First was Sunlight, radiantly beautiful and very fair; the second was Moonlight, a soft, dreamy damsel with nut-brown hair; next came Starlight, equally lovely but inclined to be retiring and shy. These three were dressed in shimmering11 robes of silvery white. The fourth was Daylight, a brilliant damsel with laughing eyes and frank manners, who wore a variety of colors. Then came Firelight, clothed in a fleecy flame-colored robe that wavered around her shapely form in a very attractive manner. The sixth maiden5, Electra, was the most beautiful of all, and Betsy thought from the first that both Sunlight and Daylight regarded Electra with envy and were a little jealous of her.
But all were cordial in their greetings to the strangers and seemed to regard the Queen of Light with much affection, for they fluttered around her in a flashing, radiant group as she led the way to her regal drawing-room.
This apartment was richly and cosily12 furnished, the upholstery being of many tints13, and both Betsy and Polychrome enjoyed resting themselves upon the downy divans14 after their strenuous15 adventures of the day.
The Queen sat down to chat with her guests, who noticed that Daylight was the only maiden now seated beside Erma. The others had retired16 to another part of the room, where they sat modestly with entwined arms and did not intrude17 themselves at all.
The Queen told the strangers all about this beautiful land, which is one of the chief residences of fairies who minister to the needs of mankind. So many important fairies lived there that, to avoid rivalry18, they had elected as their Ruler the only important personage in the country who had no duties to mankind to perform and was, in effect, a Private Citizen. This Ruler, or Jinjin, as was his title, bore the name of Tititi-Hoochoo, and the most singular thing about him was that he had no heart. But instead of this he possessed19 a high degree of Reason and Justice and while he showed no mercy in his judgments20 he never punished unjustly or without reason. To wrong-doers Tititi-Hoochoo was as terrible as he was heartless, but those who were innocent of evil had nothing to fear from him.
All the Kings and Queens of this fairyland paid reverence21 to Jinjin, for as they expected to be obeyed by others they were willing to obey the one in authority over them.
The inhabitants of the Land of Oz had heard many tales of this fearfully just Jinjin, whose punishments were always equal to the faults committed. Polychrome also knew of him, although this was the first time she had ever seen him face to face. But to Betsy the story was all new, and she was greatly interested in Tititi-Hoochoo, whom she no longer feared.
Time sped swiftly during their talk and suddenly Betsy noticed that Moonlight was sitting beside the Queen of Light, instead of Daylight.
"But tell me, please," she pleaded, "why do you all wear a dragon's head embroidered22 on your gowns?"
Erma's pleasant face became grave as she answered:
"The Dragon, as you must know, was the first living creature ever made; therefore the Dragon is the oldest and wisest of living things. By good fortune the Original Dragon, who still lives, is a resident of this land and supplies us with wisdom whenever we are in need of it. He is old as the world and remembers everything that has happened since the world was created."
"Did he ever have any children?" inquired the girl.
"Yes, many of them. Some wandered into other lands, where men, not understanding them, made war upon them; but many still reside in this country. None, however, is as wise as the Original Dragon, for whom we have great respect. As he was the first resident here, we wear the emblem of the dragon's head to show that we are the favored people who alone have the right to inhabit this fairyland, which in beauty almost equals the Fairyland of Oz, and in power quite surpasses it."
"I understand about the dragon, now," said Polychrome, nodding her lovely head. Betsy did not quite understand, but she was at present interested in observing the changing lights. As Daylight had given way to Moonlight, so now Starlight sat at the right hand of Erma the Queen, and with her coming a spirit of peace and content seemed to fill the room. Polychrome, being herself a fairy, had many questions to ask about the various Kings and Queens who lived in this far-away, secluded23 place, and before Erma had finished answering them a rosy24 glow filled the room and Firelight took her place beside the Queen.
Betsy liked Firelight, but to gaze upon her warm and glowing features made the little girl sleepy, and presently she began to nod. Thereupon Erma rose and took Betsy's hand gently in her own.
"Come," said she; "the feast time has arrived and the feast is spread."
"That's nice," exclaimed the small mortal. "Now that I think of it, I'm awful hungry. But p'raps I can't eat your fairy food."
