The one thing she was sure of was that she must never cease to run , and she thought she was still running long after she had dropped in the Figs and gone to sleep . She thought the snowflakes falling on her face were her mother kissing her good-night . She thought her coverlet of snow was a warm blanket , and tried to pull it over her head . And when she heard talking through her dreams she thought it was mother bringing father to the nursery door to look at her as she slept . But it was the fairies . I am very glad to be able to say that they no longer desired to mischief her . When she rushed away they had rent the air with such cries as ` Slay her ! ' ` Turn her into something extremely unpleasant ! ' and so on , but the pursuit was delayed while they discussed who should march in front , and this gave Duchess Brownie time to cast herself before the Queen and demand a boon . Every bride has a right to a boon , and what she asked for was Maimie 's life . ` Anything except that , ' replied Queen Mab sternly , and all the fairies echoed , ` Anything except that . ' But when they learned how Maimie had befriended Brownie and so enabled her to attend the ball to their great glory and renown , they gave three huzzas for the little human , and set off , like an army , to thank her , the court advancing in front and the canopy keeping step with it . They traced Maimie easily by her footprints in the snow . But though they found her deep in snow in the Figs , it seemed impossible to thank Maimie , for they could not waken her . They went through the form of thanking her -- that is to say , the new King stood on her body and read her a long address of welcome , but she heard not a word of it . They also cleared the snow off her , but soon she was covered again , and they saw she was in danger of perishing of cold . ` Turn her into something that does not mind the cold , ' seemed a good suggestion of the doctor 's , but the only thing they could think of that does not mind cold was a snowflake . ` And it might melt , ' the Queen pointed out , so that idea had to be given up . A magnificent attempt was made to carry her to a sheltered spot , but though there were so many of them she was too heavy . By this time all the ladies were crying in their handkerchiefs , but presently the Cupids had a lovely idea .
` Build a house round her , ' they cried , and at once everybody perceived that this was the thing to do ; in a moment a hundred fairy sawyers were among the branches , architects were running round Maimie , measuring her ; a bricklayer 's yard sprang up at her feet , seventy-five masons rushed up with the foundation-stone , and the XXXXX laid it , overseers were appointed to keep the boys off , scaffoldings were run up , the whole place rang with hammers and chisels and turning-lathes , and by this time the roof was on and the glaziers were putting in the windows .
Cupids Figs King Mab Maimie Queen footprints huzzas right snowflake