And , when she saw Tom , she looked at him very kindly . `` What do you want , my little man ? It is long since I have seen a water-baby here . '' Tom told her his errand , and asked the way to the Other-end-of - Nowhere . `` You ought to know yourself , for you have been there already . '' `` Have I , ma'am ? I 'm sure I forget all about it . '' `` Then look at me . '' And , as Tom looked into her great blue eyes , he recollected the way perfectly . Now , was not that strange ? `` Thank you , ma'am , '' said Tom . `` Then I wo n't trouble your ladyship any more ; I hear you are very busy . '' `` I am never more busy than I am now , '' she said , without stirring a finger . `` I heard , ma'am , that you were always making new beasts out of old . '' `` So people fancy . But I am not going to trouble myself to make things , my little dear . I sit here and make them make themselves . '' `` You are a clever fairy , indeed , '' thought Tom . And he was quite right . That is a grand trick of good old Mother Carey 's , and a grand answer , which she has had occasion to make several times to impertinent people .
There was once , for instance , a fairy who was so clever that she found out how XXXXX make butterflies .
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