Fairies.

"THEY "THEY inhabit the interior of green hills, chiefly those of a conical form, on which they lead their dances by moonlight, impressing upon the surface the marks of circles, which sometimes appear yellow and blasted, sometimes of a deepgreen hue, and within which it is dangerous to sleep or to be found after sunset.

66

They are heard sedulously hammering in linns, precipices, and rocky or cavernous situations, where, like the dwarfs of the mines, mentioned by Georg. Agricola, they busy themselves in imitating the actions and the various employments of men. The brook of Beaumont, for example, which passes in its course by numerous linns and caverns, is notorious for being haunted by the Fairies; and the perforated and rounded. stones, which are formed by trituration in its channel, are termed, by the vulgar, fairy-cups and dishes. A beautiful rea

son is assigned by Fletcher for the fays frequenting streams. and fountains.

He tells us of

A virtuous well, about whose flowery banks
The nimble-footed Fairies dance their rounds
By the pale moonshine, dipping oftentimes
Their stolen children, so to make them free
From dying flesh and dull mortality.'

Faithful Shepherdess.

There is upon the top of Minchmuir, a mountain in Peebleshire, a spring called the Cheese Well, because, anciently, those who passed that way were wont to throw into it a piece of cheese as an offering to the Fairies, to whom it was consecrated.

"The usual dress of the Fairies is green, though, on the moors, they have been sometimes observed in heath-brown, or in weeds dyed with the stoneran, or lichen. They often ride in invisible procession, when their presence is discovered by the shrill ringing of their bridles.”—Minstrelsy of Scottish Border.

The seed of the fern, from its singular manner of growth, was supposed to be under the especial protection of the Queen of the Fairies. It was believed to have the quality of rendering whoever carried it about him invisible, and to be also of great use in charms and incantations. But the difficulties of gathering this mysterious seed were very great indeed; it was supposed to be only visible on St. John's Eve, and at the very moment when the Baptist was born. How the rustic population accounted for the fact that it might, in reality, be found on the fronds both before and after that day, one can not say; but they probably held this to be a delusion of the Fairies. It is certain, at least, that they supposed the important magic seed itself only to be attainable on that one evening in the year. But even at the right hour to collect this seed was no easy task, the Fairies resorting to all kinds of devices to prevent human hands from gathering it. A certain individual who flattered himself that he had succeeded in his errand, and supposed that "he had gotten a quantity of it, and

secured it in papers, and in a box besides, when he came home, found all empty." This fancy connected with the fern appears to have been very general. Shakspeare alludes to it:

"We have the receipt of fern-seed; we walk invisible."

Henry IV., Act 1, Sc. 3.

ELVES.

Ye elves of hills, brooks, standing lakes, and groves;
And ye that on the sand, with printless feet,
Do chase the ebbing Neptune, and do fly him
When he comes back; you demi-puppets that
By moonshine do the green, sour ringlets make,
Whereof the ewe bites not; and you whose pastime
Is to make midnight-mushrooms; that rejoice
To hear the solemn curfew,

HYNDE ETIN.

SHAKSPEARE'S Tempest.

BALLAD OF THE WOODS,

May Margaret stood in her bouir door
Kaming her yellow hair;

She heard a note in Elmond wood,

And she wished that she was there.

Sae she has kiltit her petticoats,

A little abune her knee;
And she's awa to Elmond's wood

As fast as she can gae.

She hadna poued a nut, a nut,

Nor broke a branch but ane
When by and came a young hind chiel,
Says, "Lady! let alane.

"O why pou ye the nut, the nut,
Or why break ye the tree?
I'm forester ower a' this wood,
Ye sould speir leave at me."

But aye she poued the other berry,
Nae thinking o' the skaith;

He took her out the dungeon deep,

And awa wi' him she's gane;

But sad was the day when a king's daughter
Gaed hame wi' Hynde Etin.

O they hae lived in Elmond wood
For six lang years and one;
Till six pretty sons to him she bore,

And the seventh she's brought home.

These seven bairns, sae fair and fine,
That she to him did bring;

They never were in good church door,

Nor ever gat good kirking.

And aye at nicht, wi' harp in hand,

As they lay still asleep,

She sat hersell by their bedside,

And bitterly did weep.

Singing, "Ten lang years now have I lived
Within this cave of stane,

And never was at good kirk-door,
Nor heard the kirk-bell ring."

But it fell once upon a day,

Hynde Etin went from home;

And for to carry his game to him,

Has taen his oldest son.

And as they through the good greenwood,

Wi' slowsome pace did gae,

The bonnie boy's heart grew grit and sair,
And thus he goud to say:

"A question I would ask, father,
An ye wadna angry be;"
"Say on, say on, my bonnie boy;
Ask onything at me."

66 My mither's cheeks are often wet;

I seldom see them dry;

And I wonder aye what aileth my mither

To mourn continually?"

"Nae wonder that your mither's cheeks Ye seldom see them dry;

Nae wonder, nae wonder, my bonnie boy, Though she suld brast and die!

"For she was born a king's daughter,
Of noble birth and fame,

And now she is Hynde Etin's wife,
Wha ne'er got Christendome.

"But we'll shoot the laverock in the lift,

The buntlin on the tree;

And ye'll take theme hame to your mither,

An' see if blythe she'll be."

It fell upon another day,

Hynde Etin he thocht lang; And he is to the gude greenwood, As fast as he can gang.

Wi' bow and arrow by his side,

He's off, single, alane,