play, and great fun they had burying him up in the haycocks, while
Frolic frisked about as merry as any of them. At dinner time, when
they went to the table, under a wide-spreading oak tree, they found
two high chairs, one for Frolic and one for the baby; and there they
both sat, with wreaths on their heads, and behaved with the utmost
propriety, although Frolic was seen, after dinner, to slip down under
the table, and gnaw a bone, as Floribel would not have done, and the
baby cried for a cherry, as grandfathers never do.

Frolic had as pleasant a life as a dog could have. Every one in the
village was kind to the playful creature, who had once been a favorite
little girl, and the children always came flocking about the house,
out of school hours, to play with the dog and the baby. Sometimes some
curious child would ask them if they did not wish to be changed back
again; but the baby would always shake his little bald head, as much
as to say no; for he found himself growing larger and stronger, and
thought it pleasanter to be a healthy baby than an old gentleman with
the rheumatism. But Frolic's head would always bob up and down, as
much as to say yes; for it is surely better to be a little girl than a
dog. The children suggested various ways in which the change might be
effected. "Why not go to the dwarf and ask him to change her back
again?" said one. "Because the dwarf has gone to Chinese Tartary with
Floribel's tin horses," answered another.

"They might ask the fairies to change them with their wands," said
little Amy.

"Nonsense, with your fairies," replied Tom, the blacksmith's son. "I
should like to know where fairies are to be found nowadays!"