r them
singing wonderful tunes.'

"The mother fixed her eyes upon Maud, set the old man's morsel of food
upon the hearth stone, and, taking her daughter by the hand, led her to
the stove, and seated her upon the family bench.

"'Listen!' she said, 'and take thou heed to my words. The good people,
or the fairies, which is their proper name, although they do not like to
be called so, do indeed live, though few have the gift of beholding
them, in all the mountains and valleys round about. Very, very seldom,
and only upon the most extraordinary occasions, do they ever show
themselves. When they do, it betokens luck to him that sees them, and
brings it, if he quietly fulfill their wishes. These are certainly often
out of the way, just like the people, who are strange and
incomprehensible enough. Thank Goodness, they never crossed my path! but
your godmother Helen, she had many, many years ago, a curious adventure
with the fairies.'

"'Really, mother! Aunt Nelly spoken to the fairies! O pray, dear mother,
tell me quickly and fully the whole story!'

"'First run to the quarry, and take your father his dinner,' said the
mother. 'I will try in the meanwhile to remember all about it; and if
you will promise me to say not a word to any one--not even to your
godmother, you shall hear what your aunt told me at that time.'

"Maud very naturally promised every thing, took herself off, and was
back again as quickly as possible. She did not loiter for a moment upon
the road, did not even notice the signals which her Albert made as he
came towards her from the distance. She could think only of her mother's
story.

"'Here I am again, mother!' she said breathless. 'I call that running! I
should say that the king's trained runners could do no better. But now
begin, dear mother. I will listen to you as if you were saying mass.'

"'As well as I can remember,' proceeded the mother, 'the case of the
fairies is a very singular one. Your godmother Helen disclosed to me, it
is true, just the chief particulars only; but they were quite enough to
let you understand something of the good people. They told her that,
once in every fifty or a hundred years, they have a kind of church
meeting, which from old time they call a Sabbath. For you must know,
child, that the fairies are properly Jews,{O} right down old chaffering
Jews, from _Olim's_ time.'{P}

"'O bless me! Jews!' cried Maud, frightened out of her wits.

"'Yes, yes, Jews and nothing