Part 3

“And now, Tono,” said Captain Featherweight, “you have my full permission to go ahead and do your best for Emily’s birthday.

“And Lightning, you may go now to the Dwarfs of Cavedale and tell them to have the necklace ready for a week from to-night. And let it be wrought of fine filigree gold,--in a dainty design of lilies and roses.”

After the Captain had given commands to all the elves as to what the duty of each should be for the following week, they all ran away and began to make plans for their work.

“Tono,” said Rhymo, “I want your advice. You know I have to make a verse to accompany the necklace; how would this do?

“A necklace by the elves designed Of rose and lily intertwined, And by the Dwarfs of Cavedale wrought: A birthday gift to you we’ve brought.”

“It may be all right,” said Tono, “but if I were you I’d make several, and then let the Captain decide which he likes best.”

“A very fine idea,” said Rhymo, who liked nothing better than making verses, “and I’ll compose something bright and gay, for we must not forget it’s for a festive occasion.”

“I’ll just go now,” said Tono, “and see that all the musical instruments are in perfect tune.”

When Rhymo was left alone he busied himself with making verses that should be both happy and pleasing, trying first one rhyme and then another, and wondering which would please Emily most. For Captain Featherweight had told him that the object of birthday parties was to make the owner of the birthday glad and happy!

When the verses were finished he brought them to Tono, who was busy selecting the insect choir and testing their voices so that there should be no discordant note. This was the insects’ first lesson from Tono, and after a careful practice he dismissed them, saying, that the next rehearsal should be the following evening at the same place and hour.

As soon as the insects were gone, the elfin choir appeared, accompanied by the elfin orchestra with their wind instruments, stringed instruments, cymbals and drums. And Tono took the verses which Rhymo had made and set them to music, and never before in all their experience had the elfin choir and orchestra received such a drilling and training.

And at the same place and hour every night for a week, the elfin musicians came to the practice.

Every elf was busily engaged in doing his best for Emily’s birthday, for if the Elves of Mount Fern undertook to do work, they always aimed at perfection.

Lightning was busy in all sorts of ways, for whenever there was a message to send or an errand to run, the Captain always called on Lightning.

Rainbow was a kind of court of last appeal before the time came for the final rehearsal on the eve of Emily’s birthday, when Captain Featherweight was to judge of everything.

Colonel Claw, too, was busy all that week selecting the sweetest singers for the bird chorus; for although he did not sing himself, but only conversed, he was very particular as to the birds he should ask to take part in the celebration.

So he invited the musical Blackbird, but as he is a very great mimic, Colonel Claw warned him to be on his guard against imitating the rough and hoarse notes of other birds. He also invited the Bobolink, the Song Sparrow, the Vesper Sparrow, the Wood Pewee, the Indigo Bunting, the Robin, the Purple Finch, the Vireo, the Meadow Lark, the Veery, the Hermit Thrush, the Bluebird, and all the Warblers who might serve as a background or accompaniment.

The Cedar Bird was Colonel Claw’s great problem, because, as he said, “His voice is inferior.”

But he knew the Cedar Bird would be very much hurt if he did not invite him, and he knew too that Dr. Templeton and all his family were particularly fond of the Cedar Bird family. And so Colonel Claw was puzzled and perplexed, and he carried his difficulty to Rainbow and laid the case before him.

Rainbow advised Colonel Claw to invite the Cedar Bird, “For,” said he, “it is to be such a gay and festive occasion that there should be no sad hearts in Templeton Garden. But tell him to be sure to sing softly, softly.”

“Dear sir, kind sir,” said Colonel Claw, “you are always so amiable, and your counsel so admirable, that I take your advice; your wish is my law.”

And so Colonel Claw invited the Cedar Bird, and _he_ kept saying “softly,” “softly,” so that there should be no mistake as to what was required of him.

And all the birds entered into the spirit of the celebration, and came each day in joyous throngs to the practice. They were greatly excited all that week, for they had never before been asked to take part in the festivities of a little girl’s birthday. And they spent far more time than usual in preening their feathers and taking their baths, until they felt that they were looking their very best.

