TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE This book was published in 1893 and is a careful reproduction of a book printed in 1815 from a manuscript of 1691 by Rev. Robert Kirk. An Introduction and Notes have been added by Andrew Lang for the 1893 publication. In this etext: Italic text is denoted by _underscores_. Bold text is denoted by =equal signs=. Footnote anchors are denoted by [number], and the Lang footnotes have been placed at the end of the book in front of the two Catalog pages. Except for a very few changes noted at the end of the book, all misspellings in the text, and inconsistent or archaic usage, have been left unchanged. THE SECRET COMMONWEALTH OF ELVES FAUNS & FAIRIES [Illustration: BIBLIOTHEQUE DE CARABAS] Bibliothèque de Carabas VOL. VIII _Five hundred and fifty copies of this Edition have been printed, five hundred of which are for sale._ [_All rights reserved._] [Illustration: (Kilted shepherd looking at an apparition)] The Secret Commonwealth of Elves, Fauns, & Fairies A Study in Folk-Lore & Psychical Research. The Text by Robert Kirk, M.A., Minister of Aberfoyle, A.D. 1691. The Comment by Andrew Lang, M.A. A.D. 1893 [Illustration: (small decorative icon)] _LONDON. M.D.CCCXCIII. PUBLISHED BY DAVID NUTT, IN THE STRAND_ Dedication. TO ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON. O Louis! you that like them maist, Ye’re far frae kelpie, wraith, and ghaist, And fairy dames, no unco chaste, And haunted cell. Among a heathen clan ye’re placed, That kens na hell! Ye hae nae heather, peat, nor birks, Nae troot in a’ your burnies lurks, There are nae bonny U.P. kirks, An awfu’ place! Nane kens the Covenant o’ Works Frae that of Grace! But whiles, maybe, to them ye’ll read Blads o’ the Covenanting creed, And whiles their pagan wames ye’ll feed On halesome parritch; And syne ye’ll gar them learn a screed O’ the Shorter Carritch. Yet thae uncovenanted shavers Hae rowth, ye say, o’ clash and clavers O’ gods and etins—auld wives’ havers, But their delight; The voice o’ him that tells them quavers Just wi’ fair fright. And ye might tell, ayont the faem, Thae Hieland clashes o’ oor hame. To speak the truth, I tak’ na shame To half believe them; And, stamped wi’ TUSITALA’s name, They’ll a’ receive them.