The Fairy Nurse

THE FAIRY NURSE

THERE was once a little farmer and his wife living near Coolgarrow. They

had three children, and my story happened while the youngest was a baby.

The wife was a good wife enough, but her mind was all on her family and

her farm, and she hardly ever went to her knees without falling asleep,

and she thought the time spent in the chapel was twice as long as it

need be. So, friends, she let her man and her two children go before her

one day to Mass, while she called to consult a fairy man about a

disorder one of her cows had. She was late at the chapel, and was sorry

all the day after, for her husband was in grief about it, and she was

very fond of him.

Late that night he was wakened up by the cries of his children calling

out, 'Mother! mother!' When he sat up and rubbed his eyes, there was no

wife by his side, and when he asked the little ones what was become of

their mother, they said they saw the room full of nice little men and

women, dressed in white and red and green, and their mother in the

middle of them, going out by the door as if she was walking in her

sleep. Out he ran, and searched everywhere round the house, but neither

tale nor tidings did he get of her for many a day.

Well, the poor man was miserable enough, for he was as fond of his woman

as she was of him. It used to bring the salt tears down his cheeks to

see his poor children neglected and dirty, as they often were, and

they'd be bad enough only for a kind neighbour that used to look in

whenever she could spare time. The infant was away with a nurse.

[Illustration: The Fairies go off with the Farmer's Wife]

About six weeks after--just as he was going out to his work one

morning--a neighbour, that used to mind women when they were ill, came

up to him, and kept step by step with him to the field, and this is what

she told him.

'Just as I was falling asleep last night, I heard a horse's tramp on the

grass and a knock at the door, and there, when I came out, was a

fine-looking dark man, mounted on a black horse, and he told me to get

ready in all haste, for a lady was in great want of me. As soon as I put

on my cloak and things, he took me by the hand, and I was sitting behind

him before I felt myself stirring. "Where are we going, sir?" says I.

"You'll soon know," says he; and he drew his fingers across my eyes, and

not a ray could I see. I kept a tight grip of him, and I little knew

whether he was going backwards or forwards, or how long we were about

it, till my hand was taken again, and I felt the ground under me. The

fingers went the other way across my eyes, and there we were before a

castle door, and in we went through a big hall and great rooms all

painted in fine green colours, with red and gold bands and ornaments,

and the finest carpets and chairs and tables and window curtains, and

grand ladies and gentlemen walking about. At last we came to a bedroom,

with a beautiful lady in bed, with a fine bouncing boy beside her. The

lady clapped her hands, and in came the Dark Man and kissed her and the

baby, and praised me, and gave me a bottle of green ointment to rub the

child all over.

'Well, the child I rubbed, sure enough; but my right eye began to smart,

and I put up my finger and gave it a rub, and then stared, for never in

all my life was I so frightened. The beautiful room was a big, rough

cave, with water oozing over the edges of the stones and through the

clay; and the lady, and the lord, and the child weazened, poverty-bitten

creatures--nothing but skin and bone--and the rich dresses were old

rags. I didn't let on that I found any difference, and after a bit says

the Dark Man, "Go before me, to the hall door, and I will be with you in

a few moments, and see you safe home." Well, just as I turned into the

outside cave, who should I see watching near the door but poor Molly.

She looked round all terrified, and says she to me in a whisper, "I'm

brought here to nurse the child of the king and queen of the fairies;

but there is one chance of saving me. All the court will pass the cross

near Templeshambo next Friday night, on a visit to the fairies of Old

Ross. If John can catch me by the hand or cloak when I ride by, and has

courage not to let go his grip, I'll be safe. Here's the king. Don't

open your mouth to answer. I saw what happened with the ointment."

'The Dark Man didn't once cast his eye towards Molly, and he seemed to

have no suspicion of me. When we came out I looked about me, and where

do you think we were but in the dyke of the Rath of Cromogue. I was on

the horse again, which was nothing but a big rag-weed, and I was in

dread every minute I'd fall off; but nothing happened till I found

myself in my own cabin. The king slipped five guineas into my hand as

soon as I was on the ground, and thanked me, and bade me good-night. I

hope I'll never see his face again. I got into bed, and couldn't sleep

for a long time; and when I examined my five guineas this morning, that

I left in the table drawer the last thing, I found five withered leaves

of oak--bad luck to the giver!'

Well, you may all think the fright, and the joy, and the grief the poor

man was in when the woman finished her story. They talked and they

talked, but we needn't mind what they said till Friday night came, when

both were standing where the mountain road crosses the one going to

Ross.

There they stood, looking towards the bridge of Thuar, in the dead of

the night, with a little moonlight shining from over Kilachdiarmid. At

last she gave a start, and 'By this and by that,' says she, 'here they

come, bridles jingling and feathers tossing!' He looked, but could see

nothing; and she stood trembling and her eyes wide open, looking down

the way to the ford of Ballinacoola. 'I see your wife,' says she,

'riding on the outside just so as to rub against us. We'll walk on

quietly, as if we suspected nothing, and when we are passing I'll give

you a shove. If you don't do your duty then, woe be with you!'

Well, they walked on easy, and the poor hearts beating in both their

breasts; and though he could see nothing, he heard a faint jingle and

trampling and rustling, and at last he got the push that she promised.

He spread out his arms, and there was his wife's waist within them, and

he could see her plain; but such a hullabulloo rose as if there was an

earthquake, and he found himself surrounded by horrible-looking things,

roaring at him and striving to pull his wife away. But he made the sign

of the cross and bid them begone in God's name, and held his wife as if

it was iron his arms were made of. Bedad, in one moment everything was

as silent as the grave, and the poor woman lying in a faint in the arms

of her husband and her good neighbour. Well, all in good time she was

minding her family and her business again; and I'll go bail, after the

fright she got, she spent more time on her knees, and avoided fairy men

all the days of the week, and particularly on Sunday.

[Illustration: HOW JOHN GOT HIS WIFE BACK FROM THE FAIRIES]

It is hard to have anything to do with the good people without getting a

mark from them. My brave nurse didn't escape no more than another. She

was one Thursday at the market of Enniscorthy, when what did she see

walking among the tubs of butter but the Dark Man, very hungry-looking,

and taking a scoop out of one tub and out of another. 'Oh, sir,' says

she, very foolish, 'I hope your lady is well, and the baby.' 'Pretty

well, thank you,' says he, rather frightened like. 'How do I look in

this new suit?' says he, getting to one side of her. 'I can't see you

plain at all, sir,' says she. 'Well, now?' says he, getting round her

back to the other side. 'Musha, indeed, sir, your coat looks no better

than a withered dock-leaf.' 'Maybe, then,' says he, 'it will be

different now,' and he struck the eye next him with a switch.

Friends, she never saw a glimmer after with that one till the day of her

death.

'Legendary Fictions of the Irish Celts,' by Patrick Kennedy.