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our first fashion: for we will bring a stranger from this house who has never travelled with us, nor feasted in our halls before.’

“The little men and the little ladies said, ‘Your highness’s commands shall be obeyed.’ When they had gone out through the window, the ugly dog stretched himself out on the straw, Childe Charity turned in her sleep, and the moon shone in on the back garret.

“The master could not close his eyes any more than the maid or the mistress, for thinking of this strange sight. He remembered to have heard his grandfather say, that somewhere near his meadows there lay a path leading to the fairies’ country, and the haymakers used to see it shining through the grey summer morning as the fairy bands went home. Nobody had heard or seen the like for many years; but the master concluded that the doings in his back garret must be a fairy business, and the ugly dog a person of great account. His chief wonder was, however, what visitor the fairies intended to take from his house; and, after thinking the matter over, he was sure it must be one of his daughters—they were so handsome, and had such fine clothes.

“Accordingly, Childe Charity’s rich uncle made it his first business that morning to get ready a