The Enchanted Elm
: The Firelight Fairy Book[Illustration: Young girl sitting in a tree.]
Once upon a time, while riding, a brave, young prince dashed merrily
ahead of his friends, and after galloping across a ploughed field,
turned his horse's head down a grassy road leading to a wood. For some
time he cantered easily along, expecting any moment to hear the shouts
and halloos of his friends following after; but they by mistake took
q
hoofs reached the Prince's ear. Suddenly an ugly snarl and a short bark
broke the stillness of the pleasant forest, and looking down, the Prince
saw a gray wolf snapping at his horse's heels.
Though the horse, wild with fear, threatened to run away any instant,
the Prince leaned over and struck the wolf with his whip.
Hardly had he done so, when an angry voice cried, "How dare you strike
my pet?"
A little distance ahead, a wicked old witch stood at one side of the
road. With its tail between its legs, the wolf cowered close to her
skirts, and showed its long yellow fangs.
"Pet, indeed!" cried the Prince. "Keep him away from my horse or I will
strike him again."
"At your peril, Prince," answered the witch. And then, as the Prince
turned his horse's head and galloped back, she called out, "You shall
rue this day! You shall rue this day!"
Now by the time the Prince had arrived at the ploughed field and the
great road again, his friends had galloped on so far that they were lost
to sight. Thinking that he might overtake them by following a shorter
road, he turned down a byway skirting the wood in which he had
encountered the enchantress. Presently he began to feel very thirsty.
Chancing to see an old peasant woman in the fields, the Prince called to
her and asked where he could find a roadside spring.
Now this old peasant woman was the wicked witch under another form.
Overjoyed at having the Prince fall so easily into her power, she
curtsied; and replied that within the wood was to be found the finest
spring in the country. Anxious not to lose time, the Prince begged her
to lead him to the water. Little did he know that the witch was leading
him back into the wood, and that she had just bewitched the water!
When they arrived at the pool, the Prince dismounted, and kneeling by
the brim, made a cup of his hands and drank till his thirst was
satisfied. He was just about to seize his horse again by the bridle and
put his foot into the stirrup, when a terrible pang shot through his
body, darkness swam before his eyes, his arms lengthened and became
branches, his fingers, twigs; his feet shot into the ground, and he
found himself turned into a giant elm.
A giant elm he was; a giant elm he remained. Unable to find him after a
long search, his friends gave him up for lost, and a new Prince ruled
over the land. Though the elm tried many times to tell passers-by of his
plight, none ever seemed to understand his words. Again and again, when
simple wood-cutters ventured into the great dark wood, he would tell
them his story and cry out, "I am the Prince! I am the Prince!" But the
wood-cutters heard only the wind stirring in the branches. Ah, how cold
it was in winter when the skies were steely black and the giant stars
sparkled icily! And how pleasant it was when spring returned, and the
gossipy birds came back again!
The first year a pair of wood-pigeons took to housekeeping in his
topmost branches. The Prince was glad to welcome them, for though denied
human speech, he understood the language of trees and birds. On
Midsummer Eve, the pigeons said to him, "To-night the King of the Trees
comes through the wood. Do you not hear the stir in the forest? All the
real trees are preparing for the King's coming; they are shedding dead
leaves and shaking out their branches."
"Tell me of the King," said the Prince.
"He is tall and dark and strong," said the doves. "He dwells in a great
pine in the North. On Midsummer Eve, he goes through the world to see if
all is well with the tree people."
"Do you think he can help me?" asked the Prince.
"You might ask him," replied the doves.
The long, long twilight of Midsummer Eve came to a close; night folded
the world beneath its starry curtains. At twelve o'clock, though not a
breath of air was stirring, the trees were shaken as if by a mighty
wind, the rustling of the leaves blending into strange and lovely music,
and presently the King of the Trees entered the haunted wood. Even as
the wood-doves had said, he was tall and dark and stately.
