Rewards and Fairies - Penn State University

Rudyard Kipling
who ran toward the Trees. By this I knew he was a Child of of the Night will change your spirit. Eat and sleep here.” The
the Night. We Flint-workers fear the Trees more than we fear other voice said, “Ask for the Knife.” I listened to that voice.
The Beast. He had no hammer. He carried a knife like this ‘I said to my Mother in the morning, “I go away to find a
one. A Beast leaped at him. He stretched out his knife. The thing for the people, but I do not know whether I shall re-
Beast fell dead. The other Beasts ran away howling, which turn in my own shape.” She answered, “Whether you live or
they would never have done from a Flint-worker. The man die, or are made different, I am your Mother.”’
went in among the Trees. I looked for the dead Beast. He had ‘True,’ said Puck. ‘The Old Ones themselves cannot change
been killed in a new way—by a single deep, clean cut, with- men’s mothers even if they would.’
out bruise or tear, which had split his bad heart. Wonderful! ‘Let us thank the Old Ones! I spoke to my Maiden, the
So I saw that the man’s knife was magic, and I thought how Priestess who waited for me at the Dew-ponds. She prom-
to get it, —thought strongly how to get it.
ised fine things too.’ The man laughed. ‘I went away to that
‘When I brought the flocks to the shearing, my Mother the place where I had seen the magician with the knife. I lay out
Priestess asked me, “What is the new thing which you have two days on the short grass before I ventured among the Trees.
seen and I see in your face?” I said, “It is a sorrow to me”; and I felt my way before me with a stick. I was afraid of the ter-
she answered, “All new things are sorrow. Sit in my place, and rible talking Trees. I was afraid of the ghosts in the branches;
eat sorrow.” I sat down in her place by the fire, where she talks of the soft ground underfoot; of the red and black waters. I
to the ghosts in winter, and two voices spoke in my heart. was afraid, above all, of the Change. It came!’
One voice said, “Ask the Children of the Night for the Magic They saw him wipe his forehead once again, and his strong
Knife. It is not fit that The Beast should master man.” I lis- back-muscles quivered till he laid his hand on the knife-hilt.
tened to that voice.
‘A fire without a flame burned in my head; an evil taste
‘One voice said, “If you go among the Trees, the Children grew in my mouth; my eyelids shut hot over my eyes; my
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