The insects, too, were very particular about their appearance, and swam and dove in the pool of the fountain, and dried themselves in the sun so that there should be no particles of dust sticking to them.

And on Thursday, the great day, Colonel Claw, Tono, and Rainbow marched all the birds and insects down to the river for their final bath and preening.

They used the surface of the water as a mirror. And when they were perfectly clean, Colonel Claw commanded all the birds to alight on the nearest tree to plume and arrange their feathers.

And Tono, who had charge of the insects, told them to fly to some shrubs that were growing near the river.

“When I blow three blasts on my bugle,” said Tono, “fly quickly to Templeton Garden and alight on the flowering hawthorne that grows north of the mulberry tree.”

“And when I give three caws,” said Colonel Claw to the birds in the oak tree, “fly swiftly to Temple Garden and alight on the tall elm tree to the east of the mulberry tree.”

Then Tono and Rainbow returned to Mount Fern, and Colonel Claw to his perch in the mulberry tree.

Colonel Claw knew all about the birthday party, for he had heard of it from the Elves, who in turn had heard Mary and Anna talking about it.

He knew that after the guests arrived they were to have supper at the Hall, and that after supper they were all to come out to the garden and play games around the mulberry tree.

The party was at eight o’clock, and precisely at eight Colonel Claw gave three loud caws to the birds in the oak tree, Tono blew three long blasts on his bugle, and as soon as these signals were given, the birds and the insects all flew away to the hawthorne and elm, near the mulberry tree.

When the elves arrived at Templeton Hall they heard strains from a giant orchestra, and the air was rich with the fragrance of flowers. They entered unobserved, for an elf has many ways of making himself invisible, and does not have to be seen unless he wants to be.

Emily was standing in the middle of the parlor dressed in fine Persian lawn, adorned with blue ribbons.

And soon the door-bell rang, and again and again and again, until all the guests were assembled. And they each wished Emily very many happy returns of the day.

Then Emily led her guests to a large veranda all covered with roses and clematis, and there supper was served.

The tables were covered with beautiful flowers and all kinds of fruit, and turkey, chicken and tongue, hot rolls and hot biscuits, and brown bread and butter, after which came the ice cream and cake.

And _such_ a cake!

It was made in the form of a great big shoe, and lined with silver paper. Inside the shoe there were dolls and toys for every one of the guests, and a great big doll for Emily--just like the old woman who lived in a shoe! And all the little guests said it was the nicest and funniest birthday cake they had ever seen.

And as soon as supper was over Emily led her guests to the mulberry tree which stood in the middle of the garden.

Dr. Templeton was prouder of this tree than of anything else in the garden, for he believed it to be a great-grandchild of the mulberry tree which Shakespeare planted at Stratford so long ago. And whenever there was company at Templeton Hall, Dr. Templeton always brought them out to the garden to show them the mulberry tree.

On the evening of Emily’s birthday it was hung with Chinese lanterns from the top to the bottom--in all the gay colors of the rainbow. And around this beautiful tree, Emily and her guests danced and played games by the light of the lanterns until the birthday party was over.

But just then a strange thing occurred--not strange to the elves, who knew all about it, but to Emily, her guests, and her Father and Mother.

For Rainbow, the elf, appeared on the green and a daintier little gentleman never was seen. His blue satin coat, with silvery leaves embroidered in wreaths, his white silken hose and gilt-buckled shoes, and his blue Forget-Me-Not girdle, made an exquisite picture.

With three very low bows he flew straight to Emily, and told her that the insect choir would be pleased to favor her with some music in honor of her birthday. Then Rainbow made a motion to Tono, who had charge of the insect choir. Tono gave the word of command, and the fiddlers, drummers, and pipers of the insect world appeared.

The short-horned Grasshoppers were there with their bows and fiddles; the musical Cicadas were also there with their high-tuned kettle drums; and the meadow Grasshoppers were playing: “Zip, zip, zee-e-e! Zip, zip, zee-e-e!”

The pale-green, bashful Katydids, who are usually heard but not seen, were also there singing with all their might: “Katy did! she did, she did, she didn’t!” over and over again.

And the cheery crickets with their happy chirpings, sang: “Cheer-up! cheer-up! cheer-up!”

