you can
knit stockings for us."

"Yes, sir," said Brigid meekly.

The Leprecaun took four knitting needles and a ball of green wool from
the top of a high, horizontal root. He had to climb over one, go round
three and climb up two roots to get at it, and he did this so easily
that it did not seem a bit of trouble. He gave the needles and wool to
Brigid Beg.

"Do you know how to turn the heel, Brigid Beg?" said he.

"No, sir," said Brigid.

"Well, I'll show you how when you come to it."

The other six Leprecauns had ceased work and were looking at the
children. Seumas turned to them.

"God bless the work," said he politely.

One of the Leprecauns, who had a grey, puckered face and a thin fringe
of grey whisker very far under his chin, then spoke.

"Come over here, Seumas Beg," said he, "and I'll measure you for a pair
of shoes. Put your foot up on that root."

The boy did so, and the Leprecaun took the measure of his foot with a
wooden rule.

"Now, Brigid Beg, show me your foot," and he measured her also. "They'll
be ready for you in the morning."

"Do you never do anything else but make shoes, sir?" said Seumas.

"We do not," replied the Leprecaun, "except when we want new clothes,
and then we have to make them, but we grudge every minute spent making
anything else except shoes, because that is the proper work for a
Leprecaun. In the night time we go about the country into people's
houses and we clip little pieces off their money, and so, bit by bit,
we get a crock of gold together, because, do you see, a Leprecaun has to
have a crock of gold so that if he's captured by men folk he may be
able to ransom himself. But that seldom happens, because it's a great
disgrace altogether to be captured by a man, and we've practiced so long
dodging among the roots here that we can easily get away from them. Of
course, now and again we are caught; but men are fools, and we always
escape without having to pay the ransom at all. We wear green clothes
because it's the colour of the grass and the leaves, and when we sit
down under a bush or lie in the grass they just walk by without noticing
us."

"Will you let me see your crock of gold?" said Seumas.

The Leprecaun looked at him fixedly for a moment.

"Do you like griddle bread and milk?" said he.

"I like it well," Seumas answered.

"Then you had better have some," and the Leprecaun took a piece of
griddle bread from the shelf and filled two saucers with milk.