Eric and Ivra were the first of the guests. The others perhaps had been
too scared to come. But soon knock after knock sounded at the door, and
in flocked the Forest People who had been invited.

First came the Bird Fairies, five of them together, merry and good
little creatures as ever lived in the wood. They had arrived only that
day from their summer homes in the far north, 'way up among the
snow-barrens. They always spent the winter in this wood, living in the
empty birds' nests and spending their time making up songs to teach the
birds that would come back in the spring. Bird Fairies cannot sing a
note themselves, nor carry an air, but they make up fine songs for the
spring birds, who while they can sing with beautiful voices really have
but few ideas.

They are fluffy, cuddly, swift little creatures, tiny and quiet. One
might think them of little account just at first, but not for long. For
they are the farthest-traveled of all the Forest People, except the Wind
Creatures only. Now they were fluttering in, and off came their white
cloaks and forth they hopped in bright colors, little feet twinkling and
pattering, little wings lifting and wavering. They gathered around the
Tree Man, nestling in a row on his shoulder, running up and down his
arms, giving all of the news of their long journey into his ear. He
chuckled and chuckled and soon sat down by the table again, nodding his
head with delight at the tales they were telling him.

Meanwhile, another group entered,--the Forest Children. The Forest
Children are little girls and boys who live all by themselves in moss
houses deep in the thickest of the forest, and know nothing of mothers,
nurses or schools. They came tumbling, cheering, and skipping in, curls
bobbing, eyes shining. When their white cloaks were taken off with the