the little man through a hole
in the side of a green hill. The hole was so small that he had to go
on his hands and knees to pass through it, and when he was able to
stand he was only the same height as the little fairyman. After
walking three or four steps they were in a splendid room, as bright as
day. Diamonds sparkled in the roof as stars sparkle in the sky when
the night is without a cloud. The roof rested on golden pillars, and
between the pillars were silver lamps, but their light was dimmed by
that of the diamonds. In the middle of the room was a table, on which
were two golden plates and two silver knives and forks, and a brass
bell as big as a hazelnut, and beside the table were two little chairs
covered with blue silk and satin.

[Illustration: "The dwarf followed the little man through a hole in the
side of a green hill"--p. 3.]

"Take a chair," said the fairy, "and I will ring for the wand of
speech."

The dwarf sat down, and the fairyman rang the little brass bell, and
in came a little weeny dwarf no bigger than your hand.

"Bring me the wand of speech," said the fairy, and the weeny dwarf
bowed three times and walked out backwards, and in a minute he
returned, carrying a little black wand with a red berry at the top of
it, and, giving it to the fairy, he bowed three times and walked out
backwards as he had done before.

The little man waved the rod three times over the dwarf, and struck
him once on the right shoulder and once on the left shoulder, and
then touched his lips with the red berry, and said: "Speak!"

The dwarf spoke, and he was so rejoiced at hearing the sound of his
own voice that he danced about the room.

"Who are you at all, at all?" said he to the fairy.

"Who is yourself?" said the fairy. "But come, before we have any talk
let us have something to eat, for I am sure you are hungry."

Then they sat down to table, and the fairy rang the little brass bell
twice, and the weeny dwarf brought in two boiled snails in their
shells, and when they had eaten the snails he brought in a dormouse,
and when they had eaten the dormouse he brought in two wrens, and when
they had eaten the wrens he brought in two nuts full of wine, and they
became very merry, and the fairyman sang "Cooleen dhas," and the dwarf
sang "The little blackbird of the glen."

"Did you ever hear the 'Foggy Dew?'" said the fairy.

"No," said the dwarf.

"Well, then, I'll give it to you; but we must have some more wi