[Illustration: "WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH THE SWINE?" HE ASKED.]




PART II


In went the shepherd's wife, and she prepared quite a good supper for
Fairyfoot and gave it to him. But Fairyfoot was scarcely hungry at all;
he was so eager for the night to come, so that he might see the
fairies. When he went to his loft under the roof, he thought at first
that he could not sleep; but suddenly his hand touched the fairy
whistle and he fell asleep at once, and did not waken again until a
moonbeam fell brightly upon his face and aroused him. Then he jumped up
and ran to the hole in the wall to look out, and he saw that the hour
had come, and the moon was so low in the sky that its slanting light
had crept under the oak-tree.

He slipped downstairs so lightly that his master heard nothing, and then
he found himself out in the beautiful night with the moonlight so bright
that it was lighter than daytime. And there was Robin Goodfellow waiting
for him under the tree! He was so finely dressed that, for a moment,
Fairyfoot scarcely knew him. His suit was made out of the purple velvet
petals of a pansy, which was far finer than any ordinary velvet, and he
wore plumes and tassels, and a ruffle around his neck, and in his belt
was thrust a tiny sword, not half as big as the finest needle.

"Take me on your shoulder," he said to Fairyfoot, "and I will show