They all sang and played most heartily, all in honor of Emily’s birthday. And when they had finished there was loud applause and cries of “More! more!”

But just at that moment Colonel Claw stepped forward, and told them that the birds also would be pleased to favor Emily and her guests with some music.

A Starling, whom Colonel Claw had taught to make a speech for the occasion, stepped forward and said that as all the birds in Templeton Garden had been most kindly treated, and had even had fine, comfortable houses provided for them, they wanted to show their appreciation by helping to celebrate Emily’s birthday.

Then the Starling, bowing low, turned to Emily and added: “In the name of all the birds of Templeton Garden, I wish you a great many happy returns!”

So saying he returned to the elm tree. Colonel Claw gave the word of command, and the music began.

The birds are the sweetest of all sweet singers, and the chorus was grand. It was a billow of song that rose and fell like the waves of a mighty ocean. At times no one voice could be heard distinctly; again, the flute-like notes of the Wood Thrush, the Purple Finch’s rich, melodious warble, or the beautiful trill of the Vireo could be heard quite plainly above the chorus.

The birds were jubilant. Never before had they sung with so much strength and sweetness. And when at last the music died away in gentle cadences, Emily and her friends clapped their hands in glee, and said they had never in all their lives heard anything so beautiful.

Then Tono, at a signal from Captain Featherweight, bowed low before Emily and said: “The elves of Mount Fern take this opportunity to express their thanks for their comfortable home in Templeton Garden, and beg that their choir and orchestra may be allowed to take part in the celebration of your birthday.”

Emily was very much delighted and said that any one was fortunate who had the elves for friends.

So the elfin choir and orchestra flew up into the large white oak tree that stood near the mulberry tree. And there they played and sang the music which Rhymo and Tono had composed for the occasion:

_The Wish of the Elves._

“’Tis a festive occasion Which brings us today, To sing thy high praises In musical lay! Your life in its morning Dawns glorious and bright, With promise of sunshine, And gladness and light. May future years bring thee The gifts most sublime, Great courage and wisdom, And hope for all time!”

Emily knew she had never heard anything half so wonderful. She told her Father and Mother that this was the most splendid day she had ever lived, and that she did not know how she was ever going to wait until her next birthday--for she thought birthdays were the very nicest days in all the year.

Just as she said this, she saw Captain Featherweight and Rhymo coming toward her. The Captain carried a box, and she wondered if she were really going to get another present after all she had already received.

Rhymo began to speak, and he recited the verse he had made for the necklace:

“The Elves of Mount Fern Are so glad to discern When a young girl is kind, good and wise, That they’re prone to reward, When her birthday comes round, With a gift that will gladden her eyes. Accept then this necklace of gold, And the wish that you’ll never grow old In faith, hope and charity, Truth in its rarity, Goodness and kindness untold.”

Then Captain Featherweight took the necklace of fine filigree gold and placed it around Emily’s neck.

And Emily felt like a Queen, and she told her Father and Mother that she was the happiest girl in all the wide world.

Thus ended the birthday party.

5

THE KING OF THE ELVES VISITS MOUNT FERN

The next evening, while the elves were at breakfast, Lightning informed Captain Featherweight that the King of the Elves was coming to visit Mount Fern.

“That is good news,” said the Captain, “are you sure it is true?”

“Quite sure,” said Lightning, “for I saw Okla of Oakdale, and he told me that the King is now visiting Elmsdale; and from Elmsdale he’s coming to Oakdale; and from Oakdale he’s coming to Mount Fern.”

“That is really good news!” said the Captain.

“And what shall we do to entertain him?” asked Rainbow.

“Nothing at all,” said the Captain, “for when the King goes visiting he always takes his entertainers with him. He has his own musicians, his own jesters, and his own actors.

“The King does this in his own defence, for he says it is a King’s privilege not to be entertained unless he wants to be. So we’ll only have to receive him.”

“Shall I make a poem for him?” asked Rhymo.

“Not at all,” said the Captain, “for he has his own Court poet, who is the best in the world, and if he wants a poem he has only to say so.”

“Won’t we have anything extra to do before he comes?” asked the flower-elf.

