The Moss- or Wood-Folk also lived in some parts of Scan- 

 dinavia. Thus, we are told that, in the churchyard of Store 

 Heddinff, in Zealand, there arc the remains of an Oak wood which 

 were trees by day and warriors by night. 



The Black Dwarfs were a race of Scandinavian Elves, 

 inhal)iting coast-hills and caves ; the favourite place of their feasts 

 and carousings, however, was under the spreading branches of the 

 Elder-tree, the strong perfume of its large moon-like clusters of 

 flowers being very grateful to them. As has been before pointed 

 out, an unexplained connection of a mysterious character has 

 always existed between this tree and the denizens of Fairy-land. 



The Still-Folk of Central Germany were another tribe of the 

 Fairy Kingdom : they inhabited the interior of hills, in which they 

 had their spacious halls and strong rooms filled with gold, silver, 

 and precious stones — the entrance to which was only obtained by 

 mortals by means of the Luck-flower, or the Key-flower (Schlilssel- 

 hlume). They held communication with the outer world, like the 

 Trolls of Scandinavia, through certain springs or wells, which 

 possessed great virtues : not only did they give extraordinary 

 growth and fruitfulness to all trees and shrubs that grew near 

 them, whose roots could drink of their waters, or whose leaves be 

 sprinkled with the dews condensed from their vapours, but for 

 certain human diseases they formed a sovereign remedy. 



In Monmouthshire, in years gone by, there existed a good 

 Fairy, or Procca, who was wont to appear to Welshmen in the 

 guise of a handful of loose dried grass, rolling and gambolling 

 before the wind. 



The English Fays and Fairies, the Pixies of Devon — 



" Fantastic Elves, that leap 

 The slender Hare-cup, climb the Cowslip bells, 

 And seize the wild bee as she lies asleep," 



according to the old pastoral poets, were wont to bestir them- 

 selves soon after sunset — a time of indistinctness and gloomy 

 grandeur, when the moonbeams gleam fitfully through the wind- 

 stirred branches of their sylvan retreats, and when sighs and 

 murmurings are indistinctly heard around, which whisper to the 

 listener of unseen beings. But it is at midnight that the whole 

 Fairy kingdom is alive : then it is that the faint music of the 

 blue Harebell is heard ringing out the call to the Elfin meet : 



" 'Tis the hour of Fairy ban and spell, 

 The wood-tick has kept the minutes well, 

 He has counted them all with click and stroke, 

 Deep on the heart of the forest Oak; 

 And he has awakened the sentry Elve, 



That sleeps with him in the haunted tree, 

 To bid him ring the hour of twelve. 



And call the Fays to their revelry. 



