this they put in the middle; but where was the dew? there was none of course, so one of the faeries had crept down, got on a dandeliondown horses back and ridden over the moonbeam to the window.in the crack of the sash he got a wee bit of ice that made part of a drop of water when he held it in his hand.it looked like dew, and he managed to get it safely back without spilling much.this had been put in the hat or pretended violet cup.each of the faeries, according to custom, took a spoon in hand and slowly stirred the dew in the cup.the spoons they use are made of pieces of the stamens of different flowers; here they had makebelieve spoons made out of bits of hair from millys eyebrows.they stirred the dew in the cup, and as they stirred they sang the dew drinking chorus: the shining dew in the violet cup flows round and round in a silvery flood: against the sides well dash the dew up, then drink! and cool our summerhot blood.but though they each in turn lifted the cup, they only pretended to drink, for it was icy cold.that was for _du_; next came _ty_.this was done thus.they had a marriagescene.two little faeries stood up together, and the one that was to marry them took a hair from each of their heads, and fastening the ends together, made a long string; with this he tied them together in a truelover knot; for such is the way the faeries do when they are married.this was for _ty_; then came the whole word.a faery is seen busily occupied with weaving; she is making a veil for a human maiden which shall keep her from seeing sin; the faery is singing to herself.presently up comes a little browniea male faery that ismost daintily dressed and in the gayest mood.he wants the little weaving faery to come with him; there is to be a most delicious little gathering in a cloverfield on purpose to sip cloverhoneywhite cloverhoney! now of all things the little busy faery loves cloverhoney; it would be so delightful to be there this charming afternoon.she thinks she will go, but then she remembers the task which the queen has given her to doto go would be to disobey.the brownie still begs, but she is firmno, she will not go.that was the whole word_duty_.all this was very simple; a good many would have thought it very childish, but it pleased the faeries and it pleased the queen, and that was enough.but the party had lasted a long time nowmuch longer than it has taken me to tell of it.the moon path was of course altered, but it didnt make much matter.the queen ordered them all to take to their horses, and giving milly a kiss on her rosy lips, she clambered down and untying the lady birds from the strings of the nightcap got into her sleigh.she cracked her musquitoleg whip, away went the lady birds and they passed through the windowhow, i dont know, but im sure i saw them do it.the queen saw me again as she passed out, and nodded to me.i had just time to nod back and they were out of sight.that is all, and if its not true then my name isnt jack frost; and if you dont believe me, ask north east wind, who is my friend, and he will tell you the same thing.wheugh! [illustration] the rock elephant.the rockelephant.[illustration] there is a tradition among the elephants that some one of the race will one day mount up to the sky and dwell among the stars.once a young elephant thought that he must be the one, for a great stone becoming detached from a cliff fell upon his head.he instantly exclaimed, i see stars all around me.i am surely the elephant foretold! and for a few moments actually thought he must have gone up; but those standing by saw him rambling round with uncertain step and laughed at him.when he got over the effects of the blow on his head, he had to acknowledge that he was still upon the earth, though he always solemnly declared that for a few moments he really had been in the sky among the stars.of course he had not gone up, and each still continued to hope that he was the one destined to immortality.the lion, they said, was among the stars, and the bear and even the senseless dipper.but none knew that to live among the stars one must go through a great deal of suffering.there were two elephants living a long time since who were remarkably sagacious.they were married and it was their earnest desire that their son, if they ever had any, should be the one who should climb the sky and live among the stars.they often talked over the best way of securing this good, and ate up an immense number of different kinds of trees because they had heard that there was a particular kind of tree which, when eaten, would furnish the necessary knowledge.whether they ever ate the right tree or not it is difficult to say, but one night as they were considering the matter, the fatherelephant noticed a strange light in the north.look, my dear! said he, surely the woods are afire in the north! oh! said she, it is only the moon rising.hold your trunk! said he, sharply.are you such a camel as not to know that the moon never rises in the north? but on second thoughts, he added, i dont think it can be the woods on fire.see! the light is streaming up the sky.how many colours it has! perhaps it is the rainbow, timidly suggested the motherelephant.rainbow! your grandelephant! retorted he, contemptuously.they stood looking at the increasing light for some time longer with their trunks elevated, the motherelephant wisely refraining from further comment; when suddenly the fatherelephant, in a state of great excitement, began whisking his trunk about, and turning, ran his ivory tusks against the large sides of the mother.it was his way of expressing joy.have a care! said she, impatiently, clumsily avoiding his thrusts