The Piskey Purse Part 23

'To a country beyond the sun-setting, where all who love me are,'

she said gently.

'If you go, I must also go,' said William John in a masterful way, still keeping his eyes on her face. 'I learnt to love you in your hare-shape, dear, but I love you a thousand times more now I see you as you are. I could not live without you now.'

'If you love me as you say you do, and cannot live without me, you may come,' said the lovely maid, lifting her shy eyes to his. 'You have the right to come with me by the good you have wrought. It is a fair land whither I am going, where there are always buds and blossoms on the trees, where the happy birds are always in song, and where the Foot of Evil dare not enter. It is time I was away. The sun is setting, and his path of glory is narrowing on the sea. Come, if you will. I love you, too, dear.'

And giving him her little hand, which he gladly took, they went both of them together out of the old orchard in the glow of the setting sun; and as they climbed a slope above the place of blossoming trees, an old man crossing the downs wondered who that handsome youth and lovely maid were making their way with locked hands and steadfast faces towards the sunset. But he never knew.

From that day onwards the little White Hare was never again seen in the old beautiful orchard, and n.o.body ever knew what had become of William John.

NOTES

[1] Tiny.

[2] Spriggan, a low kind of fairy.

[3] Brown, withered like a twig.

[4] Hager is Celtic-Cornish for cruel, foul, ugly, etc.

[5] A Tolmen, or Holed Stone, is one of the antiquities of Cornwall, and many superst.i.tions have been connected with it, such as pa.s.sing weakly children through its hole, in the belief they will get stronger.

[6] Saddest.

[7] Yesterday.

[8] Icicle.

[9] To stare hard.

[10] A stone or metal instrument found in tin-mines, and in barrows of the ancient Celts.

[11] Gymnadenia conopaea.

[12] p.r.o.nounced Kenidjack.

[13] Fairies.

[14] Ridge-tiles with k.n.o.bs, which people in West Cornwall put on their houses for the Piskeys to dance on.

[15] Sad.

[16] An iron stool.

[17] A coaxing expression, such as 'Do ee dear.'

[18] Mudgeskerry, or skerrymudge, anything grotesque in human shape, such as a doll.

[19] d.i.n.ky, very small.

[20] Skavarnak, long-eared; also a hare.

[21] Pednpaley, a blue-t.i.t; also anything very soft and beautiful, such as velvet. Literally, a soft-head. The 'd' in this word is silent.

[22] Child.

[23] Miners' pasties.

[24] Back-kitchen.

[25] A very short person.

[26] Lonely.

[27] One who runs very fast.

[28] Disused mines.

[29] Heath.

[30] A hare.

[31] A note of exclamation.

[32] Little child.

[33] Heath.

[34] A fairy's baby.

[35] Very large.

[36] Once upon a time the Cornish believed that his Dark Majesty was afraid to come into the Cornish land for fear of being put into a pasty.

[37] Bread and cream sprinkled with treacle.

[38] Legs.

[39] A pasty made of herbs.