without noticing it they had passed through the edge of the wood,
and were playing into a rough field which was cumbered with big, grey
rocks. It was the very last field in sight, and behind it the rough,
heather-packed mountain sloped distantly away to the skyline. There was
a raggedy blackberry hedge all round the field, and there were long,
tough, haggard-looking plants growing in clumps here and there. Near
a corner of this field there was a broad, low tree, and as they played
they came near and nearer to it. The Leprecaun gave a back very close to
the tree. Seumas ran and jumped and slid down a hole at the side of the
tree. Then Brigid ran and jumped and slid down the same hole.

"Dear me!" said Brigid, and she flashed out of sight.

The Leprecaun cracked his fingers and rubbed one leg against the other,
and then he also dived into the hole and disappeared from view.

When the time at which the children usually went home had passed, the
Thin Woman of Inis Magrath became a little anxious. She had never known
them to be late for dinner before. There was one of the children whom
she hated; it was her own child, but as she had forgotten which of them
was hers, and as she loved one of them, she was compelled to love both
for fear of making a mistake and chastising the child for whom her heart
secretly yearned. Therefore, she was equally concerned about both of
them.

Dinner time passed and supper time arrived, but the children did not.
Again and again the Thin Woman went out through the dark pine trees and
called until she was so hoarse that she could not even hear herself when
she roared. The evening wore on to the night, and while she waited for
the Philosopher to come in she reviewed the situation. Her husband had
not come in, the children had not come in, the Leprecaun had not returned
as arranged.... A light flashed upon her. The Leprecaun had kidnapped
her children! She announced a vengeance against the Leprecauns which
would stagger humanity. While in the extreme centre of her ecstasy the
Philosopher came through the trees and entered the house.

The Thin Woman flew to him-"Husband," said she, "the Leprecauns of Gort
na Cloca Mora have kidnapped our children."

The Philosopher gazed at her for a moment.

"Kidnapping," said he, "has been for many centuries a favourite
occupation of fairies, gypsies, and the brigands of the East. The usual
procedure is to attach a person and hold it to ransom. If the ransom