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“Allow me, madam, to offer you this kernel;” or, “Here, my dear, try that bit.” And sometimes he pecked a little, with a loud quaver, evidently saying, “Come, come, children, behave yourselves, and don’t eat like pigs.”

“What is she saying?” asked Daisy, pointing to an old gray hen in a black turban, who was walking about alone, muttering to herself, as hens often do in their promenades.

“She says a cat has made a nest, and hatched three kits up on the loft, near her own nest; and she doesn’t like it, because their mewing annoys her,” said Wee, after listening a minute.

“How nice! let’s go and find them. But do you learn anything about the fairies from the hen’s chat?”

“No: they have been so busy setting, they have had no time for picnics yet. But they will let us know, if they discover any.”

In the barn, the cows were being milked; and Daisy had a mugful of it, warm and sweet, out of the foaming pail.

“We’ll take some to Mrs. Purr; for, I dare say, she doesn’t like to leave the kits long, and will enjoy a sip of something comfortable,” said Wee, as Daisy climbed the ladder, and went rustling over the hay to a corner, whence came a joyful “Mew!” What a charming sight it was, to be sure! a snow-white cat lying in a cosy nest, and, by her, three snow-white kits, wagging three very small gray tails.

“There never was any thing so lovely!” cried Daisy, as she sat with the three downy balls in her lap, while the mamma gratefully lapped the new milk from Aunt Wee’s cup.

“Are they better than fairies?”

“Almost: for I know about pussies, and can cuddle them; but I couldn’t a fairy, you know, and they might be afraid of me. These dears are not afraid, and I shall have such fun with them as they grow up. What shall we name them, auntie?”

“Snowball, Patpaw, and Wagtail would do, I think,” said Wee, stroking the cat, who rubbed against her, purring very loud.

“Yes: I like those names for my pets. But what is Mrs. Purr saying, with her mouth up to your ear?” asked Daisy, who firmly believed that Aunt Wee knew every thing.

“She tells me that when she went on a grasshopper hunt the other day, as she ran through the meadow, she saw some lovely creatures all in blue, with gauze wings, flying about over the river, and sitting in the water-lilies. She thinks they may be fairies, and advises us to go and look.”

“So we will to-morrow,” said Daisy. “Ask her, please, if I may take the kits into the house, if I’ll be very careful and give them a nice big bed to sleep in.”

“She says you may; but she must go too, else the kits will cry,” said Wee, after listening to Pussy’s purr a minute.

Much pleased with her new pets, Daisy took them in her apron, and, followed by their confiding mamma, marched to the house, and established them in the old cradle which used to be hers. Pussy got in also; and, when they were settled on a soft cushion, Daisy rocked them gently to and fro. At first Mrs. Purr opened her yellow eyes, and looked rather anxious: but, as nothing uncomfortable happened, she composed herself, and soon quite liked the motion; for she fell asleep, and made a pretty picture as she lay with her downy white babies on her downy white breast.

When the sun rose next morning, he saw Daisy and Wee floating down the river in their boat. “Bless me! here’s company,” said the sun, and began at once to make them welcome in his most charming manner. He set the waves to sparkling with a sudden shimmer; he shot long rays of light through the dark hemlocks, till they looked like fairy trees; he touched Daisy’s hair and it turned to gold; he chased away the shadows that lurked among the hills; he drew up the misty curtain that hovered over the river; and, with the warmth of his kisses, waked the sleeping lilies.