the castle.

Time flew, and Jamie was enjoying himself very much, when his hosts
said, "We're going to ride to Dublin to-night to steal a young lady.
Will you come, too, Jamie Freel?"

"Ay, that I will," cried the rash youth, thirsting for adventure.

A troop of horses stood at the door. Jamie mounted, and his steed rose
with him into the air. He was presently flying over his mother's
cottage, surrounded by the elfin troop, and on and on they went, over
bold mountains, over little hills, over the deep Lough Swilley, over
towns and cottages, where people were burning nuts and eating apples and
keeping merry Halloween. It seemed to Jamie that they flew all round
Ireland before they got to Dublin.

"This is Derry," said the fairies, flying over the cathedral spire; and
what was said by one voice was repeated by all the rest, till fifty
little voices were crying out, "Derry! Derry! Derry!"

In like manner was Jamie informed as they passed over each town on the
route, and at length he heard the silvery voices cry, "Dublin! Dublin!"

It was no mean dwelling that was to be honoured by the fairy visit, but
one of the finest houses in Stephen's Green.

The troop dismounted near a window, and Jamie saw a beautiful face on a
pillow in a splendid bed. He saw the young lady lifted and carried away,
while the stick which was dropped in her place on the bed took her exact
form.

The lady was placed before one rider and carried a short way, then given
another, and the names of the towns were cried as before.

They were approaching home. Jamie heard "Rathmullan," "Milford,"
"Tamney," and then he knew they were near his own house.

"You've all had your turn at carrying the young lady," said he. "Why
wouldn't I get her for a wee piece?"

"Ay, Jamie," replied they pleasantly, "you may take your turn at
carrying her, to be sure."

Holding his prize very tightly he dropped down near his mother's door.

"Jamie Freel! Jamie Freel! is that the way you treat us?" cried they,
and they, too, dropped down near the door.

Jamie held fast, though he knew not what he was holding, for the little
folk turned the lady into all sorts of strange shapes. At one moment she
was a black dog, barking and trying to bite; at another a glowing bar of
iron, which yet had no heat; then again a sack of wool.

But still Jamie held her, and the baffled elves were turning away when a
tiny woman, the smallest of the party, exclaimed, "Jamie Freel has her