Rewards and Fairies - Penn State University

Rewards and Fairies
breath was hot between my teeth, and my hands were like the dashed water on the stones, and sang charms till the sweat
hands of a stranger. I was made to sing songs and to mock the poured off me like water. I slept. When I waked, my own
Trees, though I was afraid of them. At the same time I saw spirit—not the strange, shouting thing—was back in my body,
myself laughing, and I was very sad for this fine young man, and I was like a cool bright stone on the shingle between the
who was myself. Ah! The Children of the Night know magic.’ sea and the sunshine. The magicians came to hear me—women
‘I think that is done by the Spirits of the Mist. They change and men—each wearing a Magic Knife. Their Priestess was
a man, if he sleeps among them,’ said Puck. ‘Had you slept in their Ears and their Mouth.
any mists?’
‘I spoke. I spoke many words that went smoothly along
‘Yes—but I know it was the Children of the Night. After like sheep in order when their shepherd, standing on a mound,
three days I saw a red light behind the Trees, and I heard a can count those coming, and those far off getting ready to
heavy noise. I saw the Children of the Night dig red stones come. I asked for Magic Knives for my people. I said that my
from a hole, and lay them in fires. The stones melted like people would bring meat, and milk, and wool, and lay them
tallow, and the men beat the soft stuff with hammers. I wished in the short grass outside the Trees, if the Children of the
to speak to these men, but the words were changed in my Night would leave Magic Knives for our people to take away.
mouth, and all I could say was, “Do not make that noise. It They were pleased. Their Priestess said, “For whose sake have
hurts my head.” By this I knew that I was bewitched, and I you come?” I answered, “The sheep are the people. If The
clung to the Trees, and prayed the Children of the Night to Beast kills our sheep, our people die. So I come for a Magic
take off their spells. They were cruel. They asked me many Knife to kill The Beast.”
questions which they would never allow me to answer. They ‘She said, “We do not know if our God will let us trade
changed my words between my teeth till I wept. Then they with the people of the Naked Chalk. Wait till we have asked.”
led me into a hut and covered the floor with hot stones and ‘When they came back from the Question-place (their Gods
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