THE FAIRIES’ NATIONAL ANTHEM.
Praise to God, the King of Kings,
Lord of all created things!
Prince of Love, and Master Mind,
Still direct us, lest we find
That for lack of Thine assistance
Evil meet with scant resistance.
That in service we, to Thee,
May Thy gracious kindness bring
Back in splendid blossoming!
Shelter, Lord, our noble King,
Safely underneath Thy wing.
Grant him health, and strength, and skill,
Aye to do Thy Sovereign Will!
When the last notes of the anthem had died away, at a sign from King Waratah everybody except himself sat down.
Raising his right hand straight above his head, forefinger pointing to the Heavens, he took the Fairy oath of allegiance as follows: “I, King Waratah, in the presence of the Official Recorder, and of you all, do solemnly and sincerely undertake that, to the best of my ability and strength, I will justly and truly administer the affairs of my Kingdom. So help me God!” To which everybody added: “So be it!” as the King resumed his seat.
A moment later he smilingly said: “To bring this glorious evening’s pleasures to a close, I will now call upon the fifth of ‘The Five Story Tellers’ to tell us a tale.”
In response “Hearing” immediately stood forth, and this is what he said:—