"Is all well with you, O my people?" said the King, in a voice as sweet
and solemn as the wind in the branches on a summer's day.
"Yes, all is well," answered the trees softly. Though some replied, "I
have lost a branch"; and a little tree called out unhappily, "My
neighbors are shutting out all my sunlight."
"Then fare ye well, my people, till next Midsummer Eve," said the
stately King. And he was about to stride onward through the dark wood
when the enchanted Prince called aloud to him!
"Stay, O King of the Trees," cried the poor Prince. "Hear me even though
I am not of your people. I am a mortal, a prince, and a wicked witch has
turned me into a tree. Can you not help me?"
"Alas, poor friend, I can do nothing," replied the King. "However, do
not despair. In my travels through the world, I shall surely find
someone who can help you. Look for me on next Midsummer Eve."
So the great elm swayed his branches sadly, and the King went on his
way.
The winter came again, silent and dark and cold. At the return of
spring, a maiden who dwelt with a family of wood-cutters came often to
rest in the shade of the great tree. Her father had once been a rich
merchant, but evil times had overtaken him, and at his death the only
relatives who could be found to take care of the little girl were a
family of rough wood-cutters in the royal service. These grudging folk
kept the poor maiden always hard at work and gave her the most difficult
household tasks. The Prince, who knew the whole story, pitied her very
much, and ended by falling quite in love with her. As for the unhappy
maiden, it seemed to her that beneath the sheltering shade of the great
elm she enjoyed a peace and happiness to be found nowhere else.
Now it was the custom of the wood-men to cut down, during the summer,
such trees as would be needed for the coming winter, and one day the
wood-cutter in whose family the maiden dwelt announced his intention of
cutting down the great elm.
"Not the great elm which towers above all the forest?" cried the maiden.
"Yes, that very tree," answered the woodcutter gruffly. "To-morrow
morning we shall fell it to the ground, and to-morrow night we shall
build the midsummer fire with its smaller branches. What are you crying
about, you silly girl?"
"Oh, please don't cut the great elm!" begged the good maiden.
"Nonsense!" said the wood-cutter. "I wager you have been wasting your
time under its branches. I shall certainly cut the tree down in the
morning."
All night long, you may be sure, the maiden pondered on the best way to
save the great tree; and since she was as clever as she was good, she at
length hit upon a plan. Rising early on Midsummer Morn, she ran to the
forest, climbed the great elm, and concealed herself in its topmost
branches. She saw the rest of the wood beneath her, and the distant
peaks of the Adamant Mountains; and she rejoiced in the dawn songs of
the birds.
An hour after the sun had risen, she heard the voices of the wood-cutter
and his men as they came through the wood. Soon the band arrived at the
foot of the tree. Imagine the feelings of the poor Prince when he saw
the sharp axes at hand to cut him down!
"I shall strike the first blow," said the chief wood-cutter, and he
lifted his axe in the air.
Suddenly from the tree-top a warning voice sang,--
"Throw the axe down, harm not me.
I am an enchanted tree.
He who strikes shall breathe his last,
Before Midsummer Eve hath passed."
"There is a spirit in the tree," cried the woodcutters, thoroughly
frightened. "Let us hurry away from here before it does us a mischief."
And in spite of all the chief wood-cutter's remonstrances, they ran
away as fast as their legs could carry them.
The chief wood-cutter, however, was bolder-hearted, and lifted the axe
again. As the blade shone uplifted in the sun, the maiden sang once
more,--
"Throw the axe down, harm not me.
I am an enchanted tree.
He who strikes shall breathe his last
Before Midsummer Eve hath passed."
Hearing the voice again, the chief began to feel just the littlest bit
alarmed; nevertheless, he stood his ground and lifted the axe a third
time. Once more the girl sang,--
"Throw the axe down, harm not me.
I am an enchanted tree.
He who strikes shall breathe his last
Before Midsummer Eve hath passed."
