The little elves seeking the beautiful world

She reached forth her wand and said: “Arise, go seek one of those wonderful pine groves, for therein shall my palace be built. This Norseland is too cold and bleak. I will hold...

While Spider Eyes was talking, being quite tired, he sat down on what he thought to be a brown stone, but much to his surprise he felt the stone rising.

“What is the matter now?” angrily cried Mr. Toad. “You will break my back. Every time you step, you make a dent in it. My back is surely softer than the ground. Do sit still if...

What a long tongue! He seemed to be watching something. Lazily flying by was a large blue fly, and as the fly drew near the toad, the toad made a snap and a jump, then all was s...

“Here he is, and fast asleep! Why did he go in those flowers? for it is said they put people to sleep; and sometimes it is a sleep from which they never waken.”

“You were with me,” laughed Spider Eyes, “but it was all in a dream. Now we must call on Dr. Spider before we set out in earnest to see the beautiful world.”

“Kind friend,” said Spider Eyes, shading his eyes from the glare of the glowworm’s lantern, “my brothers and I are going to see the beautiful world, and we wish to inquire the w...

“He said he had never seen the beautiful world,” answered Spider Eyes. “But there are some bright lights overhead that he thought were the lights of the beautiful world. He was...

“True,” answered the glowworm. “I seldom come this way. The air is too dry, and there is not wood enough to roam around in. I have come to-day to bring these four little elves,...

He called out angrily to them: “You may laugh, if you will; but I tell you it is no fun to be thrown in mid air and land on your head. You would not like it a bit, Chip Wing, to...

“That looks fine!” said the grasshopper. “Now catch hold of this end of the rope and fly over the hole where Spider Eyes lies. Go high in the air, so that the other end will swi...

“If that is all you want, I will gladly come down and see you,” said Mrs. Mouse, “for I know the way to the beautiful world and can tell you all about it.”

They would have preferred to remain at the door, and hoped they would not have to stay there long, and that she would soon be ready to go and show them the way to the beautiful...

As she saw them cling closer and closer together, she raised the stick, and was about to give each a knock. But she suddenly dropped it and shook with fear.

They had not flown far when Spider Eyes turned to Chip Wing, and said: “I wonder if we are going the right way? We will have to ask some one again.”

“Why, he is talking or calling to some one,” said Pointed Toes. “We know of that bird, too, but have never heard him call before. He flies high, and he flies low, so he must sur...

“Oh, Spider Eyes! Stop, stop!” called Pointed Toes, “I am tired. Do let us rest awhile. Besides, it is so dark we can no longer see the gates of the beautiful world, and if we f...

“It cannot be,” said Dusty Cap. “We will soon find out where we are, for we will ask the first thing that comes this way. Let us sit down on this rock and wait.”