They could see it all so clearly as they got farther out into the lake; first the blue sky, then the mountain with the little white dots on it, which Milly knew were sheep; then some trees, and in front, Aunt Emma's house with the lawn and the boathouse.

And as they looked all round them they could see far bigger and grander mountains than Brownholme, some near and green like Brownholme, and some far away and blue like the sky, while down by the edge of the lake were hayfields full of flowers, or bits of rock with trees growing on the top of them.
The children hardly knew what it was made them so quiet; but I think it was because everything was so beautiful.

They were really in the hill-fairies' palace now.
"Aren't there any water-fairies in this lake, mother ?" whispered Milly, presently, looking down into the clear blue water, and trying to see the bottom.
"I can't tell, Milly, I never saw any.

But there used to be water-fairies in old days.

After tea suppose we ask Aunt Emma to tell us a story about a king in olden times whom the water-fairies loved; she used to tell it to me when I was small, and I liked it best of all stories.