to amass
was stolen. A Leprecaun without a pot of gold is like a rose without
perfume, a bird without a wing, or an inside without an outside. They
considered that the Philosopher had treated them badly, that his action
was mischievous and unneighbourly, and that until they were adequately
compensated for their loss both of treasure and dignity, no conditions
other than those of enmity could exist between their people and the
little house in the pine wood. Furthermore, for them the situation was
cruelly complicated. They were unable to organise a direct, personal
hostility against their new enemy, because the Thin Woman of Inis
Magrath would certainly protect her husband. She belonged to the Shee of
Croghan Conghaile, who had relatives in every fairy fort in Ireland, and
were also strongly represented in the forts and duns of their immediate
neighbours. They could, of course, have called an extraordinary meeting
of the Sheogs, Leprecauns, and Cluricauns, and presented their case
with a claim for damages against the Shee of Croghan Conghaile, but
that Clann would assuredly repudiate any liability on the ground that
no member of their fraternity was responsible for the outrage, as it was
the Philosopher, and not the Thin Woman of Inis Magrath, who had done
the deed. Notwithstanding this they were unwilling to let the matter
rest, and the fact that justice was out of reach only added fury to
their anger.

One of their number was sent to interview the Thin Woman of Inis
Magrath, and the others concentrated nightly about the dwelling of
Meehawl MacMurrachu in an endeavour to recapture the treasure which
they were quite satisfied was hopeless. They found that Meehawl, who
understood the customs of the Earth Folk very well, had buried the crock
of gold beneath a thorn bush, thereby placing it under the protection of
every fairy in the world--the Leprecauns themselves included, and until
it was removed from this place by human hands they were bound to respect
its hiding-place, and even guarantee its safety with their blood.

They afflicted Meehawl with an extraordinary attack of rheumatism and
his wife with an equally virulent sciatica, but they got no lasting
pleasure from their groans.

The Leprecaun, who had been detailed to visit the Thin Woman of Inis
Magrath, duly arrived at the cottage in the pine wood and made his
complaint. The little man wept as he told the story, and the two
children wept out of sympathy for him.