FullReads

“You must not knock at any of those front doors,” advised Grandmother, “because Mrs. Wasp lives there, and might not understand; although if you let her alone she will not hurt you. Just let me tell you something about her.”

So Lindsay listened while Grandmother told the story:–

Once there was a little elf, who lived in the heart of a bright red rose, just like the roses we have been talking about.

There were many other elves who lived in the garden. One, who lived in a lily which made a lovely home; and a poppy elf, who was always sleepy; but the rose elf liked her own sweet smelling room, with its crimson curtains, best of all.

Now the rose elf had a very dear friend, a little girl named Polly. She could not speak to her, for fairies can only talk to people like you and me in dreams and fancies, but she loved Polly very much, and would lie in her beautiful rose room, and listen to Polly’s singing, till her heart was glad.

One day as she listened she said to herself, “If I cannot speak to Polly, I can write her a letter;” and this pleased her so much that she called over to the lily elf to ask what she should write it on. “I always write my letters on rose petals, and get the wind to take them,” said the rose elf. “But I am afraid Polly would not understand that.”

“I will tell you,” answered the lily elf, “what I would do. I would go right to Mrs. Wasp, and ask her to give me a piece of paper.”

“But Mrs. Wasp is very cross, I’ve heard,” said the rose elf timidly.

“Never believe the gossip that you hear. If Mrs. Wasp does seem to be a little stingy, I’m sure she has a good heart,” replied the lily elf. So the rose elf took courage, and flew to Mrs. Wasp’s house, where, by good fortune, she found Mrs. Wasp at home.

“Good morning Mrs. Wasp,” called the little elf, “I’ve come to see if you will kindly let me have a sheet of paper to-day.”

“Now,” said the wasp, “I have just papered my house with the last bit of paper I had, but if you can wait, I will make you a sheet.”

Then the rose elf knew that Mrs. Wasp had a kind heart; and she waited and watched with a great deal of interest while Mrs. Wasp set to work. Now, close by her house was an old bit of dry wood, and Mrs. Wasp sawed it into fine bits, like thread, with her two sharp saws that she carries about her. Then she wet these bits well with some glue from her mouth, and rolled them into a round ball.

“Oh, Mrs. Wasp!” cried the rose elf, “I’m afraid I am putting you to too much trouble.”

“Don’t fret about me,” said the wasp; “I’m used to work.” So she spread out the ball, working with all her might, into a thin sheet of gray paper; and when it was dry, she gave it to the rose elf.

“Thank you, good Mrs. Wasp,” said the elf; and she flew away to invite the lily elf and the poppy elf to help her with the letter, for she wanted it to be as sweet as all the flowers of spring.

When it was finished they read it aloud.

“Dear Polly:
I’m a little elf
I live within a flow’r;
I live to hear your happy song,
It cheers my ev’ry hour.
That I love you, I’d like to say
To you, before I close,
And please sing sweetly ev’ry day
To
Your friend within a Rose.”

The letter was sent by a bluebird; and the elf was sure that Polly understood, for that very day she came and stood among the flowers to sing the very sweetest song she knew.