Page:The Strand Magazine (Volume 4).djvu/664

 brooks. Mossy oaks, purple beeches, feathery larches, and plane trees with their golden leaves cast their long shadows upon the grass. From the foliage came the song of a finch, whose melody expressed joy and peace. Aleli smiled with pleasure, and turned to Zerbin.

"Dear Zerbin," she asked, "are you not happy here? Could you wish for anything more?"

"I never wished for anything," said Zerbin. my "To-morrow I shall take axe and I shall work hard; there is some fine wood here. I could make at least a hundred fagots."

"Oh!" said Aleli, with a sigh; "I see you do not love me."

"Love you!" said Zerbin; "what does that mean? I would do you no harm, certainly—rather the contrary. We have a palace which appears to have fallen from the clouds; it is yours; send to your father, and ask him to come; I shall be glad. As for me, I was born a wood-cutter—a wood-cutter I will die. That is my sphere—in it I will remain. Do not weep; I do not wish to grieve you."

"Oh, Zerbin," cried poor Aleli, "why do you treat me thus? Am I then so disagreeable and ugly that you cannot love me?"

"Love you? That is not my business. Do not weep; be reasonable. What! Fresh tears! Well then, if it gives you any pleasure, I will wish to love you."

And poor Aleli raised her eyes dimmed with tears to his face, and in the eyes which met her own she beheld the reflection of her strong and deep love, which would endure for ever. At this sight she smiled through her tears.

Then appeared the water fairy, leading by the hand the worthy King Honeybee, who had been very unhappy since the departure of his daughter and his minister.

He tenderly embraced his children and gave them his blessing, and then returned to rule over his own kingdom.

The water fairy continued to watch over the welfare of the happy couple, who dwelt long in their beautiful palace, content to forget the world, and still more content to be forgotten by it.

Zerbin's want of sense completely disappeared; or if it did not it was little matter, for in the case of every married couple the wife has always wit enough for two.