Indeed the following conversation was overheard by Emily,
and set down:
'Do you know, Martyn, there's a fairies' ring on Hillside Down?'
'Mushrooms,' quoth Martyn.
'Yes, don't you know? They are the fairies' tables. They come out
and spread them with lily tablecloths at night, and have acorn cups
for dishes, with honey in them. And they dance and play there.
Well, couldn't Mr. Edward go and sit under the beech-tree at the
edge till they come?'
'I don't think he would like it at all,' said Martyn. 'He never
goes out at odd times.'
'Oh, but don't you know? when they come they begin to sing -
'"Sunday and Monday,
Monday and Tuesday."
And if he was to sing nicely,
'"Wednesday and Thursday,"
they would be so much pleased that they would make his back straight
again in a moment. At least, perhaps Wednesday and Thursday would
not do, because the little tailor taught them those; but Friday
makes them angry. But suppose he made some nice verse -
'"Monday and Tuesday
The fairies are gay,
Tuesday and Wednesday
They dance away--"
I think that would do as well, perhaps. Do get him to do so,
Martyn. It would be so nice if he was tall and straight.'
Dear little thing! Martyn, who was as much her slave as was her
grandfather, absolutely made her shed tears over his history of our
accident, and then caressed them off; but I believe he persuaded her
that such a case might be beyond the fairies' reach, and that I
could hardly get to the spot in secret, which, it seems, is an
essential point.
Pages:
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160