Wonderwings and other Fairy Stories

Wonderwings and other Fairy Stories

Wonderwings


Poppypink sat up in bed and yawned. "Why is everybody getting up so
early?" she asked. "Is it a holiday?"

The older fairies were dressing themselves and brushing their long fine
hair. "Wonderwings is coming to see us," they said. "Jump up, little
Poppypink."

"Who is Wonderwings?" she asked.

"You will see when you are dressed. Hurry, or you will miss her."

"Oh dear! I am so sleepy," said Poppypink, and she yawned again. "I
don't care about Wonderwings." She snuggled down into the bedclothes
again, and went to sleep.

Presently she was awakened by the sound of the sweetest singing she had
ever heard, and a flash of brilliant colour went past her window pane of
crystal set in pearl.

"That must be Wonderwings," she said. "Oh, I must see her. I hope I am
not too late."

She sprang from bed and dressed so hurriedly that I am afraid her hair
did not receive its due amount of brushing. Then she ran out into the
garden.

The older fairies stood all in a group, saying loudly "I will go," and
"I will go." And before them, scarcely touching the ground with the tip
of her foot, stood poised a glorious fairy, taller than any other there.
She was altogether beautiful; and her wings--as soon as Poppypink saw
them she knew why the visitor had been called Wonderwings. For they
reached high above her head and almost to the ground, and they glowed
with so many colours that it seemed as if a million jewels had been Hung
upon them and had stuck, growing into a million flashing stars that
made a million little rainbows with every sway and movement of her body.