failed, and he could not think much of writing. He visited New Orleans and other parts of the South in search of health. But he grew worse and died before he was twentysix years old.

4. When you are older you must read his poem, "The Culprit Fay." The fairy-land it tells about was on the Hudson-a great and beautiful river that flows by the city of New York. Just the bare story is told here. When you read it for yourself you will see that much of its beauty is in the language of the poet.

PART TWO

5. It was twelve o'clock at night, the dawn of the fairy day. The woodtick, who counts the fairy hours, wakened a fairy guard, and bid him ring twelve strokes on the small, shell bell. This was a signal for the fairies to gather at the King's throne.

6. The King took his seat on the throne, and the fairies came flying from far and near

to hear his will. When all was quiet, a fairy prisoner was brought in by the guards. The culprit had sinned against the fairy law, and he was brought to court to hear his doom.

7. The King told of the offense. The prisoner had fallen in love with a maiden. In the eyes of the fairies, this was a deadly sin. Because of this crime, his fairy lamp had been quenched, and his wings had been "dyed with a deadly stain," so that they drooped around his body, and could not be raised in flight.

8. But, because the fairy's love was a pure and lovely maiden, the King said he should have a chance to win back his place in the fairy world. Two things he must do.

9. He must go down to the river and watch the sturgeon, the king of the fishes. This great fish, in his play, leaps out of the water and leaves a bright arch of pearly drops of water to mark his flight through the air. If the culprit Fay could catch one of these pearly drops before it fell back into the water, it would wash away the stain from his wings.

10. If he caught the drop of water and regained the use of his wings, he must fly high up into the night sky and find a shooting-star. The last faint spark from the burning train of the shooting-star would light his fairy lamp again.

11. To get a drop of water from a flying fish to wash away the stain from his wing, and the last faint spark from the shootingstar to light his lamp again! These would be hard tasks for any one; but they were very trying for the fairy, because the water and the sky held deadly foes that would try to kill him.

PART THREE

12. The fairy turned from the King with a bow and without a word. He plucked a flower-bell for a cup and hurried down the mountain side. He could not use his wings, and the way was long and hard. He worked through bogs, swam the creeks and pushed through thickets. He was pierced by thorns and thrown headlong by clinging grasses.

At last he sprang upon a toad's back. He put a silk-weed bridle in the toad's mouth, and urged him along with a willow twig for a whip. This strange horse soon brought him to the river beach.

13. He stood for a moment on the river brink with the flower-cup in his hand. Afar he could hear the sturgeon playing in the water. Then he wrapped his wings around him and plunged into the deep.

14. His foes of the waves made cruel war upon him. The squab threw a spear at him. The starfish rubbed him raw. He struck back with all his might, but all in vain. He was forced to return in flight to the shore. He was sore and bleeding when he reached the beach again.

15. He bathed his wounds. He rested his limbs. Soon he thought to make another trial. As he walked the beach, he spied a mussel shell. This was rare good luck. He pushed it and he pulled it till, in time, he got it to the water's edge. Then he launched it

and sprang aboard. It made a fine boat. It was purple without and pearl within. Now he rode gaily over the waters.

16. His foes raged in vain. They had no power out of the wave; above the water-line they could do him no harm.

17. He found the sturgeon king, and followed him. Soon the great fish leaped from the water. He left a bow of bright drops. Quickly the fairy sailed his purple ship under the bright arch. He held his flower-cup aloft. He caught a crystal drop in the open bowl.

18. He spread his golden wings for the stain was now washed away. He flew above to the fairy court. One of his tasks was done.

PART FOUR

19. His next quest must be far above in the upper sky. He put an acorn cup helmet upon his head. He made a shield of ladybugs' wings. He carried a lance that was once the sting of a wasp. Then he mounted