Dutchman's Breeches
from Things To See In Springtime
Of course they are not, for no Dutchman I ever saw could wear such tiny things. I will tell you what they really are and how that came to be.
You remember how the Brownies assembled for the feast on May Day when the Glow worms were the lamps and the Wood Thrush rang the bell. Well, it so happened that day that a great crowd of the merrymakers gathered long before the feast was ready, and while they were wondering what to do someone shouted: "See, how fine and warm the water is where the brook spreads out into the ditch. Let us have our first swim of the season right now!"
So they all went with a whoop! stripped off their clothes, and into their swimming breeches with a perfect riot of glee.
Then how they did splash! Some blind folks thought it must be a million early pollywogs splashing. But the swim ended with another racket when the dinner bell rang.
Each splashing Brownie hopped out and hung up his breeches to dry as he got into his clothes.
Then you remember the fire came along and scared them away. Of course the breeches were wet, so they didn't get singed; and there you can see them hanging to this day on the first of May. That is what they really are—Brownies' Breeches. And because the Brownies often swim in a ditch, they are called ditch-man's breeches; but believe me, they are not Dutchman's breeches and never could be.
 The Seven Sour Sisters
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