North Cornwall Fairies and LegendsTregarthen, Enys
Science
North Cornwall Fairies and Legends
Tregarthen, Enys
Folklore -- England -- Cornwall (County); Legends -- England -- Cornwall (County)
He was a very sad little Piskey as he listened to the merriment of
his little brother Piskeys, and the moon, sailing along the dark
velvety blue of the midnight sky above the ruins of King Arthur's
Castle and Gardens, never looked down on such a woebegone little
Piskey before. He had always been happy and gay till now, and having
no laugh was such a strange experience that it was no wonder he felt
as miserable and wisht [1] as he did.
As he sat there all alone on the ring his own little dancing feet
had helped to make, two tiny hands were suddenly thrust up out of
a small earth-heap half a foot from where he was sitting. So dainty
were the hands, that he thought they belonged to one of the little
Good People, a distant relation of his; and thinking that somehow one
had got buried under the earth, he got up from the ring to help her
out, and, without waiting to say 'Allow me,' or anything so polite,
he caught hold of the wee hands, and pulling with all his strength,
he dragged something very dark and soft out of the earth-heap, and saw
to his surprise and disgust that it was the round plump body of a mole!
'Whatever did you drag me out of the want-hill for, you horrid
creature! whoever you are?' cried the mole, who was not as soft as
she looked. 'It took me hours to throw up that beautiful hill, and
now it has fallen down into my tunnel, and my work will all have to
be done over again, thanks to you.'
'I am so sorry,' said the Piskey. 'I saw two dinky little hands
sticking up, and thought a relation of mine had got buried; and when I
did my best to get her out I found it was only a want, as the country
people call you moles.'
'A want indeed!' exclaimed the mole. 'Who are you, pray, to speak so
disdainfully? If I am only a want, I was not always the poor thing
I am now. Once upon a time I was a very great lady, and because I
was foolish and proud and very vain of my beauty I was turned into
a mole. My little hands are the only things left of me to show who
I once was.'
'I am very sorry for you,' said the Piskey, with strong note of
sympathy in his voice, so entirely new to him that he scarcely knew it
was himself speaking; for Piskeys, although they are merry and gay, are
often selfish in the extreme. 'I am more sorry for you than I can say,'
he went on. 'It cannot be nice to be only a want, when once you were
a beautiful lady. I am a Piskey,' as the little dark mole was silent.
'A Piskey, are you?' she cried, speaking at last. 'I remember you
little Piskey people quite well, and have cause to remember. Once,
when I was a grand lady and wore fine clothes, you Piskeys led me into
a bog and spoilt my silken gown. I did not bless you then, and I do
not bless you now. You are still up to your tricks, I find to my cost,
for you have done your best to pull down my house about my ears.'
'I did not mean to do anything so unkind,' said the little Piskey. 'I
am not merry enough now to play games on anyone.'
'How is that?' asked the mole.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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