FAIRIES I HAVE MET
fairies that come from flower-shops. But I dare say Granny won’t mind. She sees very few fairies. I am going to leave you at Granny’s house because it is her birthday. Now remember, you’re to be very nice to Granny, because she sees so few fairies.”
By this time they had reached Granny’s house. Granny lived all alone in a very splendid house in a great square. The house had a great many fine things in it: handsome furniture and valuable china and grand silks and brocades. But there was not a single, fairy in it, and a house that has no fairies in it is a very dull place.
Granny was sitting alone on her birthday. She looked round the great drawing-room and thought there were a number of empty chairs and sofas in it. That made her feel very lonely. No one had been to see her on her birthday; she had had no presents or letters; no one had noticed her birthday at all. If there had been any fairies in the house Granny would not have felt so lonely, because the fairies are always good company. But poor Granny had quite forgotten all about the fairies; it was so long since she had seen any.
Then a footman brought the white rosebud into the room, with a message from the little girl with the bright eyes and the nice laughing face.
Granny sat for a long time with the white rosebud on her knee. She felt happier than she had been all day. She sat so still that the fairy thought he might safely peep out and see what was going on. To his great surprise Granny noticed him at once; he had not thought it at all likely that she would .see him, for she was not the kind of
108