At the same moment, the elm managed to throw down a great branch which
struck the rogue a sound thump on the shoulders. Now thoroughly
terrified, the chief wood-cutter himself fled from the spot.
All day long, for fear lest he return, the maiden remained hidden in the
tree. At twilight, overcome by weariness, she fell into a deep sleep.
Just before midnight, alas, she was awakened from her slumber by hearing
an angry voice cry,--
"Come down from the tree, wicked, deceitful girl, or I shall cut it down
at once!"
Very much alarmed, the poor maiden looked down through the branches, and
discovered the wood-cutter standing at the foot of the elm. A lantern
swung from his left hand, and his sharpest axe rested on his right
shoulder. He had returned home, and not finding the maiden there, had
suspected that it was her voice which had frightened his men away.
"Come down," roared the rascal. "I'll teach you, you minx, to play
tricks with me. One--two--three." And lifting the axe in the air, he was
about to send it crashing into the trunk of the elm, when the mysterious
murmur which heralded the coming of the King of the Trees sounded
through the wood. Perplexed and frightened again, the chief wood-cutter
let fall his axe. Presently he perceived two beings coming toward him
through the solemn forest. Uttering a howl of fear, the rogue would have
fled, but, lifting his wand, the elder of the newcomers transfixed him
to the spot. The two personages were the King of the Trees and his
friend, the mighty enchanter, Gorbodoc.
"Descend and fear not, maiden," said the King of the Trees. "You have
done bravely and well. Your misfortunes are over, and a happier day is
at hand."
So the brave girl hurried down the tree, and stood before the enchanter
and the King. Very pretty she was, too, in her rustic dress and ribbons.
Lifting his wand with great solemnity, Gorbodoc touched the trunk of the
elm. There was a blinding flash of rosy fire; the great tree appeared to
shrink and dissolve, and presently the Prince stood before them.
"Welcome, Prince," said the enchanter.
"Your enemy, the witch, will trouble you no more. I have turned her into
an owl and given her to the Queen of Lantern Land. As for you," and here
the enchanter turned fiercely upon the wood-cutter, "you shall be a
green monkey, until you have planted and brought to full growth as many
trees as you have cut down."
An instant later, a green monkey swung off into the tree-tops.
Then the grateful Prince thanked the King of the Trees, the mighty
Gorbodoc, and the brave maiden, with all his heart. I am glad to say
that he got his castle back again and married the maiden who had saved
his life, and they lived happily ever after.
More
-
The Drowned Buccaneer
The story of Wolfert Webber was said by Louis Stevenson to be one of the finest treasure-seeking stories in the world; and as Stevenson was a very good judge, I am going to tell it to you. Wolfert's ancestor, Cobus Webber, was one of the origina... The Dryad Of The Old Oak
BY JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL (ADAPTED) In olden times there was a youth named Rhoecus. One day as he wandered through the wood he saw an ancient oak tree, trembling and about to fall. Full of pity for so fair a tree, Rhoecus carefully propped up its t... The Duck And The Snake
On the borders of a pond Stood a Duck, discoursing thus: "Nature to me is generous All creatures else beyond. For my life, it hath no bound Water, earth or air within; I can fly or I can swim, When a-weary of the grou... The Dummy That Lived
In all Fairyland there is no more mischievous a person than Tanko-Mankie the Yellow Ryl. He flew through the city one afternoon--quite invisible to moral eyes, but seeing everything himself--and noticed a figure of a wax lady standing behind the b... The Dwarfie Stone
Far up in a green valley in the Island of Hoy stands an immense boulder. It is hollow inside, and the natives of these northern islands call it the Dwarfie Stone, because long centuries ago, so the legend has it, Snorro the Dwarf lived there. N... The Eagle and His Captor
AN EAGLE was once captured by a man, who immediately clipped his wings and put him into his poultry-yard with the other birds, at which treatment the Eagle was weighed down with grief. Later, another neighbor purchased him and allowed his feathers ... The Eagle and the Arrow
