The Fairies and the Christmas Child Page 5

  Chapter V

  The white Stone of Happiness.

  The fruit trees were a-glow with blossom when we reached Normandy, andthe pink and white Elves who played hide-and-seek in the boughs were aslovely as Titania. We spent some time at a big farm, where Father hadstayed long ago with Mother, and we drove all over the country in thefarmer's gig.

  One day I woke quite early, when the birds had only just commenced totwitter, and the sky was still rosy with dawn. I threw open my littlecasement window as wide as it would go, and the air smelt so sweet, andit was all so beautiful, that I longed to be out-of-doors. In the quietof the early morning the Elves might be abroad, so I slipped on mythings and stole down to the orchard. And there, sure enough, were theElfin hosts.

  But though I told them who I was, they were too shy to talk, andscattered the blossom on my upturned face, when I tried to coax them.A fat brown thrush scolded me for disturbing her babies at theirbreakfast, and fluttered round me, beating her wings, until I movedaway, when the Elves seemed to be as pleased as she was, for theywanted to be left to themselves.

  On the opposite side of the orchard was a bank of moss, and I strolledacross and sat down in a little hollow. The moss was soft as velvet, andthrough the boughs of a pear tree, laden with bloom, I could see thegate to the farm-yard. A speckled hen was the only creature in sight,and it amused me to watch how daintily she pecked this side and that.All at once there came an excited chorus of "_Cluck-Cluck-Cluck!_" andit seemed as if every fowl in the place were trying to go through thegate. They were led by a fine young cock, with beautifully bright greenhead feathers. Once he was safely through, he perched himself on anempty pail, and crowed indignantly.

  "_Cock-adoodle-do-oo!_" mocked a voice behind him, and a little boy ina red cap gave him a box on the ears which sent him flying.

  "That bird thinks twice too much of himself," he grinned, as he ran tome over the grass. "Who am I? Why, _Nain Rouge_ of Normandy, firstcousin to Puck and Robin Goodfellow across the water."

  He had twinkling eyes that were never still, and a roguish face. I knewI was going to like him immensely, so I showed him my new knife and saidhe might whittle his stick if he'd promise to give it back to me. _NainRouge_ felt both blades with a small brown finger, and said they weretoo blunt for him.

  "Blunt?" I cried. "Why, they're as sharp as sharp can be! Just see!" Butwhen I tried to show him how sharp they were, neither would cut at all.I was so surprised that I hadn't a word to say, and _Nain Rouge_ doubledhimself in two with laughter.

  "Never mind," he gasped, when he could speak, "I'll make them all rightfor you." He touched them again, twisting his tongue round the corner ofhis mouth, and screwing his eyes up comically.

  "Now cut!" he said, and when I found they were as sharp as ever, I shutup the blades, and put the knife back into my pocket. I was glad I hadleft my watch in the house, for _Nain Rouge_ might have tried to playtricks with that.

  "Another name I go by is the 'Lutin,'" he said, throwing himself on theground beside me. "When I have nothing better to do, I _lutine_, ortwist, the horses' manes. One summer afternoon two lazy maids fell fastasleep in the hay loft, when they ought to have been down with thereapers in the long field. I _lutined_ their hair so nicely for themthat when they woke they could not untwist it, and had to cut it off!The House Spirits made rather a fuss, for those girls were pets oftheirs, but Abundia, Queen of the Fees and Lutins, said I had donequite right. We can't bear laziness, you know, for we're always busyourselves."

  "What do you do besides mischief?" I said slyly, as he smoothed thefeather in his pretty cap. _Nain Rouge_ looked quite offended.

  "If the truth were told," he said in a huff, "I should fancy I'm twiceas much use as you are. The farmers couldn't get on without me. I lookafter the horses, and help to rub the poor beasts down when they comehome tired at the end of the day; I stir their food so that it agreeswith them, and scare off the grey goblins who might put it into theirheads to work no more at the plough. And I'm as good to the farmers'wives as an extra maid, even if I do take my pay in a drink of cream. Idance my shadow on the wall to amuse the children if they are fretful,and tell them stories when the wind moans down the chimney and wouldfrighten them if it could. And I pinch their toes when they are naughty,and hide the playthings they leave about."

  He looked so much in earnest while he told me all this, and so verygood, that I was beginning to think he was not half so mischievous asPuck, when he gave a funny little chuckle, and rubbed his hands.

