Page 67 - Adventures in shadow-land

she never knew that while they did sleep a circle

of tiny shining lamps, like fairy-lamps, gleamed
all around them,—a magic circle which nothing

could pass. And although both the spider and
the green frog returned, bringing with them the

piece of Aster’s coat, by means of which they
hoped to steal him away from Eva while he was

asleep, they could not pass the circlc which the
Light Elves had drawn around the sleeping pair,

and, after many vain efforts to cross it, they van­
ished.

And the grateful elves had watched and saved
Aster because Eva, that morning, seeing a shape­

less, helpless worm lying near a stone, which was
about to fall and crush it, had tenderly picked up

the worm, and laid it carefully on a cool, green
leaf, out of danger. The grateful Light E lf,— for

such she was,— being compelled to wear the form
of a worm while the moonlight lasted, had come

with her companions to return what service she
could and give Eva a peaceful rest.

So, as ever, Good overcomes Evil, and no ser­
vice, no matter how small or how trifling it may

seem, is ever wasted or thrown away*