AN EAGLE sat on a lofty rock, watching the movements of a Hare whom he sought to make his prey. An archer, who saw the Eagle from a place of concealment, took an accurate aim and wounded him mortally. The Eagle gave one look at the arrow that had ... The Eagle And The Arrow
A man shot a shaft at an Eagle, and hit him in the heart. When in the pains of death, the Eagle saw that the dart was made in part with one of his own quills. "Ah!" said he, "how much more sharp are wounds which are made by arms which we have ours... The Eagle And The Assembly Of Birds
To her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales. The moral lay, to beauty due, I write, FAIR EXCELLENCE, to you; Well pleas'd to hope my vacant hours Have been employ'd to sweeten your's. Truth under fiction I impart, To weed out foll... The Eagle and the Fox
AN EAGLE and a Fox formed an intimate friendship and decided to live near each other. The Eagle built her nest in the branches of a tall tree, while the Fox crept into the underwood and there produced her young. Not long after they had agreed upon... The Eagle and the Jackdaw
AN EAGLE, flying down from his perch on a lofty rock, seized upon a lamb and carried him aloft in his talons. A Jackdaw, who witnessed the capture of the lamb, was stirred with envy and determined to emulate the strength and flight of the Eagle. H... The Eagle And The Jackdaw
An eagle flying down from his eyrie on a lofty rock, seized upon a lamb, and carried him aloft in his talons. A jackdaw, who witnessed the capture of the lamb, was stirred with envy, and determined to emulate the strength and flight of the eagle. ... The Eagle and the Kite
AN EAGLE, overwhelmed with sorrow, sat upon the branches of a tree in company with a Kite. "Why," said the Kite, "do I see you with such a rueful look?' "I seek," she replied, "a mate suitable for me, and am not able to find one." "Take me," retu... The Eagle's Pride As The Bird Of Freedom
Of course, as you can imagine, Jack and Evelyn had been buying all sorts and all sizes of firecrackers. "I think the Fourth of July is my favorite holiday of the whole year," said Jack. "Yes," said Evelyn, "so do I, except possibly Christm... The Eagle, the Cat, and the Wild Sow
AN EAGLE made her nest at the top of a lofty oak; a Cat, having found a convenient hole, moved into the middle of the trunk; and a Wild Sow, with her young, took shelter in a hollow at its foot. The Cat cunningly resolved to destroy this chance-made... The Eagles
There was once a king, who had lost his wife. They had a family of thirteen--twelve gallant sons, and one daughter, who was exquisitely beautiful. For twelve years after his wife's death the king grieved very much; he used to go daily to her to... The Eagles Who Were Always Still
"In the house where Kenneth lived there was a chair which had always fascinated him. It was a very, very old chair, and Kenneth's mother and daddy were very proud of it," said daddy to Jack and Evelyn. "Kenneth's daddy had bought it at a sale o... The Earl Of Cattenborough
Once upon a time there was a miller who had three sons, Charles, Sam, and John. And every night when the servant went to bed he used to call out: "Good-night, Missus; good-night, Master; Good-night, Charles, Sam, John." Now after a time the ... The Earl Of Mar's Daughter
"It was intil a pleasant time, Upon a simmer's day, The noble Earl of Mar's daughter Went forth to sport and play." Long, long ago, in a country far away over the sea, there lived a Queen who had an only son. She was very r... The Ears Of Wheat
BY THE BROTHERS GRIMM (TRANSLATED) Ages upon ages ago, says the German grandmother, when angels used to wander on earth, the ground was more fruitful than it is now. Then the stalks of wheat bore not fifty or sixty fold, but four times five hundr... The Easter Hare
It is curious how little children of one country know about the lives and interests of the children of another. Perhaps if English people would send their children over to Germany, instead of their journalists, singers, etc., the danger of an Inte... The Easter Hare Family
Story by BARBARA ARNDT Two children, Paulchen and Luischen, were wandering about in the country on Easter Day, they said sorrowfully to one another. "Has the Easter Hare quite forgotten us this year?" For three hours they tramped about, and hunte... The Eatyoup
