Page:Zodiac stories by Blanche Mary Channing.pdf/311

294 nearer, until the bravest would drop down from a bough upon his head or shoulder, and the others, seeing it, would run up his arms, and perch here and there on his body.

Hansel's mother looked upon the strange power he possessed over animals as something very like magic, and was afraid the fairies had a hand in it, and might carry the boy off to Elf-land some day. So she tied around his neck a pewter medal with the head of a saint on it, and taught him a prayer which he was to say to the saint if ever the fairies tried to bewitch him.

"I wish they would," said Hansel; "I would like to see the fairies."

"Never say that again, foolish child!" cried his mother. "Do you want to be carried off and turned into you don't know what?"

"I'm not afraid of them!" said Hansel.

"Do as I tell you, just the same," answered Gretel Myers sharply.