d, glided like swallows, in long
sweeping curves--there was no noise in their flight. They were quite
without reticence in their intercourse; desired or avoided, loved or
hated as the moment urged them; strove to win, struggled to escape,
achieved or surrendered without remark from their companions. They
were like children or animals. Desire was reason good; and if love was
soon over, hate lasted no longer. One passion or the other set them
scuffling: when it was spent they had no after-thought.

One pretty sight I saw. A hare came lolloping over the valley bottom,
quite at his ease. In the midst of the assembly he stopped to nibble,
then reared himself up and cleaned his face. He saw them and they him
without concern on either side.

The valley filled up; I could not count the shifting, crossing,
restless shapes I saw down there. Presently, without call or signal,
as if by one consent, the Oreads joined hands and enclosed the whole
circuit in their ring. The effect in the dusk was of a pale glow, as
of the softest fire, defining the contour of the valley; and soon they
were moving, circling round and round. Shriller and louder swelled the
hidden music, and faster span the ring. It whirled and wavered, lifted
and fell, but so smoothly, with such inherent power of motion, that it
was less like motion visible than motion heard. Nothing was
distinguishable but the belt of pale fire. That which I had seen
before they had now become--a ring of flame intensely swift. As if
sucked upward by a centripetal force it rose in the air. Wheeling
still with a sound incredibly shrill it rose to my level, swept by me
heralded by a keen wind, and was followed by a draught which caught
leaves and straws of grass and took them swirling along. Round and up,
and ever up it went, narrowing and spiring to the zenith. There,
looking long after it, I saw it diminish in size and brightness till
it became filmy as a cloud, then melted into the company of the
stars.

A SUMMARY CHAPTER

Now, it is the recent publication by Mr. Evans Wentz of a careful and
enthusiastic work upon _The Fairy Faith in Celtic Countries_ which has
inspired me to put these pages before the public. Some of them have
appeared in the magazines as curious recitals and may have afforded
pastime to the idle-minded, but without the courageous initiative of
Mr. Wentz I don't know that I should have attempted to give them such
coherence as they may claim to possess. An