The Fairy Mythology: Illustrative of the Romance and Superstition of Various CountriesKeightley, Thomas
General
The Fairy Mythology: Illustrative of the Romance and Superstition of Various Countries
Keightley, Thomas
Fairies; Fairy tales; Folk literature; Folklore
This Nis was so fond of the mare, that he could hardly endure to let
them put her to any kind of work, and he used to come himself every
night and feed her of the best; and as for this purpose he usually
brought a superfluity of corn, both threshed and in the straw, from
the neighbours' barns, all the rest of the cattle enjoyed the
advantage of it, and they were all kept in exceeding good case.
It happened at last that the farm-house passed into the hands of a new
owner, who refused to put any faith in what they told him about the
mare, so the luck speedily left the place, and went after the mare to
his poor neighbour who had bought her; and within five days after his
purchase, the poor farmer who had bought the mare began to find his
circumstances gradually improving, while the income of the other, day
after day, fell away and diminished at such a rate, that he was hard
set to make both ends meet.
If now the man who had gotten the mare had only known how to be quiet,
and enjoy the good times that were come upon him, he and his children,
and his children's children after him, would have been in flourishing
circumstances till this very day. But when he saw the quantity of corn
that came every night to his barn, he could not resist his desire to
get a sight of the Nis. So he concealed himself one evening, at
nightfall, in the stable; and as soon as it was midnight, he saw how
the Nis came from his neighbour's barn and brought a sackful of corn
with him. It was now unavoidable that the Nis should get a sight of
the man who was watching; so he, with evident marks of grief, gave the
mare her food for the last time, cleaned, and dressed her to the best
of his abilities, and when he had done, turned round to where the man
was lying and bid him farewell.
From that day forward the circumstances of both the neighbours were on
an equality, for each now kept his own.
_The Nis Riding._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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