AREMONSTRAHSENFORHAVINGSOUREDTHEDISPOSITIONOFTHEIRGHOSTSANDFAERIES

    NotonlyinIrelandisfaerybeliefstillextant.ItwasonlytheotherdayIheardofaScottishfarmerwhobelievedthatthelakeinfrontofhishousewashauntedbyawater-horse.Hewasafraidofit,anddraggedthelakewiths,ariedtopumpitempty.Itwouldhavebeenabadthingforthewater-horsehadhefoundhim.AnIrishpeasantwouldhavelongsinetotermswiththecreature.ForinIrelandthereissomethingoftimidaffebetweenmenandspirits.Theyonlyill-treateachotherinreason.Eachadmitstheothersidetohavefeelings.Therearepointsbeyondwhieitherwillgo.NoIrishpeasantwouldtreatacapturedfaeryasdidthemanCampbelltellsof.Hecaughtakelpie,andtiedherbehindhimonhishorse.Shewasfierce,buthekeptherquietbydrivinganawlandaneedleiheycametoariver,andshegrewveryrestless,fearingtocrossthewater.Againhedrovetheawlandneedleintoher.Shecriedout,“Piercemewiththeawl,butkeepthatslender,hair-likeslave(theneedle)outofme.”Theycametoaniurhelightofalanternonher;immediatelyshedroppeddownlikeafallingstar,andgedintoalumpofjelly.Shewasdead.NorwouldtheytreatthefaeriesasoreatedinanoldHighlandpoem.Afaerylovedalittlechildwhousedtocutturfatthesideofafaeryhill.Everydaythefaeryputouthishandfromthehillwithanentedkhechildusedtocuttheturfwiththekdidnottakelong,theknifebeingcharmed.Herbrotherswonderedwhyshewasdonesoquickly.Atlasttheyresolvedtowatdfindoutwhohelpedher.Theysawthesmallhandeoutoftheearth,alechildtakefromittheknife.Wheurfwasallcut,theysawhermakethreetapsonthegroundwiththehahesmallhandcameout