"Puff! puff!" away went the others--all but one.

"Let me stay here, wind," she begged. "If I can grow as large and as
beautiful as my mother I shall be content." So the wind just loosened
her gently, and down she dropped close to her mother's side.

"You are a wise child," said the field-mouse. "Under this hedge you
will grow in peace. Neither scythe nor spade ever comes here. But you
won't be seen, and you won't see the world like your brothers and
sisters."

Meantime the others went dancing about in fine style. One of them,
high up in the blue air, looked at the little white clouds and fancied
himself seen by just as many eyes as they were. "Why, this is even
better than I thought," said he. "I never fancied I should sail about
the sky!"

After some long sunny days of travel he saw below him a beautiful
garden all shut in with walls, in which roses and fruit-trees grew.

[Illustration:]

"This is the place for me!" he said, and down he went, and perched on
the edge of the great drive in front of all the flower-beds and just
before the windows of the house. "Nothing could suit me better!" said
he. "I shall have plenty of good company, and I have found a very good
place to make my home!" So he folded up his downy wings and quickly
fell asleep.

Another of the winged children went skipping over the fields, stopping