sm up to what we know it to-day; and so
every nation, no matter how barbarous, has arisen from a lower stage
than that in which it is found, and is on its way, if left to its
natural processes, to something higher and better. This is an hypothesis
which does not, of course, exclude the possibility of temporary and
partial relapses, such as we know have taken place in the history of
every civilized country, any more than it excludes the possibility of
the decay and death of empires; but upon the whole it claims that
progress and not retrogression is the law of human society. The
different stages of this progress have everywhere left their mark on the
tales and songs, the sayings and superstitions, the social, religious
and political institutions--in other words, on the belief and
practice--of mankind.

Starting from these premises, we have examined five groups, or cycles,
of tales concerning the Fairy Mythology. We have found Fairyland very
human in its organization. Its inhabitants marry, sometimes among
themselves, sometimes into mankind. They have children born to them; and
they require at such times female assistance. They steal children from
men, and leave their own miserable brats in exchange; they steal women,
and sometimes leave in their stead blocks of wood, animated by magical
art, or sometimes one of themselves. In the former case the animation
does not usually last very long, and the women is then supposed to die.
Their females sometimes in turn become captive to men. Unions thus
formed are, however, not lasting, until the husband has followed the
wife to her own home, and conquered his right to her afresh by some
great adventure. This is not always in the story: presumably, therefore,
not always possible. On the other hand, he who enters Fairyland and
partakes of fairy food is spell-bound: he cannot return--at least for
many years, perhaps for ever--to the land of men. Fairies are grateful
to men for benefits conferred, and resentful for injuries. They never
fail to reward those who do them a kindness; but their gifts usually
have conditions attached, which detract from their value and sometimes
become a source of loss and misery. Nor do they forget to revenge
themselves on those who offend them; and to watch them, when they do not
desire to be manifested, is a mortal offence. Their chief distinction
from men is in their unbounded magical powers, whereof we have had
several illustrations. They make things se