doubly swift; and the honest seal-killer was laid down at his own door-
cheek, where his guide made him such a present as would have almost
reconciled him to another similar expedition, such as rendered his loss
of profession, in so far as regarded the seals, a far less intolerable
hardship than he had at first considered it.




THE FAIRIES OF MERLIN'S CRAIG.


Early in the seventeenth century, John Smith, a barn-man at a farm, was
sent by his master to cast divots (turf) on the green immediately behind
Merlin's Craig. After having laboured for a considerable time, there
came round from the front of the rock a little woman, about eighteen
inches in height, clad in a green gown and red stockings, with long
yellow hair hanging down to her waist, who asked the astonished operator
how he would feel were she to send her husband to _tir_ (uncover) his
house, at the same time commanding him to place every _divot_ he had cast
_in statu quo_. John obeyed with fear and trembling, and, returning to
his master, told what had happened. The farmer laughed at his credulity,
and, anxious to cure him of such idle superstition, ordered him to take a
cart and fetch home the _divots_ immediately.

John obeyed, although with much reluctance. Nothing happened to him in
consequence till that day twelve months, when he left his master's work
at the usual hour in the evening, with a small _stoup_ of milk in his
hand, but he did not reach home, nor was he ever heard of for years (I
have forgotten how many), when, upon the anniversary of that unfortunate