[Illustration]

Now, I daresay you will think that this was a very pretty place, at the
same time, very strange; yet the strangest and, to me, the most charming
thing of all was that there were none but children in this little
island. They were all quite young, the eldest amongst them were not
twelve years old; they were the king and the queen, who, of course,
lived in the beautiful palace. And thus, because only children dwelt
there, it was called Child Island.

[Illustration]

Well, these little folks had nothing to do but to play; and a rare time
they had of it, as you shall hear; but perhaps you would first like to
know how it happened that they were alone in this island without any
grown people to take care of them. Then listen, and I will tell you.

The Silver Lake and Child Island belonged to the good fairy Corianda,
who was very fond of little children, and took great pleasure in
inventing games for, and otherwise amusing them. She loved all children,
but she was especially fond of those of Noviland, the king of which was
one of her subjects. She used often to slip on her magic veil, which
rendered her invisible, and go amongst the little folks of Noviland to
watch them at their play, or at their lessons, or to peep at them whilst
they slept. It was in this way that she found out there was scarcely a
child in Noviland but what was discontented with what it had, and sighed
for what it had not.

One fancied that Noviland would be the jolliest place in the world for