g in any
way. Irish fays seem to be much interested in dairy matters, for,
besides the sprites who delight in distracting the cream and keeping
back the butter (I wonder if a lazy up-and-down movement of the dasher
invites them at all, at all?), it is well known that many a milkmaid
on a May morning has seen fairy cows browsing along the banks of
lakes,--cows that vanish into thin mist at the sound of human footfall.

When we were quite cross at missing the noon train from Rossan, quite
tired of the car's jolting, somewhat vexed even at the mare's continued
enjoyment of her 'iligant load,' Barney appeased us all by singing, in
a delightful, mellow voice, a fairy song called the 'Leprehaun,' [*] This
personage, you must know, if you haven't a large acquaintance among
Irish fairies, is a tricksy fellow in a green coat and scarlet cap, with
brave shoe buckles on his wee brogues. You will catch him sometimes, if
the 'glamour' is on you, under a burdock leaf or a thorn bush, and he
is always making or mending a shoe. He commonly has a little purse about
him, which, if you are quick enough, you can snatch; and a wonderful
purse it is, for whatever you spend, there is always money to be found
in it. Truth to tell, nobody has yet succeeded in being quicker than
Master Leprehaun, though many have offered to fill his cruiskeen with
'mountain dew,' of which Irish fairies are passionately fond.

* By Patrick W. Joyce.

'In a shady nook, one moonlight night,
A leprehaun I spied;
With scarlet cap and coat of green,
A cruiskeen by his side.
'Twas tick, tack, tick, his hammer went,
Upon a weeny shoe;
And I laughed to think of his purse of gold;
But the fairy was laughing too!

With tip-toe step and beating heart,
Quite softly I drew nigh:
There was mischief in his merry face,
A twinkle in his eye.
He hammered, and sang with tiny voice,
And drank his mountain dew;
And I laughed to think he was caught at last;
But the fairy was laughing too!

As quick as thought I seized the elf.
"Your fairy purse!" I cried.
"The purse!" he said--"'tis in her hand--
That lady at your side."
I turned to look: the elf was off.
Then what was I to do?
O, I laughed to think what a fool I'd been;
And the fairy was laughing too!'

I cannot communicate any idea of the ro