Dicky Duck was a very wise young fellow. He swam about the pond alone long before his brothers left their mother, and such worms and bugs and things of that sort as he found made all the other young ducks quite green with envy. But one day Di... The Eggs
Beyond the sunny Philippines An island lies, whose name I do not know; But that's of little consequence, if so You understand that there they had no hens; Till, by a happy chance, a traveller, After a while, carried some poultr... The Elephant And The Ape
An Elephant named Grand Tusk and an Ape named Nimble were friends. Grand Tusk observed, "Behold, how big and powerful I am!" Nimble cried in reply, "Behold, how agile and entertaining I am!" Each was eager to know which was really superior t... The Elephant's Child
IN the High and Far-Off Times the Elephant, O Best Beloved, had no trunk. He had only a blackish, bulgy nose, as big as a boot, that he could wriggle about from side to side; but he couldn't pick up things with it. But there was one Elephant--a ne... The Elf Maiden
Once upon a time two young men living in a small village fell in love with the same girl. During the winter, it was all night except for an hour or so about noon, when the darkness seemed a little less dark, and then they used to see which of th... The Elf Of The Woodlands
RETOLD FROM RICHARD HENGIST HORNE BY WILLIAM BYRON FORBUSH One morning when the summer sun was still sleeping an Elf came up from below, tickling an oak-tree's foot, skipping like a flea, and whispering mischievously to himself. "With lit... The Elfin Knight
There is a lone moor in Scotland, which, in times past, was said to be haunted by an Elfin Knight. This Knight was only seen at rare intervals, once in every seven years or so, but the fear of him lay on all the country round, for every now and th... The Elves
AN IROQUOIS LEGEND BY HARRIET MAXWELL CONVERSE (ADAPTED) The little Elves of Darkness, so says the old Iroquois grandmother, were wise and mysterious. They dwelt under the earth, where were deep forests and broad plains. There they kept captive... The Elves And The Shoemaker
BY HORACE E. SCUDDER There was once a shoemaker who worked very hard and was honest. Still, he could not earn enough to live on. At last, all he had in the world was gone except just leather enough to make one pair of shoes. He cut these out at n... The Elves And The Shoemaker
There was once a shoemaker, who worked very hard and was very honest: but still he could not earn enough to live upon; and at last all he had in the world was gone, save just leather enough to make one pair of shoes. Then he cut his leather out, ... The Emperor's New Clothes
MANY years ago there was an emperor who was so fond of new clothes that he spent all his money on them. He did not give himself any concern about his army; he cared nothing about the theater or for driving about in the woods, except for the sake o... The Enchanted Canary
I ONCE upon a time, in the reign of King Cambrinus, there lived at Avesnes one of his lords, who was the finest man--by which I mean the fattest--in the whole country of Flanders. He ate four meals a day, slept twelve hours out of the twenty-four... The Enchanted Cave Of Cesh Corran
CHAPTER I Fionn mac Uail was the most prudent chief of an army in the world, but he was not always prudent on his own account. Discipline sometimes irked him, and he would then take any opportunity that presented for an adventure; for he was ... The Enchanted Deer
A young man was out walking one day in Erin, leading a stout cart-horse by the bridle. He was thinking of his mother and how poor they were since his father, who was a fisherman, had been drowned at sea, and wondering what he should do to earn... The Enchanted Elm
[Illustration: Young girl sitting in a tree.] Once upon a time, while riding, a brave, young prince dashed merrily ahead of his friends, and after galloping across a ploughed field, turned his horse's head down a grassy road leading to a wood.... The Enchanted Head
Once upon a time an old woman lived in a small cottage near the sea with her two daughters. They were very poor, and the girls seldom left the house, as they worked all day long making veils for the ladies to wear over their faces, and every mor... The Enchanted Horse
It was the Feast of the New Year, the oldest and most splendid of all the feasts in the Kingdom of Persia, and the day had been spent by the king in the city of Schiraz, taking part in the magnificent spectacles prepared by his subjects to do hono... The Enchanted Island
