Stranica 82 [82]
LABOULAYE 5 FÁAÁIRY BOOK
It was late. Graceful threw himself on the ground, too
agitated, it seemed, to sleep. But slumber soon overtook
him, and he slept soundly all night, while his poor grand¬
mother watched the face of her dear child lighted by the
flickering lamp, and did not weary of mournfully admiring
him.
II
Early in the morning, when dawn was scarcely breaking,
the swallow began to twitter, and Fido to pull the blankets.
“Let us go, master—let us go," said the two companions,
in their language, which Graceful understood by the gift of
the fairies; "the tide is already rising on the beach, the
birds are singing, the flies are humming, and the flowers
are opening in the sun. Let us go; it is time."
Graceful kissed his grandmother for the last time, and
took the road to Pestum, Pensive fluttering to the right
and the left in pursuit of the flies, and Fido fawning on
his young master or running before him.
They had gone two leagues from the town when Grace¬
ful saw Fido talking with the ants, who were marching in
regular troops, carrying all their provisions with them.
" Where are you going?" asked he.
- To the Castle of Life," they answered.
A little farther on Pensive encountered the grasshoppers,
who had also set out on a journey, together with the bees
and the butterflies; all were going to the Castle of Life,
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