FARMING BY COLLECTIVE EFFORT 167 



few motor-cars. It was a village community 

 pleasing itself and not the public. 



When they halted to praise the Giver of all 

 good things, under the shade of trees at the 

 cross-roads, the two charming elves in green 

 hose and winged green hats bowed their sleepy 

 little heads across the cushion of moss which 

 held the May Queen's crown of flowers they 

 carried. Tiny white-winged fairies — babes two 

 or three years old — poised themselves for flight 

 from buttercup to buttercup, on the green 

 grass of the roadside, whilst doves of Peace 

 carved on ash-staves symbolised the universal 

 desire of goodwill towards all men. 



No rehearsal had taken place, and it was the 

 first time that the village had held high revel 

 in old English fashion. As the violet shadows 

 deepened across the Downs, and the quaint old 

 folk song, " Summer is y-comen in," was being 

 sung, and the boy herald, gaily dressed in 

 blue, headed the procession which wound back 

 to the village, one surely could hear the horns 

 of elf-land faintly blowing from the fairy beech 

 woods ! Was he heralding a new avenue of 

 life opening out for our English youths and 

 maidens who were so gaily dressed as Dresden 

 shepherdesses, milkmaids, pedlars, and Jacks 

 in the Green ? 



No one had to ask permission for a half 

 holiday in order to make merry. That battle 

 had been won. The young unmarried plough- 