All at once it grew dark around them. Neither Cap'n Bill nor Trot liked this gloom, for it made them nervous not to be able to see their enemies. "We must be near a sea cavern, if not within one," whispered Princess Clia, and even as she spoke ... The Enchanted Knife
Once upon a time there lived a young man who vowed that he would never marry any girl who had not royal blood in her veins. One day he plucked up all his courage and went to the palace to ask the emperor for his daughter. The emperor was not much ... The Enchanted Peafowl
Have you ever heard the story of the Peafowl who became a Queen and of the Tsar's Youngest Son who married her? Well, here it is: There was once a Tsar who took great delight in his garden. Every morning you could see him bending over his flower... The Enchanted Princess
In a certain kingdom there once served in the king's army a soldier. He served him honestly and faithfully for twenty-five years. For his good service the king gave him a leave of absence, and presented him with his war-horse and armor. The soldie... The Enchanted Ring
Once upon a time there lived a young man named Rosimond, who was as good and handsome as his elder brother Bramintho was ugly and wicked. Their mother detested her eldest son, and had only eyes for the youngest. This excited Bramintho's jealousy... The Enchanted Snake
There was once upon a time a poor woman who would have given all she possessed for a child, but she hadn't one. Now it happened one day that her husband went to the wood to collect brushwood, and when he had brought it home, he discovered a p... The Enchanted Types
One time a knook became tired of his beautiful life and longed for something new to do. The knooks have more wonderful powers than any other immortal folk--except, perhaps, the fairies and ryls. So one would suppose that a knook who might gain any... The Enchanted Watch
Once upon a time there lived a rich man who had three sons. When they grew up, he sent the eldest to travel and see the world, and three years passed before his family saw him again. Then he returned, magnificently dressed, and his father was so... The Enchanted Wreath
Once upon a time there lived near a forest a man and his wife and two girls; one girl was the daughter of the man, and the other the daughter of his wife; and the man's daughter was good and beautiful, but the woman's daughter was cross and u... The Engineer And The Dwarfs
A tunnel had been dug through a crag which had hitherto been considered as a serious obstacle in the railway route; the light now shone through at the farther end. There was a shout of joy from the tired workmen. The air had been stifling in the t... The Envious Neighbour
Long, long ago an old couple lived in a village, and, as they had no children to love and care for, they gave all their affection to a little dog. He was a pretty little creature, and instead of growing spoilt and disagreeable at not getting everyt... The Escape Of The Galley-slaves
In the year 1563 the 'Three Half Moons,' with thirty men on board, set sail from Portsmouth for the south of Spain, intending to sell their goods to merchants in the town of Seville, situated on the river Guadalquivir. The wind was behind them and... The Espousal Of The Rat's Daughter
Mr. Nedzumi, the Rat, was an important personage in the hamlet where he lived--at least he was so in his own and his wife's estimation. This was in part, of course, due to the long line of ancestors from whom he was descended, and to their inti... The Even-ash
A girl must pluck a leaf from the even-ash, and, holding it in her hand, say-- This even-ash I hold in my hand, The first I meet is my true man. She carries it in her hand a short distance, and if she meets a young man, he will be ... The Evil One And Kitta Grau
One day the devil met Kitta Grau: "Where have you been, old man?" asked Kitta Grau, for she recognized him. "Well," said the evil one, "I have been out on the farmstead where the newly wedded couple live. This is the third time I have tried t... The Fables Of Pilpay The Hindu
Pilpay is thought to have been a Hindu who lived many centuries before Jesus was born, and who wrote fables that have been translated into almost every language. His fables are older than those of AEsop. ... The Fair One With Golden Locks
