Ting-a-ling | Page 9

in search of the missing portion

of herself, and, encountering nothing but mere air, she got very angry,
and stamped her feet, and shrugged her shoulders, which amused the
fairies very much, and they all set up a great laugh, and seemed to be
enjoying the fun amazingly. On one side, down by a little brook, was a
busy crowd of fairies, who appeared to be washing something therein.
Scattered all around were portions of the Tower of Tears, much of
which had fallen hereabouts.
Ting-a-ling and his friend had not gazed long upon this scene before
the sound of music was heard, and in a few moments there appeared
from out the woods a gorgeous procession. First came a large band of
music, ringing blue-bells and blowing honeysuckles. Then came an
array of courtiers, magnificently dressed; and, after them, the Queen of
the fairies, riding in a beautiful water-lily, drawn by six royal purple
butterflies, and surrounded by a brilliant body of lords and ladies.
This procession halted at a short distance in front of the
lady-minus-a-head, and formed itself into a semicircle, with the Queen
in the centre. Then the crowd at the brook were seen approaching, and
on the shoulders of the multitude was borne a head. They hurried as
fast as their heavy load would permit, until they came to the tree under
which sat the headless Nerralina, who, bed and all, had fallen here,
when the Giant tore down the tower. Then quickly attaching a long
rope (that they had put over a branch directly above the lady) to the hair
of the head, they all took hold of the other end, and, pulling with a will,
soon hoisted the head up until it hung at some distance above the neck
to which it had previously belonged. Now they began to lower it slowly,
and the Queen stood up with her wand raised ready to utter the magic
word which should unite the parts when they touched. A deep silence
spread over the plain, and even the lady seemed conscious that
something was about to happen, for she stood up and remained
perfectly still.
There was but one person there who did not feel pleasure at the
approaching event, and that was a dwarf about a foot high, very ugly
and wicked, who, by some means or other, had got into this goodly
company, and who was now seated in a crotch of the tree, very close to

the rope by which the crowd was lowering the lady's head. No one
perceived him, for he was very much the color of the tree, and there he
sat alone, quivering with spite and malice.
[Illustration]
At the moment the head touched the ivory neck, the Queen, uttering the
magic word, dropped the end of the wand, and immediately the head
adhered as firmly as of old.
But a wild shout of horror rang through all the plain! For, at the critical
moment, the dwarf had reached out his hand, and twisted the rope, so
that when the head was joined, it was wrong side foremost--face back!
Just then the little villain stuck his head out from behind the branch,
and, giving a loud and mocking laugh of triumph, dropped from the
tree. With a yell of anger the whole crowd, Queen, courtiers, common
people, and all, set off in a mad chase after the dwarf, who fled like a
stag before the hounds.
All were gone but little Ting-a-ling, and when he saw the dreadful
distress of poor Nerralina, who jumped up, and twisted around, and ran
backward both ways, screaming for help, he stopped not a minute, but
ran to where he had left the Giant, and told him, as fast as his breathing
would allow, the sad story.
Rubbing his eyes, Tur-il-i-ra perceived that it was nearly day, and
concluded to commence operations. He placed Ting-a-ling on his
shirt-frill, where he could see what was going on, and, taking about
eleven strides, he came to where poor Nerralina was jumping about,
and, picking her up, put her carefully into his coat-tail pocket. Then,
with the cheese in his hand, he walked slowly toward the palace.
When he arrived there, he found the people running about, and
crowding around the ruins of the Tower of Tears. He passed on,
however, to the great Audience Chamber, and, looking in, saw the King
sitting upon his throne behind a velvet-covered table, holding an early
morning council, and receiving the reports of his officers concerning

the damage. As this Hall, and the doors thereof, were of great size, the
Giant walked in, stooping a little as he entered.
He marched right up to the King, and held the cheese down before him.
"Here, your Majesty, is your daughter, and the young