  "Such fun as I have with the fishermen!" he cried. "If they forget tocross themselves with holy water before they go to sea, I fill theirnets with heavy stones, or entice away the fish. When the fancy takesme, I change myself into the form of a handsome young man, and if folksdo not then treat me with proper respect, and call me '_Bon Garcon_'civilly, I pelt them with stones until they run! Their wives anddaughters are always gentle to poor _Nain Rouge_, however; and when Ican, I do them a good turn. Shall I tell you how I consoled the fairMarguerite when she wept? Then listen well!"

  The white Stone of Happiness.

  "A favourite haunt of mine," began _Nain Rouge_, "is a little fishingvillage, close to Dieppe. The maidens there are more to my mind thanthose on any other part of the coast; their skin is like clear paleamber, warmed into redness where the sun has kissed it, and theireyes--ah! you should see them! The fairest of all was Marguerite, andoften I sat for hours on her window-sill to watch her at her spinning.Etienne would come and watch her too, and he thought, foolish lad, thather angel-face meant an angel temper; but I knew she had a tongue.

  And such a tongue! It was like the brook, for it never stopped, and shesaid such sharp and bitter things that the love of her friends witheredup as they heard them, just as spring lilies droop before a cruel Eastwind. Etienne was a stranger, or he would have known better than to wooher seriously. Strange to relate, the wayward maid was different fromthe day he came. I had never known her so soft and sweet, and theneighbours said that surely some good fairy had laid her under a spell.

  Etienne and she were wed one summer morning, but the little new moon hadnot shone in the heavens a second time when there was trouble betweenthem. Marguerite's tongue was sharper than ever from its long rest, andEtienne could not believe it belonged to his 'angel' bride. He left thecottage without a word, and when he came back his mouth was grim, forhis mates had hastened to make things worse by telling him many tales.A foolish man was Etienne, or he would not have heeded them; but that isneither here nor there.

  From this time on he made as though he were deaf when Marguerite railedat him, and he took her no more to his breast when he came back from thesea. And Marguerite grieved, for she loved him well in her woman's way,and longed for his caresses. The sight of his pale set face, and hissombre eyes--they were like the eyes of a dog in pain, when the hand heloves best has struck him--stung her to fresh taunts, and there came aday when he answered her back in the same way, and all but struck her.Ah! a woman's tongue can do rare mischief! His mother had never heard anugly word from him.

  One eve I met Marguerite on the shore. She was sobbing bitterly, for shehad just come out of a cave in the rocks, where dwelt a Witch whocould read the future.

  I had taken the form of a slim, dark, serious looking lad, and layinga gentle hand upon her arm, 'What ails you, Madame Marguerite?' I said.She glanced at me piteously, as one who seeks a refuge and knows notwhere to turn, and wrung her hands.

  "What ails you, Madame Marguerite?"]

  'I have lost my Etienne's heart for ever, for ever,' she wailed, 'unlessI can find the White Stone of Happiness, which a mermaid throws from thedepths of the sea once in a thousand years. I may search for months, andnever find it; and Etienne holds aloof from me, and grows further awayeach day.'

  Now just at her feet lay a small white stone, smooth and round as aFairy's plaything. I picked it up and showed it to her.

  'It shall be yours,' I told her gravely, 'if you give me your solemnpromise to he
ed my words.'

  'I promise!' she answered fervently, and the wind tossed her unboundhair until it floated round her shoulders like a Kelpie's mane. Aseventh wave rushed up to her feet, and as she moved nearer thebreakwater, I sang her this little song:

  'Fairy stone of fairy spell, Marguerite, O guard it well! When thine anger doth arise Elves would rob thee of thy prize. Press it 'neath thy tongue so red, Hold it firm till wrath has sped. Smile, speak softly, and behold, Love shall warm thee as of old.'

  Then I gave her the stone, and she clasped it against her bosom and spedto her home.

  When Etienne returned he was in a bitter mood. Luck had been againsthim; he had caught no fish, and his largest net had been torn on therocks. Marguerite set a meal before him, but he pushed it angrily away;for the broth had burned while she was with the Witch, and tastedanything but pleasant.

  'Such food is not fit for a dog!' he cried. ''Twas an ill day for mewhen I came to _Le Pollet_! I had done better to drown myself.'

