114
MR . BUNT
need help just the way you do ; and once upon a time, long, long ago ANNIE
Oh, Mummy, it's a story. ROSE
Yes, Annie, it's a story. ANNIE
And are there fairies in it and everything ? ROSE
There were a great many fairies in it at first, and the most beautiful fairy in the world. ANNIE
And was there a fairy prince all in gold ? ROSE
Yes, and the fairy prince all in gold. A fairy prince who said he was looking for something that was lost. And the girl thought it was won
derful; but she didn't know why, after the fairy prince had found her, he should go on look
ing for something that was lost. For the little girl thought she was everything, and she didn't understand then how things are always getting
lost, how we must always be hunting for them and bringing them back, so the fairy prince would go away hunting and leave the little girl alone. And when he came back he would be
very tired
and discouraged , because he could never find the way that led to things that were lost.