The Enchanted Island of Yew | Page 7

transform you; some one will have to show
me the way to do it," protested Seseley, who was getting worried over
the task set her.
"Oh, that will be easy enough," returned the little immortal. "Have you
a wand?"
"No."
"Then I'll loan you mine, for I shall not need it. And you must wave it
over my head three times and say: 'By my mortal powers I transform
you into a boy for the space of one year'."
"One year! Isn't that too long?"
"It's a very short time to one who has lived thousands of years as a
fairy."
"That is true," answered the baron's daughter.

"Now, I'll begin by doing a little transforming myself," said the fairy,
getting upon her feet again, "and you can watch and see how I do it."
She brushed a bit of moss from her gauzy skirts and continued: "If I'm
to become a boy I shall need a horse, you know. A handsome, prancing
steed, very fleet of foot."
A moment she stood motionless, as if listening. Then she uttered a low
but shrill whistle.
The three girls, filled with eager interest, watched her intently.
Presently a trampling of footsteps was heard through the brushwood,
and a beautiful deer burst from the forest and fearlessly ran to the fairy.
Without hesitation she waved her wand above the deer's head and
exclaimed:
"By all my fairy powers I command you to become a war-horse for the
period of one year."
Instantly the deer disappeared, and in its place was a handsome charger,
milk-white in color, with flowing mane and tail. Upon its back was a
saddle sparkling with brilliant gems sewn upon fine dressed leather.
The girls uttered cries of astonishment and delight, and the fairy said:
"You see, these transformations are not at all difficult. I must now have
a sword."
She plucked a twig from a near-by tree and cast it upon the ground at
her feet. Again she waved her wand--and the twig turned to a gleaming
sword, richly engraved, that seemed to the silent watchers to tremble
slightly in its sheath, as if its heart of steel throbbed with hopes of
battles to come.
"And now I must have shield and armor, said the fairy, gaily. "This will
make a shield,"--and she stripped a sheet of loose bark from a
tree-trunk,--"but for armor I must have something better. Will you give
me your cloak?"
This appeal was made to Seseley, and the baron's daughter drew her
white velvet cloak from her shoulders and handed it to the fairy. A
moment later it was transformed into a suit of glittering armor that
seemed fashioned of pure silver inlaid with gold, while the sheet of
bark at the same time became a handsome shield, with the figures of
three girls graven upon it. Seseley recognized the features as those of
herself and her comrades, and noted also that they appeared sitting at
the edge of a forest, the great trees showing plainly in the background.

"I shall be your champion, you see," laughed the fairy, gleefully, "and
maybe I shall be able to repay you for the loss of your cloak."
"I do not mind the cloak," returned the child, who had been greatly
interested in these strange transformations. "But it seems impossible
that a dainty little girl like you can ride this horse and carry these heavy
arms."
"I'll not be a girl much longer," said the little creature. "Here, take my
wand, and transform me into a noble youth!"
Again the pretty fairy kneeled before Seseley, her dainty, rounded
limbs of white and rose showing plainly through her gauzy attire. And
the baron's daughter was suddenly inspired to be brave, not wishing to
disappoint the venturous immortal. So she rose and took the magic
wand in her hand, waving it three times above the head of the fairy.
"By my powers as a mortal," she said, marveling even then at the
strange speech, "I command you to become a brave and gallant
youth--handsome, strong, fearless! And such shall you remain for the
space of one year.
As she ceased speaking the fairy was gone, and a slender youth,
dark-eyed and laughing, was holding her hand in his and kissing it
gratefully.
"I thank you, most lovely maiden," he said, in a pleasant voice, "for
giving me a place in the world of mortals. I shall ride at once in search
of adventure, but my good sword is ever at your service."
With this he gracefully arose and began to buckle on his magnificent
armor and to fasten the sword to his belt.
Seseley drew a long, sighing breath of amazement at her own powers,
and turning to Berna and Helda she asked:
"Do I see aright? Is the little fairy