“Oh, yes!” replied the Captain, “and you especially, Iris-Wing, will be very busy, for the King is most particular about the care of plants, and if a single plant is neglected it makes him unhappy. So I want Templeton Garden to be a perfect bower of well-kept plants when the King comes to visit us.”

“Shall I be asked to sing or play?” asked Tono.

“I should say not,” replied the Captain, “for the King always travels with his own musicians, and if he wants any music he has only to say so.”

“And how shall we address him?” asked Slumber.

“As ‘Noble King,’ ‘Your Majesty,’ or ‘Your Royal Highness’,” said the Captain.

“If there is any doubt as to which he prefers, couldn’t we address him as ‘Your Royal Majesty’s Noble Highness’?” asked Touchstone.

“Silence!” commanded Captain Featherweight. “This is no time for jesting, and if any elf from this time forward be found guilty of jesting about the King, he shall forthwith be sent to Doomdell. This time I spare you, Touchstone.”

“Shall I touch stone next time, noble Captain?” asked Touchstone.

But as soon as he saw that the Captain was really angry that he should joke in this way about the prison walls of Doomdell, he immediately got down on bended knee and begged the Captain’s pardon. And Captain Featherweight, who was anxious that they should all live in harmony, graciously granted it.

“And Owly,” continued the Captain, “I warn _you_ not to be too clever. I should think Prince Prigio would be a warning to you. Don’t you remember how everybody hated him because he was so very clever and let everybody know it? And that it was only when he concealed the fact and _seemed_ no cleverer than other people that they began to love him?”

“I’ll do my best,” said Owly, “but if I am as clever as you say, it is my nature to be so and I cannot help it.”

“You can be clever and tactful, too,” said the Captain. “Take Rainbow for your model, and learn of him.

“And if you ask a question of the King, you must say: ‘Your Royal Highness, may I be permitted to ask----’ and so forth.

“But you must _not_ say: ‘May I ask--your Royal Highness?’ ‘Your Royal Highness’ or ‘Your Majesty’ must always come before ‘I’ or ‘me’ when you are addressing the King.”

“Rainbow, as usual, I put you in charge of the whole affair. You must instruct the others in the proper etiquette for the occasion.”

“Shall I gather countless fireflies for the illumination?” asked Lightning.

“Not fireflies, but glowworms,” said the Captain. “They are rarer and will therefore do the King more honor.

“And we’ll send to the Dwarfs of Cavedale, and have them make a thousand silver filigree lanterns to hold the glowworms, and hang from the ceilings of Mount Fern, and from the branches of trees near our dwelling.

“And the floors shall be carpeted with the petals of roses; and the walls hung with star-flower and forget-me-not.

“And the sweetest and freshest of honeydew must be collected, with the ripest and most luscious of the fruits, and the most perfect of the nuts.

“And now I think this is all I need tell you, for, as I said before, the King will manage his own entertainment.

“Right! Left! Shoulder arms!”

At this command every elf went to work.

The flower-elf ran off to the mulberry tree in search of Colonel Claw. He found him perching on one of the lower branches, so up he flew and sat beside him. And he told him all about the expected visit of the King.

“There is nothing the King so much dislikes as an ill-kept garden,” said the flower-elf. “And so I have come to ask your kind assistance in a battle against the canker-worms, grubs, beetles, ants and other insects that eat out the life of the flowers.”

“I’ll do my best,” said Colonel Claw. “I’ll get all the birds in the neighborhood to wage incessant warfare against all the enemies of the flowers! And I’ll begin this very hour.”

“A thousand thanks,” said Iris-Wing, “you have my undying gratitude, and if I can ever help you, be sure I will.”

Then the flower-elf bade adieu to Colonel Claw and went in search of Slumber.

He found him resting on a bank of fern-moss, and told him that he wanted him to make the gardener dream such dreams as would make that lazy fellow do the work of his life.

“I don’t know how you are going to do it,” said the flower-elf, “but it will have to be done.”

“Leave that to me,” said Slumber, “for I am sure I can manage it. Think of the bluebirds’ feathers and doubt not.”

“I trust you entirely,” said the flower-elf, “and I know that all will be well.

