"
The two parties were off, like two little swarms of bees, the one with
Naggeneen and the other with the woman. The rest of the fairies
waited. The Queen sat on her throne, with her face turned away from
the rest and hidden in her hands. The King, with a troubled face, sat
looking straight before him, not moving an eye or a hand. The others
stood as far off as they could go. Nobody played; nobody danced;
nobody laughed or whispered. They waited and watched and listened.
Then there was a little murmur and buzz of one of the parties coming
back. It was the one that had been to the Sullivans.
The King looked up and seemed to look through the fairies without
seeing them. "Have you the child with you?" he asked.
"We have," said the leader.
"And where's Naggeneen?" the King asked.
"Lying in the bed beside Mrs. Sullivan," the leader answered, "and
squealing like a pig under a gate."
"Give the child something to eat and make him comfortable," said the
King.
The Queen turned suddenly around. "Don't give him anything to eat
yet," she said.
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