Dame Fairy she nods, and cries clear and sweet, "'Tis a _very_ good-e'en, sir, when such folks meet. I know thee, Sam, thou though wist not of me, And I'm come in late gloaming to speak with thee; Though my eyes do dazzle at glint of your rush, All under this pretty green fuchsia bush." Sam ducked once more, smiling simple and slow. Like the warbling of birds her words did flow, And she laughed, very merry, to see how true Shone the old man's kindness his courtesy through. And she nodded her head, and the stars on high Sparkled down on her smallness from out of the sky. "A friend is a friend, Sam, and wonderful pleasant, And I'm come for old sake's sake to bring thee a present. Three wishes, three wishes are thine, Sam Shore, Just three wishes--and wish no more, All for because, ruby-ripe to see, The pixy-pears burn in yon hawthorn tree, And your old milch cow, wheresoever she goes Never crops over the fairy-knowes. Ay, Sam, thou art old and thy house is lone, But there's Potencies round thee, and here is one!" Poor Sam, he stared: and the star o'erhead A shimmering light on the elm-tops shed. Like rilling of water her voice rang sweet, And the night-wind sighed at the sound of it. He frowned--glanced back at the empty grate, And shook very slowly his grey old pate: "Three wishes, my dear! Why, I scarcely knows Which be my crany and which my toes! But I thank 'ee, Ma'am, kindly, and this I'd say, That the night of your passing is Michaelmas Day; And if it were company come on a sudden, Why, I'd ax for a fat goose to fry in the oven!"