Then Teddy raised the hammer, and the ruby of the ring he wore throbbed and burned until his hand was hot, and his arm was so strong that the hammer was like a feather in his grasp.
As he beat and turned the nail he sang, and it seemed to him that the fire sang with him, clear and thin, and sounding like the voice of the Counterpane Fairy,--"Hammer and turn!
The fire must burn, The coals must glow, The bellows blow.
Beat, good hammer, loud and fast;
So the chain will be made at last.
"Clankety-clink!
We forge the link.
My hammer bold, This chain must hold.
The snow shall melt, the ice fly fast, For the magic chain is wrought at last."With these words Teddy threw down the hammer and lifted the chain he had made, and it was as thin as a hair, as light as a breath, and yet so strong that no power on earth could break it.
The dwarfs sprang forward with a shout and caught the chain in their crooked fingers."Wonderful! wonderful!" they cried."It is indeed the magic chain that we have been trying to make for all these years.Who are you, wonderful stranger, for there is no smith among all the dwarfs who can do what you have done?"Then without a word Teddy raised his hand, and held it up with the palm turned toward them so that they saw the ruby in his ring, and when they saw it they shouted again in their wonder and joy."It is King Fireheart himself come back to rule the country!"Then all the dwarfs, even from the farthest forges, came running up and gathered about the archway of the forge where Teddy stood, and when they saw that it was indeed King Fireheart they shouted and leaped and threw their caps up into the air.
When they had grown quieter Teddy bade them take him to the Ice-Queen, so all the dwarfs led him out, and up the mountain, on and on, until they came to a great castle built of ice, but ruddy with the cold light of the aurora borealis that shone behind it.
They went into the hall, past the rows of white spearsmen, and when the spearsmen would have stopped them the dwarfs told them that they were carrying the magic chain that binds all but one's self to the Queen, and so they let the little men pass on, but all the while Teddy kept the ruby ring hidden under his cloak.
At last they came to the great chamber, where the Queen sat on a magnificent throne of ice, and when she saw the crowd she started to her feet."Have you brought it? Have you brought it?" she cried eagerly.
"Have you brought me the magic chain?"
"Yes," shouted the dwarfs all together, "we have brought it."Then they stood still, and Teddy went on up the steps along.
"Where is it?" asked the Queen, and she stretched out her hands.
"It is here," said Teddy.Very slowly he drew it out from under his cloak, and then suddenly he threw it over her."And now take it!" he cried.
It was in vain that the Queen struggled and cried; the more she strove, the closer the chain drew about her, for it was a magic chain.At last she stood still, panting."Who are you?" she asked.
Then Teddy raised his hand, holding it open so that she could see the ruby."I am King Fireheart," he cried; "and now take your own real shape, wicked enchantress that you are."At these words the black-browed Queen gave a cry that changed, even as she uttered it, to a croak, and a moment after she was nothing but a great black raven that spread its wings, and flew away over the heads of the dwarfs, out of the window and on out of sight.
Then Teddy turned and walked out of the great ice-chamber and down the hall, followed in silence by the dwarfs.As he went, the spearsmen started forward to lay hands upon him, but as soon as they saw the ruby ring they stood, every man stiffened just as he was, some leaning forward with outstretched arm, some with their spears lifted, some with their mouths open, but all of them turned to ice.
When Teddy and the dwarfs had reached the mountain road again they turned and looked back toward the castle.
A warm south wind was blowing, and the aurora borealis had faded away.
Already the castle was beginning to melt; the spires and turrets were softening and dripping down.There was a warm red light over everything, like the light of the rising sun.
"And now," cried the dwarfs, "will your Majesty come up to your own royal castle?""Yes," answered Teddy, "I will come."* * * * * * *
"Quick! quick!" cried the Counterpane Fairy."It's time to come back."Teddy was at home once more.There was the flowered furniture, and the fire burning red upon the hearth."Tick-tock! tick-tock! tick-tock!"said the clock.
"I must go," cried the fairy, hastily, "for I heard your little cousin opening and shutting the side door.""Oh, wait!" cried Teddy."Won't you wait and let her see you too?" But the fairy was already disappearing behind the counterpane hill.All he could see was the top of her pointed hood.Then that too disappeared.
The door was thrown open and Harriett came running in bringing a breath of fresh out-of-doors air with her.Her cheeks were red, and she looked very pretty in her embroidered apron and pink ribbons.
