jack was a little boy. He lived in England. He could not walk because he had a bad back. His back hab always been bad . He could not walk because his back was so bad. He sad by the fire. He was very sad. His mother had gone out. He said: "I do not like being alone. I have no friend with me." Then he heard someone speak: " I am here." He looked and he saw a small red fairy sitting on the fire. He said: " Who are you? " The fairy said: " I am a Fire-fairy." Oh "said Jack " are fhere Fire-fairies?" Yes said the fairy, there are fire-fairies and there are Water-fairies. I am a faire-fairy. Do you want fo see the Fire-country? Oh, yes! said Jack. Give me your hand, "said the fairy. But Jack said:"I shall be burned if I go into the fire." No said the fairy, you will not be burned. Give me your hand. Jack took the hand of the fairy. As Jackheld the fairys hand he became smaller and smaller. The fire looked bigger and bigger. The fairy took Jack into the fire. On all sides Jacksaw great hills burning. The faiy said: "Come with me . We will go down into the fire. We will see the Fire-Kings house. The went down through a hole in the fire and the came to a beautiful garden. All the flowers in the garden were made of fire. They were like fireworks. There was a big house in the garden. Its walls were red and burning, and its doors and windows were made of fire. The Fire-fairy went away. Jack sat in the garden of the King of the Fire-counrry. Then he saw a beautiful princess walking in the garden. She had burning eyes and her hair was very red like fire. She was very beautiful, but her face was very sad. She came near Jack. Jack said: Oh princess, Why are you so sad? She said: I am sad becaude I Iove the Water-prince. Why do you not marry the Water-prince? "said Jack. She said: " I do not marry the Water-prince because, if I take his hand, we shall die for fire kills water and water kills fire." Just then the Fire-fairy came back. He said: You must not speak fo the princess. The King will be very angry. He is angry with the princess because she loves the Water-prince. He wants her to marry a Fire-prince. If the King is told that you have spoken to the princess, he will be very angry. Come quickly. Then the Fire-fairy took Jacks hand and ran away very quickly. They ran up through the fire. Jack shut his eyes....

When Jack opened his eyes he was in front of the rire. Jack looked at the fire for many days. He wanted to see the Fire-fairy again, but no Fire-fairy came. There was rain. Jack looked at the rain fall- ing outsid. He wanted to see a Water-fairy. but he did not see one. Then one night, Jack was sleeping in front of the fire.He heard someone speak. He opened his eyes and looked. He saw the Fire-princess sitting on top of the fire. There was fireall over her. She looked very beautiful. Put some more wood on the fire, she said: I am cold" Yuo are very beautiful, said Jack. Am I ? said the princess... "I want you to do something for me. Yes, said Jack: I will do anything for you. I want you to tell the Water-prince fo come and see me, said the Fire-princess. How shall I find him? said Jack. Open the window and wait, said the princess. Jack opened the windiw. The rain came in to the room. Then the princess began to call. She called to the Water-prince. Then much rain came through the window. And out of the rain came the Water-prince. His eyes were blue like the saa. His hair was blue and his clothes were blue like the blue water of the river. When he saw the Fire-princess. he ran to the fire. Do not come too near! cried the princess. or we shall die. There is one person who can help us- the Snow Man. He lives very. very far away in a country where there is always snow. We must send someone to him. Who can go him? said the Water-prince I cannot go. If I go that country I shall be-come snow and die. I cannot go, said the princes. For if I go to that country I shall go out. Fire goes out in the snow. I will go, said Jack. But how can I get there?" The Water-prince said: "I will call Wind-fairy. The Wind-fairy will take you to Snow Man." Then the Water-prince called. A cold wind came into the room: and out the wind came a little fairy.This is a Wind-fairy, said the Water-prince. The Wind-fairy took Jacks hand and he jumped up. Jack went with him. They went out of the window. They went over the tops of the houses. They came to fields and hills. They went over the hills. They came to the sea. They went over the sea and they came to another land. They went over forests and rivers and cities. It became colder and colder. They came to great whitesea. They went over the sea. Then the came to a far country which was covered with snow. Then the Wind-fairy went down-down-down. On the top of a hill sat the Snow Man. The Wind-fairy said to Jack: " You may ask the Snow Man one thing. Do not ask him more than one thing. If you ask him more than one thing, he will kill you. He is a very bad man, but he knows everything. Jack went to the Snow Man. The Snow Man said: "Who are you? You have came to ask something. Do you want to know what you must do so as to walk and run like other boys? No I do not want to ask that, said Jack: I come from the Fire-princess.She wants to marry the Water-prince but if they marry they will die .For water kills fire and fire kills water. Oh, no,no,no, said the Sonw Man, if they marry they will not die. What must the do? said Jack. The Snow Man said: Tell the Water-prince to take the Fire-princess hands in his hands and to say, I love you. Then he will not die and she will not die. Now ask me some other thing. No, said Jack, I will not ask any other thing. Then the Snow Man was very sngry. Jack ran away. He took the Wind-fairys hand and they went up-up-up. The went over seas and countries and hills and rivers and forests, and they came back to Jacks room. the Fire-princess was sitting on top of the fire.The Water-prince was standing near. What must we do? said the Fire-princess. Tell me what we must do. Then Jack said to the Water-prince: You must take her hands in your hands and you must say, I love you. Then you will not die. But we shall die! said the princess. Water pust out fire and fire pust out water. No, said the prince. We shall each of us be changed, but we shall not die. Then the princess came down from the firs, and the prince went to princess and took her hands and said: I love you. There was a great noise and Jack looked and saw the prince and princess standing there. The princess eyes were not like fire. They were like a womans eyes. Her hair was not so red. It was like a womans red hair. The princes eyes were not blue like water. They were like a mans etes. They said: Thank you, Jack. We shall remember. And hand in hand they walked to the window and went out into the night. Jack looked at the fire each night. He wanted to see a Fire-fairy. But he did not see one. He looked at the rain. He wanted to see a Water-fairy. But he did not see one. One night he was in his bed. He had been sleeping. The window was open.He looked at the window, and saw the Fire-princess and the Water-prince: they came through the window into the room. The said: Jack, we have come back. We have brought you something. We have brought you a coat. We made this coat for you. A wizard (a magician) showed us how to make it. If you put on this coat you will and run like other boys. Then Jack put on the coat. When he put on the coat he could not see hte coat any more, be-cause it was a fairy coat. His back was not bad any more. He could walk and run. He was very happy. He said to the Fire- princess and the Water- prince.. Thank you. Thank you very much. They said: Do not thank us.We thank you. we are very happy. Then hand in hand, the Fire- princess and the Water- prince went to the window, and out into the night.