The Rainbow Cat was more than willing to help, but he felt that it was a difficult matter.
“How soon must you have the stuff?” he asked.
“This afternoon would be the very latest,” said the goblin.
“I’ll see what I can do,” said the Rainbow Cat. “I have an idea or two. Don’t worry, it’ll be all right. Meet me here at noon, and I’ll let you know what I’ve done.”
The Chief Goblin went away feeling considerably relieved. The Rainbow Cat seemed so wise, just the kind of person to think of something helpful in an emergency.
And sure enough at twelve o’clock he came to meet the Chief of the Goblins with a cheerful twinkle in his dark blue eye.
“I’ve been making a few inquiries,” he said. “But I want to make sure that my information is correct. Sit down, and let us have a little quiet talk.”
The Chief of the Goblins sat down and waited eagerly. He felt more and more hopeful.
“Is it true,” said the Rainbow Cat, “is it true that the crooked hawthorn tree in the Weeshy Glen is very bad-tempered?”
“Quite true,” said the Chief Goblin. “Nobody dares go near him, he’s such a cross, cantankerous creature. Lots of the hawthorns are very nice indeed, and we’re very fond of them. But he’s unbearable. He’ll give any one a nasty scratch if he gets half a chance, he’s so spiteful.”
“Is it true,” continued the Rainbow Cat, “that he’s jealous of the other trees because he can’t grow tall and big like them, and reach up to the sky?”
“Quite true,” said the Chief Goblin. “He makes every one round him miserable with his grumbling and scolding.”
“H’m,” said the Rainbow Cat, and he folded his arms and sat lost in thought for a few minutes.
“Would the petals of the hawthorn tree do to make fairy shoes of?” he said at last.
“Beautifully,” said the Chief Goblin. “But they’re white.” (For at that time all hawthorn blossom was white, both in Fairyland and everywhere else.)
“Quite true,” said the Rainbow Cat. “Can you lend me a mandolin?”
“Yes, I think I can,” said the goblin, and he ran off and came back very soon with a beautiful mandolin all inlaid with silver and ivory and mother-of-pearl.
“Thank you,” said the Rainbow Cat. “I think that in half an hour or so I shall be able to let you have all the rose-coloured petals you want.” And he hung the mandolin round his neck and set off into the forest.