THIS tells the story of a little girl named Ellen, who has the goodwill of her neighbors, but is afflicted with a grumbling, miserly old grandmother, named Grumpy Margery. One day Ellen goes on an errand for Margery, and fate seems against the little maid. Everything and everybody detains her, and she sprains her ankle. She wishes earnestly that her grandmother may not be angry, and pauses again to do a kindness for a queer-looking little man she finds sitting on the edge of her milk-pails, and who begs a draught of milk. In return for her kindness he transforms some drops of the milk into a pearl bracelet, which has magic powers; he fastens it on her wrist, whereby she is made mistress of everything she wishes for. So, after this, Ellen has a much easier life of it, though ignorance prevents her realizing the fact that her habit of wishing takes effect through the bracelet. By gentle degrees Grumpy Margery improves in temper, and so time goes on pleasantly, till one day Ellen watches some ladies driving by, and, with a little sigh, says, 'I wish I was a lady, and had things like those have, such lovely dresses, horses and all.' A sudden drowsiness overpowers her, and on awaking her wish is realized, but it requires all the assurance of Prince Follow-my-lead to convince her that all her nice surroundings are her own. The tale then goes on, telling Ellen's various adventures with her fairy Prince, how she has to leave her new home in consequence of the ill-will of one of the Prince's fairy enemies, her wanderings, life at a Welsh seaside village, loss of the magic bracelet, peep into the fairy court, and subsequent reinstatement in her former home.
–Notes on Books [1885]