But he stands there and makes awful faces at us sometimes, and stretches out his long arms and fingers, and tries to kill us with fright; for, indeed, that is his favourite way of doing.
Pray, keep out of his way to-night." "Shall I be able to see these things ?" said I.
"That I cannot tell yet, not knowing how much of the fairy nature there is in you.

But we shall soon see whether you can discern the fairies in my little garden, and that will be some guide to us." "Are the trees fairies too, as well as the flowers ?" I asked.
"They are of the same race," she replied; "though those you call fairies in your country are chiefly the young children of the flower fairies.
They are very fond of having fun with the thick people, as they call you; for, like most children, they like fun better than anything else." "Why do you have flowers so near you then?
Do they not annoy you ?" "Oh, no, they are very amusing, with their mimicries of grown people, and mock solemnities.

Sometimes they will act a whole play through before my eyes, with perfect composure and assurance, for they are not afraid of me.

Only, as soon as they have done, they burst into peals of tiny laughter, as if it was such a joke to have been serious over anything.

These I speak of, however, are the fairies of the garden.
They are more staid and educated than those of the fields and woods.
Of course they have near relations amongst the wild flowers, but they patronise them, and treat them as country cousins, who know nothing of life, and very little of manners.