criedtheguardianangel;"nothingmustbewantinghere;andifitisso,letusfetchit;letusseekthepowerfulfairy;letusgotoher."

"shewillcome,shewillcomesomedayunsought!"

"herpearlmustnotbemissing;itmustbethere,thatthecrown,whenworn,maybecomplete.whereisshetobefound?wheredoesshedwell?"saidtheguardianangel."tellme,andiwillprocurethepearl."

"willyoudothat?"repliedthegoodangelofthechild."theniwillleadyoutoherdirectly,wherevershemaybe.shehasnoabidingplace;sherulesinthepalaceoftheemperor,sometimessheentersthepeasant'shumblecot;shepassesnoonewithoutleavingatraceofherpresence.shebringshergiftwithher,whetheritisaworldorabauble.tothischildshemustcome.youthinkthattowaitforthistimewouldbelonganduseless.well,then,letusgoforthispearl-theonlyonelackingamidstallthiswealth."

thenhand-in-handtheyfloatedawaytothespotwherethefairywasnowlingering.itwasinalargehousewithdarkwindowsandemptyrooms,inwhichapeculiarstillnessreigned.awholerowofwindowsstoodopen,sothattherudewindcouldenteratitspleasure,andthelongwhitecurtainswavedtoandfrointhecurrentofair.inthecentreofoneoftheroomsstoodanopencoffin,inwhichlaythebodyofawoman,stillinthebloomofyouthandverybeautiful.freshroseswerescatteredoverher.thedelicatefoldedhandsandthenoblefaceglorifiedindeathbythesolemn,earnestlook,whichspokeofanentranceintoabetterworld,werealonevisible.aroundthecoffinstoodthehusbandandchildren,awholetroop,theyoungestinthefather'sarms.theywerecometotakealastfarewelllookoftheirmother.thehusbandkissedherhand,whichnowlaylikeawitheredleaf,butwhichashorttimebeforehadbeendiligentlyemployedindeedsofloveforthemall.tearsofsorrowrolleddowntheircheeks,andfellinheavydropsonthefloor,butnotawordwasspoken.thesilencewhichreignedhereexpressedaworldofsilentsteps,stillsobbing,theylefttheroom.aburninglightremainedintheroom,andalong,redwickrosefarabovetheflame,whichflutteredinthedraughtofair.strangemencameinandplacedthelidofthecoffinoverthedead,anddrovethenailsfirmlyin;whiletheblowsofthehammerresoundedthroughthehouse,andechoedintheheartsthatwerebleeding.

"whitherartthouleadingme?"askedtheguardianangel."heredwellsnofairywhosepearlcouldbecountedamongstthebestgiftsoflife."

"yes,sheishere;hereinthissacredhour,"repliedtheangel,pointingtoacorneroftheroom;andthere,-whereinherlife-time,themotherhadtakenherseatamidstflowersandpictures:inthatspot,whereshe,liketheblessedfairyofthehouse,hadwelcomedhusband,children,andfriends,and,likeasunbeam,hadspreadjoyandcheerfulnessaroundher,thecentreandheartofthemall,-there,inthatveryspot,satastrangewoman,clothedinlong,flowinggarments,andoccupyingtheplaceofthedeadwifeandmother.itwasthefairy,andhernamewas"sorrow."ahottearrolledintoherlap,andformeditselfintoapearl,glowingwithallthecolorsoftherainbow.theangelseizedit:the,pearlglitteredlikeastarwithseven-foldradiance.thepearlofsorrow,thelast,whichmustnotbewanting,increasesthelustre,andexplainsthemeaningofalltheotherpearls.

"doyouseetheshimmeroftherainbow,whichunitesearthtoheaven?"