She seated herself on Teddy's knees and gazed down at him solemnly, and
she was so light that he felt her weight no more than if she had been a
feather.

Teddy lay staring at her for a while, and then he asked, "Who are you?"

"I'm the Counterpane Fairy," said the little figure, in a thin little
voice.

"I don't know what that is," said Teddy.

"Well," said the Counterpane Fairy, "it's the sort of a fairy that lives
in houses and watches out for the children. I used to be one of the
court fairies, but I grew tired of that. There was nothing in it, you
know."

"Nothing in what?" asked Teddy.

"Nothing in the court life. All day the fairies were swinging in
spider-webs and sipping honey-dew, or playing games of hide-and-go-seek.
The only comfort I had was with an old field-mouse who lived at the edge
of the wood, and I used to spend a great deal of time with her; I used
to take care of her babies when she was out hunting for something to
eat; cunning little things they were,--five of them, all fat and soft,
and with such funny little tails."

"What became of them?"

"Oh, they moved away. They left before I did. As soon as they were old