26. The End of the Year

The Enchanted Island of Yew

by L. Frank Baum

The girls sat upon the green moss and waited. Prince Marvel
stood silent beside his horse. The silver armor was as bright as the
day he donned it, nor was there a dent in his untarnished shield.
The sword that had done such good service he held lightly in his
hand, and the horse now and then neighed softly and turned to look at
him with affectionate eyes.

Seseley began to tremble with excitement, and Berna and Helda
stared at the prince with big round eyes.

But, after all, they saw nothing so remarkable as they expected.
For presently--and it all happened in a flash--Prince Marvel was
gone from their midst, and a handsome, slender-limbed deer darted
from the bower and was quickly lost in the thick forest. On the
ground lay a sheet of bark and a twig from a tree, and beside them
was Lady Seseley's white velvet cloak.

Then the three girls each drew a long breath and looked into one
another's eyes, and, while thus engaged, a peal of silvery laughter
sounded in their ears and made them spring quickly to their feet.

Before them stood a tiny and very beautiful fairy, clothed in
floating gossamer robes of rose and pearl color, and with eyes
sparkling like twin stars.

"Prince Marvel!" exclaimed the three, together.

"No, indeed!" cried the fairy, with a pretty little pout. "I am
no one but myself; and, really, I believe I shall now be content to
exist for a few hundred years in my natural form. I have quite
enjoyed my year as a mortal; but after all there are, I find, some
advantages in being a fairy. Good by, my dears!"

And with another ripple of laughter the pretty creature
vanished, and the girls were left alone.