midnight
And when they were gone he turned to the anxious Necile and comforted her , saying : `` Be of good heart , my child ; our friend still lives . And now run to your Queen and tell her that I have summoned a council of all the immortals of the world to meet with me here in Burzee this night . If they obey , and harken unto my words , Claus will drive his reindeer for countless ages yet to come . '' At midnight there was a wondrous scene in the ancient Forest of Burzee , where for the first time in many centuries the rulers of the immortals who inhabit the earth were gathered together . There was the Queen of the Water Sprites , whose beautiful form was as clear as crystal but continually dripped water on the bank of moss where she sat . And beside her was the King of the Sleep Fays , who carried a wand from the end of which a fine dust fell all around , so that no mortal could keep awake long enough to see him , as mortal eyes were sure to close in sleep as soon as the dust filled them . And next to him sat the Gnome King , whose people inhabit all that region under the earth 's surface , where they guard the precious metals and the jewel stones that lie buried in rock and ore .