[Illustration]

"My brothers will rejoice to see you," said the little man. "Come into
the garden."

It was enclosed with a fence of silver wire, curiously wrought, and the
flowers were beautiful beyond description. The trees too were loaded
with fruit equally new to him.

In one part of the garden a number of children were playing. They piled
up heaps of pebbles, jumped over them, and laughed heartily if one did
not spring clear over, or tumbled down. When Tony came near they cried
out, "Welcome, Tony!" and shook his hand, and looked kindly in his face,
gathered some fruit, and led him to the other side of the garden, where
there was a grove of trees which bore gold and silver fruit. These trees
looked just like those the angels bring to children on Christmas-eve.
The children shook the trees, and the fruit fell off till the ground
was all covered; then they gathered it up and offered Tony an equal
share with themselves, and gave him a diamond needle, and instructed him
to string them into a necklace, and threw it over his shoulders. Then
they presented him with a sweet orange for his mother, and a pomegranate
for his father, which they said must be opened very carefully. "He will
know what use to make of its contents," continued they. "Tell him we
send it as a recompense for the meal which thou gavest us out of his
store."

Tony modestly inquired if he might keep the necklace. They replied, that
it was given him to do as he pleased with; but Tony thought it would
make his father and mother rich again, so he resolved in his heart that
he would give it to them.