“Dear Berl, here I am at last!” she cried, kissing him. “But you are the faery Mala,” said Berl, looking at her in perplexity. “Who is the faery Mala?” asked Lurina, who had forgotten all about her faery existence now she was in a human body. “I never heard of her. I went into the forest and fell asleep, I suppose. When I awoke I came straight back to you.” Berl was a wise man, and said no more, but kissed his newly-recovered wife heartily, then called all the neighbours to congratulate him, which they did loudly. When they told Lurina she had been dead, she declared it was nonsense, as it was only a sleep, and soon every one believed it except Berl and the Wise Woman, to whom Berl told all about his reception by Oberon. Lurina became bright and gay all day, and never more wandered into the forest to indulge in moon fancies, so Berl thought the faery Mala must have been exiled altogether from Faeryland. She was very good indeed, so good that Berl was quite afraid lest she should be called back to Faeryland, but as yet that has not happened. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE ROSE-PRINCESS I. THE QUEEN WHO DID NOT BELIEVE IN FAERIES. ONCE upon a time there was a King and Queen who reigned over a most beautiful country. They were very rich and very happy, and lived in a most gorgeous palace, the grand gardens of which sloped down to the blue sea, on which sailed many richly-laden ships, carrying merchandise to the capital city of the kingdom. The palace was built of silver and ivory, and adorned with pale blue velvet hangings, upon which were painted the most exquisite pictures in the world. It stood on a high green hill, and far below lay the immense city of Buss, with its wide streets, many towers, and glittering fountains. As the King and Queen looked down from their beautiful castle on to the mighty city and great green plains which surrounded it, they ought to have been happy, but, curious to say, they were not. They had everything in the world to make them happy except one thing, and that one thing they longed for ardently, the more so because they did not see any chance of obtaining it. “Ah, if I only had a child!” sighed the Queen. “Yes; a little boy,” said the King. “Or a little girl,” retorted the Queen. “Don’t you know any faeries, my dear, who would gratify our one desire?” “No,” replied the King, shaking his head sadly. “My great-grandfather was the last person who ever saw a faery; no one has ever seen one since.” “I don’t believe they exist,” said the Queen angrily. “Oh yes, they do,” observed her husband. “This palace is said to have been built by faery hands.” “I don’t believe they exist,” declared the Queen again. “If they did, they would surely help me by giving me a little girl or boy. What’s the good of faeries if they don’t help you?”