After a while Donal was awakened by a strange noise.  He peeped out, and he saw a queer sight.  The storm had passed, and the moon was shining.  Many elves were dancing to strange music played by an old, old elf.

[Illustration:  Donal sees the fairies dancing]

Such queer dancing it was!  Donal crept out of the tree and drew nearer and nearer.  Suddenly he laughed out loud and said, “Well, that’s the worst dancing I have ever seen!”

The fairies were astonished and angry, and they all began to talk at the same time.

“We have a man among us!” cried one.

“Let us hang him!” cried another.

“Cut his head off!” cried a third.

But the queen stepped out among them and said, “Leave him to me.”

Then she called Donal to her.  Now Donal was a wee bit frightened, but he knew where to wear his smile, you remember.  So he went up to the queen, smiling and bowing.

“You say our dancing is the worst you have ever seen,” she said.  “Now, show us that you can do better.”

Donal smiled again and bowed low.  Then he began to dance.  Such dancing the elves had never seen!  They clapped their hands and made him dance again and again.  Finally, Donal was exhausted, and after making a low bow to the queen, sat down on the ground.

The fairies crowded around him.

“Give him our silver!” cried one.

“Make it gold!” cried another.

“Diamonds!” cried a third.

But the queen said, “Leave it to me.”

She went up to the old, old elf who had been playing for the dance.  Taking his violin from him, she gave it to Donal.  You see, the queen knew the dearest wish of his heart.

Then Donal was a happy lad, indeed!  He thanked the queen and went home playing on his new violin.

II

There lived near Donal’s home a lad named Conal.  He was not such a fine lad as Donal, nor such a gay one.  He was a greedy lad, and the dearest wish of his heart was to be rich.  And he did not know where to wear his smile.  If he had one, he kept it in his pocket.

When Conal heard what had happened to Donal, he wished to know all about it.  So he went to him and said, “Donal, man, how did you get that beautiful violin?”

Donal told the story backward and forward, and forward and backward, from beginning to end, until Conal knew it by heart.

Then Conal said to himself, “I will go to the hollow tree and dance for the elves; but I shall not be so foolish as Donal.  I will take their gold and silver, and their diamonds, too.”

That night Conal went to the hollow tree and waited until the elves appeared.  Then he crept out and watched them dance.  And he said, just as Donal had, “Well, that’s the worst dancing I have ever seen!”

The fairies were astonished and angry again, and again they all began to talk at once.