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O NCE upon a time there was a child who wanted all the stars in the sky to play with, and she cried for them from morning till night. One day, she started out by herself to see if she could find them.
She went far, far away, and then farther still, until she came to a mill wheel, creaking and grinding away.
"Good day to you," said the child to the mill wheel; "I want all the stars in the sky to play with. Have you seen any near here?"
"Ah, yes," said the old mill wheel, "every night they shine in my face from the pond until I cannot sleep. Jump into the pond, little girl, and you will find them."
So the child jumped into the pond and
swam about, but she could not find any
stars. She swam until she came to the
brooklet, and to the brooklet she
"Good day, Brooklet. I want all the stars in the sky to play with. Have you seen any near here?"
"Ah, yes," said the brooklet, "they glint on my bank at night until I cannot sleep. Paddle about, little girl, and you will find them."
So the child paddled about in the brooklet, but she could not find any stars. Then she climbed up the bank, and sat down in the meadow to dry. Now it was a fairy meadow, and when it came night, out scampered the Good Folk to dance on the green.
"Good evening, Good Folk," said the child, "I want all the stars in the sky to play with. Have you seen any near here?"
"Ah, yes, we have," said the Good Folk, "they glisten in the grass in the night time. Come and dance with us, little girl, and you will find as many stars as you like."
So the child danced all night with the
Good Folk, but not a star could she find.
When it came morning the Good Folk
danced away to hide, but they said as they
"Ask Four Feet to carry you to
The child thought that this was all very strange. She wandered about, not knowing which way to go, until at last she came upon a little pony, standing, saddled and bridled, in the woods.
"Good day, Four Feet," said the child,
"will you carry me to
"I wait for the Good Folk's bidding," said the pony.
"It is from the Good Folk that I come," said the child.
"Then jump upon my back," said Four Feet.
Away they galloped, over field and meadow, until they came at last to the sea.
"I can take you no farther," said Four Feet.
The child looked out over the sea, and in the middle she saw an arch of beautiful colors. It glinted and glistened in the sunlight. It reached to the sky.
And a great fish swam from under the arch, and up to the child.
"Good day, No Feet," said the child, "I want all the stars in the sky to play with. Will you carry me to the stairs without steps, that I may climb up, and get the stars?"
"I wait for the Good Folk's bidding," said No Feet.
"It is from the Good Folk that I come," said the child.
"Then jump on my back," said
So No Feet swam, and swam, with the child upon his back, until they were far from the shore. They came to a glistening arch in the middle of the sea.
"I can go no farther with you," said
So the child jumped from No Feet's back, and tried to climb up the rainbow, but as fast as she took one step, she slipped back, splash, into the sea.
She tried, and she tried, but it was no
use at all. She could not climb up to the
sky. So, after a while, she called