“But now I must go and see where the best honeydew is to be found. And while I am testing the honeydew I will just make a note of the nuts and fruits that I happen to see.”

So saying he departed waving his hand in adieu.

Lightning went to the Dwarfs of Cavedale and ordered a thousand lanterns of filigree silver.

Tono trained his choir and orchestra so that he would be prepared if the King should ask him to sing or play.

Rhymo made verses all night long, for he did not want to be caught napping if the King should ask him for one of his poems.

Rainbow was carefully planning the details, and every one came to him for advice.

When the gardener had gone to bed for the night, Slumber entered his cottage noiselessly, softly entered his sleeping-room, and gently beat on the drum of his ear.

And the gardener dreamed and dreamed. He thought he was on a desert plain, and he was very thirsty--so thirsty that he did not care for anything in the world but _water_. His throat was parched; the sky was red; the grass was brown; the sun was scorching!

And there was not a drop of water in sight! There were no clouds in the sky to bring rain, nor a sign of moisture anywhere!

Just as he thought he could stand it no longer, a frightful hobgoblin with black wings and piercing eyes came hovering over him, and cried in a voice of thunder:

“You’re thirsty, are you?”

“‘Thirsty,’” sighed the gardener, “I’m dying of thirst!”

“Go first and water the flowers; then you may drink,” said the goblin, as he flew up in the air uttering a horrid shriek.

But the gardener dreamed again: this time he was starving; and there was not a scrap of food in sight, not even a grain of corn to satisfy his gnawing hunger.

And when he thought he could stand it no longer, the same frightful hobgoblin came flying toward him, and flapped its great wings and cried:

“You’re hungry, are you?”

“So hungry that I’m fainting,” whispered the gardener.

“Go first and feed your plants, and then you may eat,” said the goblin. Then away he flew and left him alone as before.

But the gardener dreamed still again, and this time he thought he was in his own cottage. The walls of the cottage began to shrink; and the tables and chairs and everything else in the room began to move toward him. The windows shut of themselves; the shades rolled down; the air grew close and stifling.

And he couldn’t escape, for just as soon as he moved one chair away, another one took its place.

The chairs and tables moved nearer and nearer; and the gardener was so weary that he wanted to sink on the floor; but there was not room, for everything in the cottage piled itself right up against him so that he could not move.

The air grew thicker and thicker, and the night grew blacker and blacker, but not so black that he could not see the goblin coming toward him.

And the goblin flew straight to the gardener, flapped its heavy wings, and shouted at him:

“You’re cramped for room, are you?”

“I’m dying,” said the gardener.

“Then help the plants to live. Pull up the weeds, give the plants room, and you may live yourself,” said the goblin as he flew away in the darkness.

At this point the dream-elf, thinking his work well done, hastened back to Mount Fern.

“Some dreams,” said he to himself, “are good for a gardener, and I think this one will be.”

Very early the next morning the flower-elf and Slumber went into the garden to see what was happening there.

And lo and behold! Colonel Claw was at work with a whole host of birds, destroying the insects that eat out the life of the flowers. Such a chattering you never did hear, for they sang and talked as they worked.

A host of Warblers was destroying plant-lice, canker-worms, and caterpillars.

Catbirds were waging warfare against grasshoppers, beetles, and other insects.

Swallows were flying hither and thither in search of insects, and catching their prey on the wing; and each as he passed a friend or a brother cried out:

“Hurry up, there is work to be done!”

The Flickers were ridding the garden of ants, and gaily they worked and well.

And Sparrows were eating the seeds of the weeds, so that none might escape to grow up and choke out the flowers.

All the birds helped in the work, and destroyed all the harmful insects and weed seeds.

And this army of birds had just got to work when the gardener appeared on the scene. He came much earlier than usual; and he fed and watered the plants; and he weeded and spaded and hoed; and not a single plant was neglected.

And early each morning Colonel Claw marshalled his army of birds to do battle against the plants’ enemies.

And early each morning the gardener, too, kept on with his weeding and hoeing.

So that the garden grew and flourished. The flowers were blooming with happiness, and they smiled and nodded their beautiful heads while they said to the gardener:

“Dear sir, you are kindness itself.”

And all the elves were delighted, especially the flower-elf.