herself in the customary grown-up's place of granting
permission, while the Rabbit takes the usual child's place
of mentioning a request with much persuasion. The child is
interested, too, in the strange people he meets in the fairy
tales: the clever little elves who lived in the groves and
danced on the grass; the dwarfs who inhabited the
earth-rocks and the hills; the trolls who dwelt in the wild
pine forest or the rocky spurs, who ate men or porridge, and
who fled at the noise of bells; the fairies who pleased with
their red caps, green jackets, and sprightly ways; the
beautiful fairy godmother who waved her wonderful wand; or
those lovely fairy spirits who appeared at the moment when
most needed--just as all best friends do--and who could
grant, in a twinkling, the wish that was most desired.

_The diminutive_. This pleasure in the diminutive is found
in the interest in the fairy characters, Baby Bear, Little
Billy-Goat, Little Pig, the Little Elves, Teeny Tiny,
Thumbelina, and Tom Thumb, as well as in tiny objects. In
the _Tale of Tom Thumb_ the child is captivated by the
miniature chariot drawn by six small mice, the tiny
butterfly-wing shirt and chicken-skin boots worn by Tom, and
the small speech produced by him at court, when asked his
name:--

My name is Tom Thumb,
From the Fairies I come;
When King Arthur shone,
This court was my home.
In me he delighted,