(_After circling round the stump and seeking in every way to induce her to join them, one of them tries gently to take the spray of dog-wood blossoms from her hand._) SELMA--(_Calling aloud._) Father! FIRST FAIRY--Oh, smell the wood pinks! They are waking now. SECOND FAIRY--The bees are stirring in the gum. THIRD FAIRY-- O sisters, I know a brake where the brown quails sleep. Let's tip the leaves and let the star-light on them. (_Four of them run up the slope one after another and each in turn as she disappears among the trees glances back and calls to Selma._) FIRST FAIRY--Sister! SECOND FAIRY-- Sister! THIRD FAIRY-- Sister! FOURTH FAIRY-- Sister! (_The fifth fairy stands for a time looking after the others, then comes to the stump and sits down at Selma's feet._) FIFTH FAIRY-- Sister, If you will come and play, I'll show you slim Young heath-bells in the dingle. Won't you, if We take you where may-apples grow and pinks Bend with their fairy mirrors on the moss? VOICE-- (_From the thicket below._) O sister! (_The fairy starts up and skips down the slope._) SELMA-- (_Without looking up._) Three times it has bloomed and he does not come. SIXTH FAIRY-- (_Entering hurriedly from the thicket._) We were floating along on the river mist And saw them creep up the mountain side-- SEVENTH FAIRY-- (_Entering._) And heard them plotting and heard them say: "We will throw him down, we will throw him down." SIXTH FAIRY--We called in his ear, but he did not hear, (_The seventh starts up the slope toward Selma._) FIFTH FAIRY--Oh, do not tell her! Oh, do not tell! SEVENTH FAIRY--They will throw him down! They will throw him down! FIFTH FAIRY--Oh, catch him with delicate hands as he falls Into the mist and-- SIXTH FAIRY-- Save him! SEVENTH FAIRY-- Save him! FIFTH FAIRY--And I will run to the mountain cave. (_The two fairies hasten out through the thicket, the fifth disappears back among the trees, left. Singing is heard up the slope. A moment later, a number of fairies circle in with green boughs in their hands._) _On the downs and in the dells._ _Trip it softly, softly, sister,_ _Lest the stock-dove, lightly sleeping,_ _Wake and hear our fairy bells._ FIRST FAIRY--Oh, something black tumbled into the mist! SECOND FAIRY--And something bright--what was it, sister? FIRST FAIRY--A star, I think; it glanced and fell. THIRD FAIRY--Sister, it flashed like a silver cross.