TO MY CHILDREN THESE TALES ARE MOST AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED. THEY WERE WRITTEN IN HOURS OF SICKNESS, BUT ARE INTENDED TO BE READ BY THE HEALTHY AND JOYOUS YOUNG: AND TO ILLUSTRATE SOME FAVOURITE AND LONG CHERISHED CONVICTIONS. Ecclesfield Vicarage, 27th March, 1851. MARGARET GATTY. The defign for the Frontispiece which adorns this THE FAIRY GODMOTHERS. N one of the beautiful bays on the coaft of Fairy Land, a party of Fairies was affembled on a lovely evening in July. There are many beautiful bays on the coaft of England, and there is one especially, my dear little readers, which you and I know of, where a long line of grand old rocks ftretches far into the fea on the left-hand extremity, while in the distance to the right a warning lighthouse with its changing lights gives an almost folemn beauty to the fcene; for one cannot help thinking, at the fight of it, of the poor ftorm-driven mariner, whom even that friendly light may fail to fave from a fad and fudden death. But beautiful as this little bay is, of which I fpeak, and fond as we are of it, it is nothing, I do affure you, compared to the bays in Fairy Land! There, there are no lighthouses reminding one painfully of danger and deftruction near, but all is lovelinefs and peace; and even the rocks would be turned into foft pillows by the good-natured Fairies who inhabit the country, should any strange accident drive a mortal ship on that shore. Alfo the bays in Fairy Land face to the west, which is a great advantage, for in an evening there you may fit and watch the golden fun dipping behind the waves; and the rich red tints he fends out upon the rocks before he fets, are beyond measure beautiful and attractive. Efpecially, I believe, the Fairies enjoy this time of day, for they are odd little creatures, rather conceited, and fond of everything pretty; confequently they like to be floating about the rocks in their white dreffes when the crimson and golden hues of sunset shine on them, knowing very well they look like fo many bright flowers on the occafion. The day I fpeak of however had been very hot, and at the time I fpeak of, the Fairies felt a little lazy and were reclining on fome rocks covered with fea-weed and amufing themselves by talking. In general the conversation of these little creatures is rather light and frivolous and gay; but it is really a fact that they were juft then all ferious together and all were engaged in a very profound converfation on human happiness. I am forry to have fo many explanations to give, but I think it quite neceffary to tell you the reafon of fo uncommon an event as a party of Fairies being serious. Well then, there were going to be, very shortly, feveral extremely gay chriftenings in the world, and fome of the Fairies had been |