Laura Rountree Smith

“ They all began to dance around a big kettle, that hung over the fire. The Brownies covered their eyes and the Jack O’ Lantern dropped a candle in the kettle. The Black Cat dropped in catnip and the witch dropped in two straws from her broom. ”

“ Shall we find the realm on sea or land?
In that wonderful hour when dreams come true
There’s a fairy palace for me and you,
I am the Queen you understand,
And you are the King of Fairyland.”
In less time than it takes to tell it, the Fairies led Little Boy into Fairyland.
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They had a Birthday Party and danced round and round in a ring and for all I know they are dancing yet.
If you ever hear an old staircase go “creak, creak” when you are on it, put your ear close to one of the steps and listen. ”

“ Soon all the Fairies were dancing and shouting,
“We’re thankful that Dorothy Marjorie Ann,
Will try to be happy whenever she can.”
Then the Wee Little Man who first came down the chimney joined hands with her, and they danced up the chimney, off and away, over hill and dale, and all the Wee Fairy People followed them. ”

“ The candle jumped out of the kettle and said,
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“Tell-Tale and Tattle-Too,
Is not a good name now for you.”
Then the candle jumped into a beautiful Halloween lantern and stood by his side, while the catnip jumped out of the kettle and said,
“Tell-Tale and Tattle-Too,
Such a name will never do.” ”

“ As a Halloween joke,
Just then he awoke.
He saw a Halloween lantern in the moon-light. It hung above the window-sill and as it turned round and round, he saw on it a Jack O’ Lantern, a Big Black Cat and a Witch!
He cried,
“’Tis a magic lantern, if I were in it,
I’d change my name to Think-A-Minute.”
Whether he rode in the magic lantern or [36] not, I cannot say, but every year on Halloween a Big Black Cat, sat on his door-step, and a Jack O’ Lantern peeped in his window, and a Witch riding by on a broom said,
“Think-A-Minute, how do you do? ”

“ They had hardly gotten outside when they saw an old man walking in the moon-light, “See,” said Dot. “He is really afraid of falling.”
Dot took one hand and Dwarf Courage [70] the other and soon the old man was safe at home.
As they ran along giving every one courage, Dwarf Courage sang,
“They’re scared of rats and scared of mice
And often scared of things quite nice,
They’re scared at morning, night and noon,
They’re scared of faces in the moon,
Oh tell me, what would people do,
If Little Dwarf Courage were scarey too?”
They ran along through the woods and some one was singing ”

“ At last evening came, and they started out in cap and gown, Dwarf Courage saying,
“We’ll have to hurry, for it’s said,
Some children fear to go to bed.”
What fun they had when they came to town, running up one staircase, after another, helping the children to go happily to bed.
One little boy was afraid after he had gotten to bed and Dwarf Courage pulled aside the curtain and showed him the [69] friendly moon and he went happily to sleep.
One little girl was afraid to stay alone in the dark and Dwarf Courage cried,
“The clock is company for you,
Just hear it sing “Cuckoo, cuckoo.” ”

“ Once more Little Boy saved his pennies and when he had twenty-three he said,
“Little pennies twenty-three,
Will you buy a top for me?”
He put his hand up to his ear to listen.
Sure enough, again he heard, “pitter, patter, pitter, patter” and up came Fairy Sing-Song, singing,
“All I need is a musical top,
That will spin, and spin and never stop.”
As Little Boy counted out his twenty-three pennies she went off singing,
“When anything you want to know,
To the enchanted staircase go.”
Little Boy sighed after the Fairies left him and he went out and sat down on his own staircase saying ”

“ Fairy Good-Cheer and Fairy Sweet-Tooth cried,
“When you give pennies up ’tis true,
Surprises sometimes come to you.”
The Musical Top took one of Little Boy’s hands singing,
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“We are on the road to Fairyland,
We hear a distant Elfin Band,
Thither we’ll haste without delay,
For the fairies call, ‘Away, away,’
When you feel the touch of the magic hand,
You can see the lights of Fairyland.”
Fairy Light-Heart took Little Boy’s other hand singing,
“How shall we ride to Fairyland? ”

“ He put the key in the lock.
It turned with a click, click, click.
Out flew the smiles!
Big smiles, little smiles, middle-sized smiles,
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“Smiles to fit most any face,
Smiles for every time and place!” ”

“ Of candy, small Boys never tire.”
Little Boy laughed so hard that he rolled right over in a heap on the floor, for the Fairy piled candy right up to the ceiling.
Then a Musical Top began to spin down the staircase singing,
“Fairy Sing-Song’s smile is winning,
See, she sets your top a spinning.”
“My Top,” said Little Boy in surprise.
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AND THE WEE PEOPLE CAME TUMBLING DOWN THE CHIMNEY ONE AFTER ANOTHER (See page 73)
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Then all the fairies trooped down stairs and cried,
“’Tis heigh! ”