d falling off. So it was that when she reached home
she knew no more of the way she had come than she knew of the way she
had gone.

But this was not the last Dame Pridgett saw of the fairy folk. The
little man on the black steed came to her house no more, but there
were other little people about in the world who were now visible to
her salve-touched eye. Sometimes as she came through the wood she
would see them busy among the roots of the trees, setting their houses
in order, or bartering and trading in their fairy markets; or on
moonlight nights she would look out and see them at play among the
flowers in her garden; or she would pass them dancing in fairy rings
in the pastures or meadow lands, but she never told a soul of what she
saw, nor tried to speak to the wee folk, and they were so busy about
their own affairs that they paid no attention to her and never guessed
she could see them.

And then at last came a day (and a sad day it was for Dame Pridgett)
when she again met the little man who had come for her on the great
black horse.

She had gone to market to buy the stuff for a new apron and was
walking along, thinking of nothing but her purchase, when suddenly she
saw the little man slipping about among the market people, never
touching them and unseen by any. He was peeping into the butter
firkins, smelling and tasting, and wherever he found some very good
butter he helped himself to a bit of it and put it in a basket he
carried on his arm.

Dame Pridgett pressed up close to him and looked into his basket, and
there in it was a dish almost full of butter. When the good dame saw
that, she was so indignant that she quite lost all prudence.

"Shame on you," she cried to the little man. "Are you not ashamed to
be stealing butter from good folk who are less able to buy than
yourself."

The little man stopped and looked at her. "So you can see me, can
you?" he said.

"Yes, to be sure I can," said the old dame boldly.

"And how does that happen?" asked the little man smoothly, and without
any show of anger.

"Oh, when I was nursing your good lady, I managed to rub a bit of her
salve on one of my eyes, and that is how I can see you."

"And which eye did you rub with the salve?"

"My right eye."

"And it is only with your right eye you see me?"

"Only with my right eye."

When the little man heard that, quick as a flash he pursed up his lips
and blew into her right eye, and he blew so hard he blew th