want, eggs, bacon, cheese, and get a flagon of wine and use these
things freely, giving freely to the aged poor, and if you never
finish these things, there will always be as much the next morning
as you started with. And I shall make a salve for you, and you must
use the water from the sacred well. That will be as a medicine, and
people shall come from far and wide to be cured by you, and you
shall be loved by all, and you shall be known to the poorest of the
poor as Madame Dorothy."

And the woman did as she was told, and she became renowned for her
medical skill, especially in childbirth, for her salve eased the
pains, and her waters brought milk. By-and-by, she got known all
over the island, and rich people came to her from afar, and she
always made the rich pay, and the poor were treated free.

Madame Dorothy used to see the queen fairy at times, and one day she
asked her, "Shall we meet again?"

"We cannot tell," said the queen, "but I will give you a ring--let
me place it on your finger--it is a magic ring worked by fairies.
Whenever you seek to know of me, make a ring of your own, and walk
round three times and rub the ring; if it turns bright I am alive,
but if you see blood I am dead."

"But how can that be? You are much younger than I am."

"Oh, no! we fairies look young to the day of our death; we live to a
great age, but die naturally of old age, for we never have any
ailments, but still our power fades. Men fade in the flesh and
power, but we fade only in power. I am over seventy now."