What could Tom do now but go away and hide in a corner and cry ? For nobody would play with him , and he knew full well why . And he was so miserable all that week that when the ugly fairy came and looked at him once more full in the face , more seriously and sadly than ever , he could stand it no longer , and thrust the sweetmeats away , saying , `` No , I do n't want any : I ca n't bear them now , '' and then burst out crying , poor little man , and told Mrs. Bedonebyasyoudid every word as it happened . He was horribly frightened when he had done so ; for he expected her to punish him very severely . But , instead , she only took him up and kissed him , which was not quite pleasant , for her chin was very bristly indeed ; but he was so lonely-hearted , he thought that rough kissing was better than none . `` I will forgive you , little man , '' she said . `` I always forgive every one the moment they tell me the truth of their own accord . '' `` Then you will take away all these nasty prickles ? '' `` That is a very different matter . You put them there yourself , and only you can take them away . '' `` But how can I do that ? '' asked Tom , crying afresh . `` Well , I think it is time for you to go to school ; so I shall fetch you a schoolmistress , who will teach you how to get rid of your prickles . '' And so she went away . Tom was frightened at the notion of a school-mistress ; for he thought she would certainly come with a birch-rod or a cane ; but he comforted himself , at last , that she might be something like the old woman in Vendale -- which she was not in the least ; for , when the fairy brought her , she was the most beautiful little girl that ever was seen , with long curls floating behind her like a golden cloud , and long robes floating all round her like a silver one . `` There he is , '' said the fairy ; `` and you must teach him to be good , whether you like or not . '' `` I know , '' said the little girl ; but she did not seem quite to like , for she put her finger in her mouth , and looked at Tom under her brows ; and Tom put his finger in his mouth , and looked at her under his brows , for he was horribly ashamed of himself . The little girl seemed hardly to know how to begin ; and perhaps she would never have begun at all if poor Tom had not burst out crying , and begged her to teach him to be good and help him to cure his prickles ; and at that she grew so tender-hearted that she began teaching him as prettily as ever child was taught in the world . And what did the little girl teach Tom ? She taught him , first , what you have been taught ever since you said your first prayers at your mother 's knees ; but she taught him much more simply .
XXXXX the lessons in that world , my child , have no such hard words in them as the lessons in this , and therefore the water-babies like them better than you like your lessons , and long to learn them more and more ; and grown men can not puzzle nor quarrel over their meaning , as they do here on land ; for those lessons all rise clear and pure , like the Test out of Overton Pool , out of the everlasting ground of all life and truth .
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