some modern married folks do, to be thus separated, wife and husband,
one from the other; but by her coming as near as could be allowed, she
showed her undying love. Even to-day, good people sometimes see a
little island floating on the lake, and this, they point out as the
place where the fairy mother was wont to come and hold converse with
her dear ones. When they merrily eat the pink delicacy, called
"floating island," moving it about with a spoon on its yellow lake of
eggs and cream, they call this "the Fairy Mother's rocking chair."




X


THE MAIDEN OF THE GREEN FOREST


Many a palace lies under the waves that wash Cymric land, for the sea
has swallowed up more than one village, and even cities.

When Welsh fairies yield to their mortal lovers and consent to become
their wives, it is always on some condition or promise. Sometimes
there are several of these, which the fairy ladies compel their mortal
lovers to pledge them, before they agree to become wives. In fact, the
fairies in Cymric land are among the most exacting of any known.

A prince named Benlli, of the Powys region, found this out to his
grief, for he had always supposed that wives could be had simply for
the asking. All that a man need say, to the girl to whom he took a