and nothing at all, as it suited me, and sometimes I
lived in a rath with others, as I have in yours, and other times I
went by myself. But I never forgot how I was tricked by a mortal, and
I've never forgot how I missed getting a soul when I was near to it.

"You've never liked me; you've always thought me sour and harsh and
cruel. Do you see why now? Since that time I've always hated all men,
because of the one that tricked me; and I've always hated all women,
because of the one I lost; and I've always hated all fairies, because
they are all as weak and helpless and pitiful as myself. I hate myself
and I hate all of you, because there's no good for any of us in all
the world forever."

"Naggeneen," said the King, "we've never been too fond of you, it's
true, but maybe we'ld have liked you better if you'd told us this
before. But you're cleverer than all of us. Tell us what we'll do now,
so that these mortals won't be getting the better of us all out."

"What'll you do?" Naggeneen answered; "there's nothing you can do.
They'll outwit you, whatever you do."

"But there must be some way. Tell us what to do, Naggeneen," the King
pleaded.

"I'll tell you what to do, then," said Naggeneen; "send out your
people and let them learn the ways of men. Let them learn to make the
iron coaches that go up in the air; let them learn to make the coaches
that go on the ground, with the iron ropes; let them learn to talk
miles away through iron strings; let them learn to make the bright
lights that you see; let them learn to open the rock so that it will
not close again; let them learn to cross running water in boats full
of iron; let them learn to handle iron and do what they like with it,
as if it were only gold, and then, maybe, they'll be able to do all
the things that men do."

The fairies were simply cowering away from the King and Naggeneen and
shivering and squealing with fright at the talk of handling iron and
crossing running water. "Ah, Naggeneen," said the King, "you know we
can't do all that. Tell us what we'll do at all."

"There's nothing that you can do," said Naggeneen. "There's only one
thing I know you can try, and I think that'll do no good either."

"But what is it?" said the King. "We'll try it, anyway."

"It's not the time to try it yet," Naggeneen answered. "When the time
comes I'll tell you."

"Then, Naggeneen," said the King, "give us a tune out of the fiddle."

And Naggeneen took the fiddle and p