twelve

When Poppy came over the next day, there was a lot to do in the fairy dollhouse. Now that there was a family of fairy-doll sisters, everything had to be rearranged.

Poppy moved two beds into the upstairs bedroom and put the baby in the crib in the downstairs great room, which is where all fairy babies sleep. Sylva added enough chairs around the dining room to seat all the fairy dolls. Together, they made plates out of buttons and pillows out of pussy willow buds, and soon the house looked as lively and happy as it ever could have in Queen Mab’s day.

“I’m just going to dab a little paint on this old kitchen chair,” said Sylva, “so it looks nice enough for our house.”

“Careful, Sylva,” said Poppy.

“I’m always careful,” said Sylva. She took out a jar of white paint (which she had discovered in the pile under her bed). “I’ll just shake this up and—”

Do you suppose Sylva had tightened the lid before she shook the paint? She had not!

Paint spattered all over the two fairies. Luckily, it missed the dollhouse almost entirely. Only the little doll kitten got some paint on her tail.

“Oh, Sylva!”

“It’s not too bad!” cried Sylva. “Quick, wash her off!” Sylva splashed water on the tiny gray doll kitten, and soon her fur was pretty clean.

“Let’s put her on a stone to dry in the sun,” said Poppy.

“There’s a sparkly one over near the rose bed,” said Sylva.

Poppy carefully and gently picked up the tiny kitten and put her into the palm of her right hand. Sylva cupped her left hand over Poppy’s. Together they walked slowly toward the sparkling stone.

All at once, a gust of wind came up. The trees rustled. The air swirled with blossoms. The sun came out from behind a cloud. A bright rainbow of light shone right onto the tiny doll kitten.

And at that moment, the little gray doll cat turned into a

real

live

fairy

kitten.