INTRODUCTION ONCE upon a time, Dan and Una, brother and sister, living in the English country, had the good fortune to meet with Puck, alias Robin Goodfellow, alias Nick o' Lincoln, alias Lob-lie-by-theFire, the last survivor in England of those whom mortals call Fairies. Their proper name, of course, is "The People of the Hills." This Puck, by means of the magic of Oak, Ash, and Thorn, gave the children power To see what they should see and hear what they should hear, Though it should have happened three thousand year. The result was that from time to time, and in different places on the farm and in the fields and the country about, they saw and talked to some rather interesting people. One of these, for instance, was a Knight of the Norman Conquest, another a young Centurion of a Roman Legion stationed in England, another a builder and decorator of King Henry VII.'s time; and so on and so forth; as I have tried to explain in a book called Puck of Pook's Hill. A year or so later, the children met Puck once more, and though they were then older and wiser, and wore boots regularly instead of going barefooted when they got the chance, Puck was as kind to them as ever, and introduced them to more people of the old days. He was careful, of course, to take away their memory of their walks and conversations afterward, but otherwise he did not interfere: and Dan and Una would find the strangest sort of persons in their gardens or woods. In the stories that follow I am trying to tell something about those people. A CHARM Take of English earth as much Prayer for all who lie beneath- Lay that earth upon thy heart, It shall sweeten and make whole Take of English flowers these- These shall cleanse and purify These shall show thee treasure hid, Thy familiar fields amid; And reveal (which is thy need) |