All the Brownies had promised to help, and when a Brownie undertakes a thing he works as busily as a beaver until it is accomplished. Now this is what they determined to do.

The Fairy Queen’s palace had been destroyed—a wind that had swept through the forest carrying trees before it, and spreading ruin as it traveled, had lifted up the Fairy Queen’s home and dashed it all to pieces. Poor little Queen; how sorrowful she felt to lose the pretty house where the royal family of Fairyland had so long lived.

But true to their nature the Brownies came to the rescue, promising to build a palace far more beautiful than the one that was lost. Such helpful little creatures as the Brownies never lived. No chance of doing good to one in trouble ever escapes these generous little fellows and certainly this was a work to be hailed with much joy.

For a long while before they commenced, you could see them gathered in groups, discussing how and where they should begin, and how they could make the palace more beautiful. They were a funny looking set when they started out for the place where the house was to be built. Each one carried something. One little fellow had an axe, another, hammer and nails, one the mortar hod and still another the plane, while the master worker could be seen with the square in his hand giving directions to the whole crowd.

They commenced their work one beautiful moonlight night. Brownies, you know, work when the darkness has put all the world to sleep. What a time they had getting all the things together. Arriving at the spot, some fell to chopping wood, while others mixed the mortar and rigged up the pulleys by which they were to raise the stuff to the roof. How the hammers rang out as they struck the bright little nails. The grindstone went spinning around so fast it hummed quite a tune, as the carpenter sharpened his tools, for the Brownies had so much to do they must work their very fastest. The plasterer mixed the mortar, the painters made their brushes fly over the house; the masons worked with a will at the chimney, and the paper hanger’s scissors shut with a click as he cut off the paper for the palace walls, which were to be so prettily decorated.

When morning came all was finished and the Brownies felt proud and happy as they looked at their night’s work. They worked as if by Magic and almost before you could think, the palace rose high in the air. The Brownies don’t have accidents very often but they must have been nervous this time for while four or five of them were seated on a “Jack” painting the outside, over went the paint, brushes and all, and the little fellows who were standing on a ladder underneath had an unexpected bath.

They were only sorry to think that they had left their camera at home for they would have been happy to give the children a picture of the house as it looked when it was finished.

Although they were tired and their eyes were growing heavy with sleep they felt repaid for all their efforts, especially when the Fairy Queen seemed the proudest and happiest of them all. She thanked them heartily for their loving service, and when they had seen her safely settled in her new home, they all disappeared, to be seen no more until there was more good work to be done.