There was once a king's daughter so beautiful that they named her the Fair One with Golden Locks. These golden locks were the most remarkable in the world, soft and fine, and falling in long waves down to her very feet. She wore them always thus, ... The Fairies
BY WILLIAM ALLINGHAM Up the airy mountain, Down the rushy glen, We daren't go a-hunting For fear of little men; Wee folk, good folk, Trooping all together: Green jacket, red cap, And white owl's feath... The Fairies And The Fiddler
In the pretty little village of Hayfield, not far from the borders of a thick forest, lived a good-natured, idle fellow, named Simon, who supported his wife and two children by trapping or shooting in winter, and by fishing or doing odd jobs of... The Fairies Of Merlin's Crag
About two hundred years ago there was a poor man working as a labourer on a farm in Lanarkshire. He was what is known as an "Orra Man"; that is, he had no special work mapped out for him to do, but he was expected to undertake odd jobs of any kind... The Fairies' Dancing-place
BY WILLIAM CARLETON Lanty M'Clusky had married a wife, and, of course, it was necessary to have a house in which to keep her. Now, Lanty had taken a bit of a farm, about six acres; but as there was no house on it, he resolved to build one; and ... The Fairy Aurora
Once upon a time something happened. If it hadn't happened, it wouldn't be told. There was once a great and mighty emperor, whose kingdom was so large that no one knew where it began and where it ended. Some believed it was boundless, others said ... The Fairy Bird Or The Humming-bird Moth
<p>When I was a schoolboy, a number of my companions brought the news that the strangest bird in the world had come that day to our garden and hovered over the flowers. It was no bigger than a bumble-bee. "No! It was not a humming-bird," th... The Fairy Detestable
Rosalie looked in eagerly. The little house was dark; she could see nothing but she heard the little voice:-- "Thanks, Rosalie, it is to you that I owe my deliverance." The voice seemed to come from the earth. She looked, and saw in a corner ... The Fairy Folk
BY ROBERT BIRD Come cuddle close in daddy's coat Beside the fire so bright, And hear about the fairy folk That wander in the night. For when the stars are shining clear And all the world is still, They ... The Fairy Frog
Once upon a time there lived a man of learning and wealth who had an only son, named Hanina. To this son, who was grown up and married, he sent a messenger asking that he should immediately come to his father. Hanina obeyed, and found both his fat... The Fairy Greyhound
Paddy M'Dermid was one of the most rollicking boys in the whole county of Kildare. Fair or pattern[3] wouldn't be held barring he was in the midst of it. He was in every place, like bad luck, and his poor little farm was seldom sowed in season; an... The Fairy Lamps
<p>There was once a little barelegged, brown-limbed boy who spent all his time in the woods. He loved the woods and all that was in them. He used to look, not at the flowers, but deep down into them, and not at the singing bird, but into its eyes, to... The Fairy Nurse
There was once a little farmer and his wife living near Coolgarrow. They had three children, and my story happened while the youngest was a baby. The wife was a good wife enough, but her mind was all on her family and her farm, and she hardly ... The Fairy Of The Dawn
Once upon a time what should happen DID happen; and if it had not happened this tale would never have been told. There was once an emperor, very great and mighty, and he ruled over an empire so large that no one knew where it began and where it e... The Fairy Princess Of Ergetz
I In a great and beautiful city that stood by the sea, an old man lay dying. Mar Shalmon was his name, and he was the richest man in the land. Propped up with pillows on a richly decorated bed in a luxurious chamber, he gazed, with tears in his... The Fairy Queen
Come, follow, follow me-- You, fairy elves that be, Which circle on the green-- Come, follow Mab, your queen! Hand in hand let's dance around, For this place is fairy ground. When mortals are at rest, ... The Fairy Thorn
An Ulster Ballad BY SAMUEL FERGUSON "Get up, our Anna dear, from the weary spinning wheel, For your father's on the hill, and your mother is asleep: Come up above the crags, and we'll dance a Highland reel Around the fair...