old me fast.

'But, an the fairy folk change me into a blazing fagot, or a bar
of hot iron, then throw me far from you, Janet, into the cold,
clear well, throw me with all your speed.

'There will I change into your own true knight, Janet, and ye
shall throw over me your mantle of green velvet.'

Dark was the night and full of gloom as the lady Janet hastened
to the cross at Milestone, but her heart was glad and full of
light. She would see her own true knight in mortal form before
the dawn of Hallowday.

It was between the hours of twelve and one o'clock when Janet
stood alone at the spot where the fairy train would pass.

Fearsome it was there alone in the gloom, but the lady Janet was
heedful of nought. She had but to wait, to listen. Yet not a
sound did she hear, save only the wind as it whistled through the
long grass.

Not a sound save the wind did she hear? Ah yes, now strange
noises were blown to her eager ears. The bells on fairy bridles
tinkled, the music of the tiny fairy band piped each moment more
clear.

Janet looked, and by the light of Will o' Wisp she could just
catch sight of their little oaten pipes. Shrill were the notes
they blew on these, but softer were the sounds they blew through
tiny hemlock pipes. Then deeper came the tones of the bog-reeds
and large hemlock, and Janet, looking, saw the little green folk
draw nigh.

How merry the music was, how glad and good! Never was known a
fairy yet who sang or played of aught but joy and mirth.

The first company of the little folk passed Janet as she stood
patient, watchful by the cross; the second passed, and then there
came the third.

'The black steed! Let it go,' said Janet to herself.

'The brown steed! It matters not to me, she whispered.

'The milk-white steed!' Ah, Janet had seized the bridle of the
milk-white steed and pulled the little rider off into her strong
young arms.

A cry of little elfs, of angry little elfs, rang out on the chill
night air.

Then as he lay in Janet's arms the angry little imps changed
their stolen elfin knight into an adder, a snake, a bear, a lion,
a toad, an eel, and still, through all these changes, the lady
Janet held him fast.

'A blazing fagot! Let him change into a blazing fagot!' cried the
angry little folk. 'Then this foolish mortal will let our
favorite knight alone.'

And as young Tamlane changed into a blazing fagot the little folk
thought they had got their will. For now the lady J