  Marguerite stayed her fierce reply that she might slip the white stonebetween her lips; and as she held it beneath her tongue her angersuddenly melted. She thought now of Etienne's hunger and weariness, andwas sorry that she had nought in the house for him to eat. And as he satin moody silence she stole away, and begged some good broth from hergodmother, who had always enough and to spare. This she placed beforehim beside the hearth, and smiled, and spoke in a gentle voice that madehim turn to her with a start--it was just as if the Marguerite he lovedhad come back to him from the grave. Then he drew her to him, hiding hisface in her dress; and for the first time since many a long day therewas peace between them. Marguerite kept that white stone always, andwhen she was tempted to speak in anger it worked like a Fairy spell."

  "And wasn't it one?" I asked, as _Nain Rouge_ put on his cap again, anda delicious smell of fried eggs and bacon came from the farmhousekitchen on the breeze.

  "Not it," said _Nain Rouge_, laughing heartily, "there were thousandslike it on the beach, but you see it did just as well. For if once awoman can be induced to hold her tongue when she is angry, there'll belittle trouble 'twixt man and wife. This has been so from all time."

  "_Cock-a-doodle doo!_" cried the black cock, strutting grandly in frontof us. _Nain Rouge_ darted after him, and I left them to themselves andwent in to breakfast.

  I did not see _Nain Rouge_ again, but I heard a great deal about himfrom Madame Daudet, the farmer's wife; she called him "the plague ofher life." She said he hid her spectacles every time that she laid themdown, and that it was quite impossible to make good butter, for he wouldplay tricks with the cream. I think she was fond of him, all the same,for when I mentioned his name her jolly old face crinkled up intosmiles, and she looked quite pleased and happy.

  One day when Father had gone to the village to see some sick child whomthe peasants believed to have been gazed at with "an evil eye," becauseit seemed unable to get well, Madame came to me as I stood proddingwith a stick some fat black pigs who would not stir.

  "Since you are so fond of Fairy Folk," she said, "why not go to thevalley, and see if you can meet a Fee? I have never seen one myself,but my great-great-grandmother came across a bevy of them in aforest near Bayeux. The loveliest one was their Queen, and mygreat-great-grandmother talked of her beauty until her dying day."

  "All right," I said. And she gave me some brown bread and a goldenapple, so that I need not come home for tea. Perhaps she wanted to getme out of the way, for the sick child's aunt was coming to pay her avisit, and she liked a gossip.

  The valley was very still. Even the birds seemed to have gone to sleep,and the stream that trickled down from the hill tinkled very softly, asif it had to be careful not to wake the ferns that fringed its banks.As I looked up the glade I saw a lovely little lady coming slowlytowards me, and my heart began to thump in the queerest way. She wore atrailing silvery gown, with a deep band of blue at its border. Her shoeswere set with tiny diamonds, and her dainty feet moved through the grassas prettily and as softly as the wind does through the corn. She did notsee me until she had come quite close, for I stood in the shade of ablossoming bush. As I took off my cap, her fair face flushed deeply, andfor a moment I feared she would run away. So I hastened to tell her thatI was a Christmas Child, and why I had come to the valley. At this shesmiled, and I saw that her eyes were as blue as the depths of the sea.

  "You are welcome," she said, "though at first I feared you. Such sorrowhas come to Fees through mortals that we are wont to fly at man'sapproach. But a Christmas Child is almost a Fee himself, and I may talkto you. My name is Mellisande."

  Then she asked me to walk with her through the wood, and I felt quiteproud when she took my hand. A cheeky little Elf, who overheard me saythat I would go with her anywhere, turned a somersault in the air andburst out laughing, but I pretended not to hear. It wasn't his business,anyhow, and I wished that that walk through the valley had been twice aslong.

  At the further end, quite hidden among the larches, was a natural grottoof moss-grown stones, and just inside it a heap of ferns, piled up tomake a throne that was fit for a queen. Mellisande seated herself onthis, and I sat down at her feet.

  We did not talk for a long while, for she seemed to be thinking asshe stroked my hair, and I only wanted to look at her. After awhileI asked her if she had been one of the Fees that Madame Daudet'sgreat-great-grandmother had met in a forest near Bayeux. She smiledand sighed as she told me "Yes," and a wood dove flew out of the treesand perched on her shoulder.