Children -- Fiction; Elves -- Fiction; Kentucky -- Fiction; Magic -- Fiction; Pride and vanity -- Fiction
In saying that the magic coronal enabled the mortal who wore it to see
the sights and hear the sounds of Fairyland as distinctly as the fairies
themselves, a slight mistake was made. Although he could not perceive
them, Sprigg had his reasons for suspecting that other boys, beside
himself, were there in that underground world; yes, and men, too. Girls
and women--all waiting, like himself, to be "put through," though what
that might mean the poor boy could, of course, have little or no
conception. Invisible though these fellow mortals were, he could see
their shadows cast with marvelous distinctness upon the floor of the
temple; and, strange to say, spotted were all these shadows! Some in a
sitting posture, some standing, some walking, some gliding swiftly to
and fro. Many, after remaining motionless for a time, would, all at
once, begin dodging, skipping, flitting about among the columns in the
most fantastic manner imaginable; then would they come to a pause, and,
after again remaining motionless for a brief space, suddenly vanish.
The large majority of these airy figures were not sufficiently marked
for safe conjecture as to the manner of persons to whom they were
referrable, but many were too apparent to be mistaken. Some stood, with
magisterial dignity, staff in hand. Some, with military stalk, moved
slowly to and fro--swords, epaulets, plumes--all distinctly traceable.
Here sat one, with the likeness of a kingly crown upon his head; while
not far off, incongruous, as it may seem, appeared the picturesque
silhouette of an Indian warrior, moving onward with a majestic pace,
scalp lock, plumed, bow in hand, quiver on shoulder.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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