, like himself, mortal, though of years
far exceeding the lot of common humanity, and (what I should not have
had an idea of) that he hoped for salvation. He never, he added, fed on
anything that had life, but lived in the summer on whortleberries, and
in winter on nuts and apples, of which he had great store in the woods.
Finally, he invited his new acquaintance to accompany him home and
partake his hospitality, an offer which the youth was on the point of
accepting, and was just going to spring across the brook (which if he
had done, says Elizabeth, the dwarf would certainly have torn him in
pieces), when his foot was arrested by the voice of his companion, who
thought he had tarried long, and on looking round again, "the wee brown
man was fled." The story adds that he was imprudent enough to slight the
admonition, and to sport over the moors on his way homewards, but soon
after his return he fell into a lingering disorder, and died within the
year'" (Scott).

302. Our moonlight circle's. The MS. has "Our fairy ringlet's."

306. The fairies' fatal green. "As the Daoine Shi', or Men of Peace,
wore green habits, they were supposed to take offence when any mortals
ventured to assume their favorite color. Indeed, from some reason, which
has been, perhaps originally a general superstition, green is held in
Scotland to be unlucky to particular tribes and counties. The Caithness
men, who hold this belief, allege as a reason that their bands wore that
color when they were cut off at the battle of Flodden; and for the same
reason they avoid crossing the Ord on a Monday, being the day of the
week on which their ill-omened array set forth. Green is also disliked
by those of the name of Ogilvy; but more especially it is held fatal to
the whole clan of Grahame. It is remembered of an aged gentleman of that
name that when his horse fell in a fox-chase, he accounted for it at
once by observing that the whipcord attached to his lash was of this
unlucky color" (Scott).

308. Wert christened man. Scott says: "The Elves were supposed greatly
to envy the privileges acquired by Christian initiation, and they gave
to those mortals who had fallen into their power a certain precedence,
founded upon this advantageous distinction. Tamlane, in the old ballad,
describes his own rank in the fairy procession:

'For I ride on a milk-white steed,
And aye nearest the town;
Because I was a christen'd knight,
They give me