118 WRATH OF A FAIEY. 



at once to be fairies; one of them had a hank of green 

 yarn thrown over her shoulder, and the hind she was 

 milking made a grap at the yarn with her mouth and 

 swallowed it. The irritable little fairy struck the hind 

 with the band with which she had tied its hind legs, 

 saying, at the same time, ' May a dart from Murdoch's 

 quiver pierce your side before night ! ' for the fairies, 

 it seems, were well apprised of Murdoch's skill in deer 

 killing. In the course of the day he killed a hind, and 

 in taking out the entrails he found the identical green 

 hank that he saw the deer swallow in the morning. 

 This hank, it is said, was preserved for a long period, 

 as a testimony of the occurrence. 



" This was not our deer-stalker's only adventure ; for 

 upon another occasion, in traversing the forest, he got 

 within shot of a hind on the hill called the Doune, and 

 took aim ; but when about to fire, it was transformed into 

 a young woman ; he immediately took down his gun, 

 and again it became a deer : he took aim again, and 

 anon it was a woman ; but on lowering his rifle it became 

 a deer a second time. At length he fired, and the 

 animal fell in the actual shape of a deer. No sooner 

 had he killed it than he felt overpowered with sleep ; 

 and having rolled himself in his plaid, he lay down 

 on the heather : his repose was of short duration, for in 

 a few minutes a loud cry was thundered in his ear, 

 saying, e Murdoch, Murdoch ! you have this day slain 

 the only maid in Doune.' Upon which Murdoch started 

 up and relinquished his spoil, saying, ' If I have killed 

 her, you may eat her : ' he then immediately quitted the 

 forest as fast as his legs could carry him. 



