The Crock of Gold

. He gave them the fullest instructions as to how they should address the Sylvan Deity, and then, having

ng home. On seeing the children each of the birds waggled his wings, and made a particular sound. They said "caw" and "chip" and "twit" and "tut" and "what" and "pit"; and one, whom the youngsters liked very much, always said "tit-tit-tit-tit-tit." The children were fond of him because he was so all-of-a-sudden. They never knew where he was going to fly next, and they did not believe he knew himself. He would fly backwards and forwards, and up and down, and sideways and bawways - all, so to speak, in the one breath. He did this bec

ed to be talked to. He used to sit on the ground beside the children, and say "caw" as long as they would repeat it after him. He often wasted a whole morning in talk, but none of the other birds remained for more than a few minutes at a time. They were always busy in the morning, but in the evening they had more leisure, and would stay and chat as long as the children wanted them. The awkward thing was that in the evening all the bi

they jumped over each other six or seven times in succession, and every now and then they sat upright on their hind legs, and washed their faces with their paws. At othe

and the other was made of daisies, and the children wondered to each other who it was could have woven these so carefully. They asked the he-goat this question, but he only looked at them and did not say a word. The children liked examining this goat's eyes; they were very big, and of the queerest light-gray colour. They had a strange steadfast look, and had also at times a look of queer, deep intelligence, and at other times they had a fatherly and benevolent expression, and at other times again, especially when he looked sidewards, they had a mi

rcely a wind at all to stir the harsh grasses. Far and near was silence and warmth, an immense, cheerful peace. Across the sky a few light clouds sailed gently on a blue so vast that the eye failed before that horizon. A few bees sounded thei

me time these rocks had been smitten so fiercely that the solid granite surfaces had shattered into fragments. At one place a sheer wall of stone, ragged and battered, looked harshly out from the thin vegetation. To this rocky wall the he-goat danced. At one place there was a hole in the wall covered by a thick brush. The goat pushed his way behind this growth and disappeared. Then the children, curious to see where he had gone, pushed throug

at once and came fo

. Why don't you walk in the grassy places? And you, Brigid, have a right to be

d Brigid Beg submitted to the scouring for which Caitilin made instant preparation. When they were cleaned she pointed to a couple of flat stones against the wall ofthe cave and

f dried grass, sat up and bent an eq

said he, "who are

Grey Woman of Dun Gortin and the Thin Woman of Inis Magrath are t

they come

e to ask them

d at them

e here for, little

th their eyes to see which of them wou

that you were not doing a good thing in keeping

e said that he didn't know what had become of you at all, and that maybe y

Pan, "did your fa

come and ask

r father, little

a moment. "I don't kn

e in Seumas Beg, "and so we don't

," said Brigid,

I," sai

," said Pan. "Come over here and

ide of him, and he put his arms about them. "Daughter of Mur

t's milk and some cheese," she replied,

ese," said Seuma

d it is good to be eaten by people who live in the open air, but not by those who live in h

ating," s

on who is hungry is a good person, and every person who is no

rself in front of them. "I don't think that is right," sai

," he replied, "because when you are hungry you are aliv

"My father is poor and gets no good of it but to work

away, and there he will satisfy his hunger, and he will continue to do that until his hunger is dead and he is no better than dead but a wise person who is rich will carefully pre

no time to be wi

hungry," said Pan. "

very wise," sa

w that, little

ing," replied Seumas. "Do

umas; "I go to sle

clever of yo

eep too," s

my darling. Do you go to sl

to sleep then our mother would pinch

said Pan. "What do you like b

a moment and replied

ought for a

ther," said he. "What do you like

eyes were f

yet," she an

safe from that knowle

must find out all things, and when we find

wledge," said Pan, "but it is

e beginning

lessness,"

he end of wisd

he answered, afte

carelessness?

I am tired of talking," and, so saying, he turned

d the children to the door of th

," said the

well soon again,"

ilin, and she ran bac