"The Little Mice Brought Her"

It was the mice that brought the doll.

       In the morning, when the child awoke, she rubbed her eyes and stared, for there on the chair by her bedside sat the little wooden doll, watching her. 

       "Why, look what the fairies have brought me!" she cried. Her mother set the kettle back on the hearth, and came to look. When she saw the little wooden doll her eyes grew very wise, and she smiled and nodded. 

       "Yes, it may have been the fairies," she said, "but I think, myself, it was the mice, for I heard they were very busy last night." 

       "Do you know how she came here?" asked the child. "Do you think the little mice really brought her?" 

When the child awoke . . .

       "Yes, I think I know how she came," said her mother. And sitting down by the bedside, she told her the story of the little wooden doll, just as I have told it to you. 

       "But how is it that her clothes are real?" asked the child, for the little doll's dress was of lace, and there was a brown velvet cloak on her shoulders, and real little shoes were on her feet. 

       "I have always heard that the spiders sew well," said her mother, "and when one does a good action, there are those who see to it that it isn't wasted. And now," she said, "you will have a companion always when I am away at work, and what are you going to call her, for she must have a really nice name?" 

       The child held the little wooden doll tight in her arms and kissed her. "I shall call her Rose,” she said, "for that is the most beautiful name in the world." 

       When she heard that, the little wooden doll stared straight before her with her wide blue eyes, and smiled, and any one could see that at last she was quite happy.

Rose sitting very happily.

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