n and the
ladies of the court watched her couch by night and by day sadly waiting
for her last hour.

At length one day, when the sun was shining brightly over Tara's plain,
and its light, softened by the intervening curtains, was falling in the
sick chamber, the royal watchers noticed a sweet change coming over the
face of the princess; the bloom of love and youth were flushing on her
cheeks, and from her eyes shone out the old, soft, tender light, and
they began to hope she was about to be restored to them, when suddenly
the room was in darkness as if the night had swept across the sky, and
blotted out the sun. Then they heard the sound of fairy music, and over
the couch where the princess lay they beheld a gleam of golden light,
but only for a moment; and again there was perfect darkness, and the
fairy music ceased. Then, as suddenly as it came the darkness vanished,
the softened sunlight once more filled the chamber, and rested upon the
couch; but the couch was empty, and the royal watchers, looking at each
other, said in whispers: "The fairies have carried away the Princess
Ailinn to fairyland."

Well, that very day the prince roamed by himself through the forest,
counting the hours until the day would fade in the sky and the moon come
climbing up, and at last, when it was shining full above the waters, he
went down to the verge of the lake, and he looked out over the gleaming
surface watching for the vision promised by the little woman. But he
could see nothing, and was about to turn away when he heard the faint
sound of fairy music. He listened and listened, and the sound came
nearer and clearer, and away in the distance, like drops of glistening
water breaking the level of the lake, he saw a fleet of fairy boats, and
he thought it was the fairy queen sailing in the moonlight. And it was
the fairy queen, and soon he was able to recognize the royal shallop
leading the others, and as it came close to the bank he saw the little
woman sitting in the prow between the little harpers, and at the stern
was the fairy queen, and by her side the lady of his heart, the Princess
Ailinn. In a second the boat was against the bank, and the princess in
his arms. And he kissed her again and again.

"And have you never a kiss for me?" said the little woman, tapping his
hand with the little gold bodkin.

"A kiss and a dozen," said Cuglas, as he caught the little fairy up in
his arms.

"Oh, fie, Cuglas," said the queen.

"Oh,