pised Mell more than did the King's daughter, Princess Bright Brow.

She used to go into a wood and whisper along the branch of a tree. And
one day the Hen-wife's son whom she despised so much made answer to
her. He was lying along the branch of the tree watching his mother's
goat that grazed on the grass below. Now this is what Princess Bright
Brow said to the tree and this is what she used to say to it every
day.--

Oak-tree, oak-tree, above the rest,
Which of the heroes loves me best?

Mell was lying along the Branch as I have said, and he made answer
back to her.--

Princess, Princess, he's at your call,
And the Hen-wife's son loves you best of all!

The King's daughter looked up and she saw the Hen-wife's son on the
branch, and she went into a great rage. She gave orders to the grooms
that the Hen-wife's son was to be whipped every time he looked at her.
Many's the time after that Mell got the lash. But he loved Bright Brow
so much that he could not forbear looking at her.

II

Now, one very early morning Mell took his mother's goat out to graze
on the green. And as he went along he saw on the grass a beautiful
mantle. He took it up and he thought to himself "How well it would
look upon Princess Bright Brow!" And he thought again "if she would
take this beautiful green mantle from me maybe she would let me look
upon her when she is wearing it."

He put the mantle across his shoulders and sat down and thought and
thought. And while he was thinking he felt the mantle being pulled
from behind. He turned round and he saw a woman standing there. She
had brighter colors in her dress and she wore more ornaments than any
one he had ever seen in the King's Castle. He knew by such signs that
she was a Fairy Woman out of the Green Rath.

[Illustration]

"Mell," said she, "Mell, the Hen-wife's son, give to me the mantle
that the King of the Fairy Riders let fall from his shoulders last
night."

"If it is his, and if you have come to bring it to him, why you must
have it," said Mell, and he took the mantle off his shoulders and
handed it to her.

"The King would wish that I should recompense you," said the Fairy
Woman. She took a jewel that was on the collar of the mantle and gave
it to Mell. "If you take this jewel in your hand," said she, "and wish
to be in this place or that place you will be there in an instant, and
anyone you take by the hand you can bring with you." And when Mell
took t