Anna and Peter were always in mischief. One day they climbed to the top of a high wall. It was a fairy wall, and it grew higher and higher, until at last it went so high that they got frightened, for they did not know how they should get down again. So they held tight by each other and the wall, and began to cry.
But no one heard them. For they were far away from home; besides, they were as high up in the air as the top of a mountain.
And their eyes were red and their faces quite wet and dirty.
“I can’t hold on much longer,” said Anna. And then they both sobbed “Oh! oh! oh!” again.
Then they heard a voice saying, “Oh! oh! oh!” after them. Only it was not any one crying, for the “oh! oh! oh!” had a very sweet sound.
They could not look round, for they dared not move their heads, and they dared not look down for fear of getting dizzy. But the voice seemed to be coming nearer. And so it was, for a fairy gate, with a tree beside it, and a little bit of ground to stand upon, was shooting up into the air just as the wall had done. And when it was as high as the wall it stopped, and Peter and Anna saw that a boy was leaning against the gate. He was playing on a whistle-pipe, and that made the sound they had heard.
“I will play you a tune,” said the boy. And he played so softly and sweetly that Peter and Anna left off crying.
“On the gate, to be sure,” said the boy; “I have only to say--
“Gate, gate, let me go Far down to the earth below.”
“Wall, wall, let us go Far down to the earth below.”
Then down went the wall to the ground, and Peter and Anna slid off, and stood staring at the boy, who was still playing on his pipe.
“What do you want most?” asked the boy. “My pipe will bring anything I ask for.”
“A silk frock with a flounce and a sash, and a bonnet with blue ribbons,” said Anna, who was fond of fine clothes.
“A new suit and pair of leather reins to play at horses with,” said Peter.
The boy played a lively tune, and before Anna could say “ready,” she found herself dressed in a fine new frock; while Peter had the reins in his hands, and a new suit of clothes with a great frill and a round hat.
[Illustration: THEY WERE AS HIGH UP IN THE AIR AS THE TOP OF A MOUNTAIN]
Then the boy said “Good-by,” and Peter and Anna went towards home.