gently. "For you would have neither father nor mother to befriend
you, nor any house to live in."

"And if you hired your services to some baron, you would be obliged to
wash dishes all day, or mend clothing, or herd cattle," said Berna.

"But I should travel all over the island," said the fairy, brightly,
"and that is what I long to do. I do not care to work."

"I fear a girl would not be allowed to travel alone," Seseley
remarked, after some further thought. "At least," she added, "I have
never heard of such a thing."

"No," said the fairy, rather bitterly, "your men are the ones that
roam abroad and have adventures of all kinds. Your women are poor,
weak creatures, I remember."

There was no denying this, so the three girls sat silent until
Seseley asked:

"Why do you wish to become a mortal?"

"To gain exciting experiences," answered the fairy. I'm tired of being
a humdrum fairy year in and year out. Of course, I do not wish to
become a mortal for all time, for that would get monotonous, too; but
to live a short while as the earth people do would amuse me very much."

"If you want variety, you should become a boy," said Helda, with a
laugh, "The life of a boy is one round of excitement."