathless with curiosity, awaited the coming of the Sun. “Never shall they forget that morning. The waters of the Gulf looked steely gray in the first faint light of dawn. A pearly white mist was lifting slowly from them, and melting as it lifted. The little bride caught her breath with admiration as the cold steel-gray of the water slowly changed into a delicate, warm pink, for the Gulf, like a great mirror, was reflecting all the lights in the sky. The sea-shell pink of the faint dawn heralded the approach of the Sun. Gradually the delicate coloring grew a deeper rose, until the white clouds overhead seemed dyed in crimson. The waters lay still and silent; hardly a ripple disturbed their serenity. Presently long, piercing rays crept across the sky, while all the colors of the rainbow seemed to blend and mix together. Gradually the world grew brighter and brighter. Then suddenly out of the shining water rose a great red ball of fire! The Princess clung to her husband, for, beautiful as it was, she was surprised and frightened. The Sun mounted slowly into the sky, casting his brilliant rays across the heavens, and at the same time great slanting streaks of yellow beams danced before their bewildered eyes. The waters of the Gulf were marvellous to see, for they glistened like millions of flashing diamonds. The two fairies stood amazed at the magnificent sight before them, for even Fairyland has nothing more beautiful than the sunrise. “Presently a flock of white sea-gulls rose shrieking from the sands, and Prince Adelstan and his wife (startled by the sudden noise, and abashed by their terrible disobedience) tried to hide behind a blade of grass. Alas! what was their horror to discover that they could not. They had grown much larger, and they realized in despair that they could no longer hide under the flowers; their wings, too, had disappeared, and they knew they were banished from Fairyland. Then their sorrow began, for, try as they did, they could find no trace of their brother and sister fairies.