Then I heard the delicious sound of
a fairy laugh, and, looking under a swaying branch of meadowsweet, I
saw--yes, I really saw-
You must know that first a wee green door swung open in the stem of
the meadowsweet, and out of that land where you can buy joy for a
penny came a fairy in the usual red and green. I had the Elf Errant
in my lap, and I think that in itself made him feel more at home
with me, as well as the fact, perhaps, that for the moment I wasn't
a bit sensible and had no money about me. I was all ready with an
Irish salutation, for the purposes of further disarming his
aversion. I intended to say, as prettily as possible, though, alas!
I cannot manage the brogue, "And what way do I see you now?" or
"Good-mornin' to yer honour's honour!" But I was struck dumb by my
good fortune at seeing him at all. He looked at me once, and then,
flinging up his arms, he gave a weeny, weeny yawn! This was
disconcerting, for people almost never yawn in my company; and to
make it worse, he kept on yawning, until, for very sympathy, and not
at all in the way of revenge, I yawned too. Then the green door
swung open again, and a gay rabble of wide-awake fairies came
trooping out: and some of them kissed the hyacinth bells to open
them, and some of them flew to the thorn-tree, until every little
brancheen was white with flowers, where but a moment ago had been
tightly-closed buds. The yawning fairy slept meanwhile under the
swaying meadowsweet, and the butterflies fanned him with their soft
wings; but, alas! it could not have been the hour for dancing on the
fairy ring, nor the proper time for the fairy pipers, and long, long
as I looked I saw and heard nothing more than what I have told you.
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