Eleanor Glendower Griffith

“ The Bird replied: “It can be done by the hands of Children alone. Every time a Child learns to eat the right food, a brick shall be added to your house, every time a Child learns to sleep in the sweet fresh air, a shingle shall be put upon the roof. And every time a Child learns to play and be happy, a colored glass shall be added to the windows.”
“But alas!” said Fairy Health, “How shall we teach the Children these things?”
“I will go to the Teachers who are wise and good,” said the Bird, “and tell them what to do.”
So the Bird, whose name was Education, started on his journey. ”

“ They left the houses far behind, and still the great Dog did not slacken his pace, until they came to desolate fields and a countryside where no trees grew.
On all sides stretched these lonely fields, with no signs of life, except where far away to the right rose the dark outline of a house. ”

“ As the days went by, the good Woman learned to love the little Boy as if he were her own, and he grew so strong and healthy that no one would have imagined him the same 17lonely Child that Cho-Cho had brought to the Farm House. All day long he played in the sweet clover-scented air, sometimes with the little calves in the field, but more often beside the Dairy, where the Sweet-faced Woman spent so much of her time. ”

“ The Farmer’s Wife had often told the little Boy never to drink coffee for it was very bad for Children, but he liked coffee, so he took the old Witch’s hand and followed her far, far away.
As the sunlight faded from the fields, and night came on, the Sweet-faced Woman missed the little Boy, and anxiously looked for him, but nowhere could he be found. ”

“ He had a merry face and a bright smile, and pausing beside the Garden Gate, he asked:
“Does Health live here?”
“I am Health,” said the Fairy, and rose to greet him. The Elf drew from his pocket a little card, on which was written “Cho-Cho, the Friend of Children,” and presented it to the Fairy. ”

“ The Dog went over it in a flying leap and landed safely on the other side in a field of grass. Here he began to slacken his pace, for in front of them loomed a dark forest, and only a narrow pathway led through it.
Entering the forest, the Dog was obliged to walk, as the path grew rough and steep, and the underbrush on either side was thick and tangled. At last they came to the mouth of a cave.
26“This is the home of the Witch,” said Cho-Cho. “We will hide here in the bushes.”
Presently they heard a harsh laugh and the ugly Witch came forth from the shadow of the cave. ”

“ Now Cho-Cho had a friend, a Wonderful Dog, who could travel like the wind, and he hurried down the road toward the Dog’s house.
25Finding the Dog at home, Cho-Cho told him of the little Men, and added, “I must find this Witch before nightfall, and it is now noon. I cannot travel fast enough, for she lives far away. ”