The Queen smiled and led her to a doorway25. As she pushed aside a heavy drapery a flood of silvery light greeted them, and Betsy saw before her a splendid banquet hall, with a table spread with snowy linen26 and crystal and silver. At one side was a broad, throne-like seat for Erma and beside her now sat the brilliant maid Electra. Polychrome was placed on the Queen's right hand and Betsy upon her left. The other five messengers of light now waited upon them, and each person was supplied with just the food she liked best. Polychrome found her dish of dewdrops, all fresh and sparkling, while Betsy was so lavishly27 served that she decided28 she had never in her life eaten a dinner half so good.
"I s'pose," she said to the Queen, "that Miss Electra is the youngest of all these girls."
"Why do you suppose that?" inquired Erma, with a smile.
"'Cause electric'ty is the newest light we know of. Didn't Mr. Edison discover it?"
"Perhaps he was the first mortal to discover it," replied the Queen. "But electricity was a part of the world from its creation, and therefore my Electra is as old as Daylight or Moonlight, and equally beneficent to mortals and fairies alike."
Betsy was thoughtful for a time. Then she remarked, as she looked at the six messengers of light:
"We couldn't very well do without any of 'em; could we?"
Erma laughed softly. "I couldn't, I'm sure," she replied, "and I think mortals would miss any one of my maidens, as well. Daylight cannot take the place of Sunlight, which gives us strength and energy. Moonlight is of value when Daylight, worn out with her long watch, retires to rest. If the moon in its course is hidden behind the earth's rim29, and my sweet Moonlight cannot cheer us, Starlight takes her place, for the skies always lend her power. Without Firelight we should miss much of our warmth and comfort, as well as much cheer when the walls of houses encompass30 us. But always, when other lights forsake31 us, our glorious Electra is ready to flood us with bright rays. As Queen of Light, I love all my maidens, for I know them to be faithful and true."
"I love 'em, too!" declared Betsy. "But sometimes, when I'm real sleepy, I can get along without any light at all."
"Are you sleepy now?" inquired Erma, for the feast had ended.
"A little," admitted the girl.
So Electra showed her to a pretty chamber32 where there was a soft, white bed, and waited patiently until Betsy had undressed and put on a shimmery33 silken nightrobe that lay beside her pillow. Then the light-maid bade her good night and opened the door.
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1
eminence
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| n.卓越，显赫；高地，高处；名家 | |
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surmounted
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| 战胜( surmount的过去式和过去分词 )； 克服（困难）； 居于…之上； 在…顶上 | |
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dome
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| n.圆屋顶，拱顶 | |
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maidens
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| 处女( maiden的名词复数 )； 少女； 未婚女子； （板球运动）未得分的一轮投球 | |
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maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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7
emblem
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| n.象征，标志；徽章 | |
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emblematic
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| adj.象征的，可当标志的；象征性 | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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11
shimmering
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| v.闪闪发光，发微光( shimmer的现在分词 ) | |
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cosily
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| adv.舒适地，惬意地 | |
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tints
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| 色彩( tint的名词复数 )； 带白的颜色； （淡色）染发剂； 痕迹 | |
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14
divans
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| n.（可作床用的）矮沙发( divan的名词复数 )；（波斯或其他东方诗人的）诗集 | |
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15
strenuous
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| adj.奋发的，使劲的；紧张的；热烈的，狂热的 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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intrude
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| vi.闯入；侵入；打扰，侵扰 | |
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rivalry
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| n.竞争，竞赛，对抗 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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20
judgments
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| 判断( judgment的名词复数 )； 鉴定； 评价； 审判 | |
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21
reverence
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| n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬 | |
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22
embroidered
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| adj．绣花的 | |
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23
secluded
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| adj.与世隔绝的；隐退的；偏僻的v.使隔开，使隐退( seclude的过去式和过去分词) | |
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rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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linen
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| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
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lavishly
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| adv.慷慨地，大方地 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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rim
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| n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界 | |
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30
encompass
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| vt.围绕，包围；包含，包括；完成 | |
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forsake
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| vt.遗弃，抛弃；舍弃，放弃 | |
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32
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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33
shimmery
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| adj.微微发亮的 | |
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34
winks
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| v.使眼色( wink的第三人称单数 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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