20 



♦ KNOV;^LEDGE ♦ 



[November 1, 1888. 



December 1871, he compared the velocity of the matter of a 

 hydrogen piomiiience observed by Professor C. A. Young 

 with the velocity of a projectile thrown upward in free 

 space under the influence of solar gravity, and showed that 

 the observed velocity indicated that the prominence matter 

 was moving in a resisting medium. There are not many 

 cases in which suitable observations of the velocity of the 

 rise of a gi'eiit prominence have been made, but I have since 

 made a similar calculation with respect to another great 

 prominence observed by Professor Young in October 1879, 

 and have derived a similar result. The motion of comets 

 with close perihelion distances also points in the same 

 direction, and there seems to be little room for doubt that 

 the jets of coronal matter as well as the prominences are 

 projected into a resisting medium which is itself in motion, 

 and rapidly modifies the projection forms. 



A. C. Ranyard. 



FAIRIES OF FRANCE, ITALY, AND SPAIN. 



By Mary Proctor. 



N olden times the peasant in Gaul believed that 

 wondrous deities haunted every stream and 

 dale. Even now, as the village dames sit at 

 their cottage doors knitting, the children 

 gather round and listen eagerly to the oft-told 

 fciles of those good old days. But dainty little 

 fairies have now taken the place of gods and 

 goddesses. 



They are very beautiful, and particularly fond of dancing 

 in fairy lings on the green sward, which are called Cercles 

 des Fees, but woe to anyone who approaches whilst the fees 

 are dancing therein. They are forced to join in the dance, 

 and, as they whirl round faster and faster, they become so 

 weary that they fall down exhausted, and are lucky if they 

 escape with only a few bruises. 



Near the village of Puys thei'e is a high plateau where 

 the " fees " used to hohl fairs, at which they sold magic 

 articles taken from their secret stores. They would use all 

 their persuasive powers to make mortals buy these, but 

 when the purchaser would hold out his hand to take the 

 chosen article, the perfidious " fees " would hurl him down 

 the side of the cliff. 



In days of old a merry band of fairies haunted Normandy, 

 and were called Les Dames Blanches. They were always 

 on mischief intent, and would hide themselves in dark nooks 

 and narrow ravines ready to spring out on the unwary 

 traveller. They would often insist upon his dancing with 

 them, and, after a round or so, they would dismiss him 

 gracefully, but should he refuse, they would fling him into a 

 ditch full of briars and thorns. 



A very imperious Dame Blanche once haunted a narrow 

 bridge over the Dive, in the district of Falaise. She 

 would not let anyone pass by until they went down on 

 their knees to her. If they refused, they were delivered 

 over to the tender mercies of the lutins, cats, owls, and 

 other creatures over whom she held sway. 



Lutins were little beings, very much like the kobolda and 

 nisses of Scandinavia and Germany. They would be very 

 kind to little children when they were good, and give them 

 cakes to eat, but, when they were naughty, the lutins would 

 pinch them and make thein feel very sorry. 



A story is told about an old grandmother who had a 

 great deal of trouble with seven little boys. They would 

 play on the seashore after dark, and she was always afraid 

 something dreadful would happen to them. One evening, 

 when they were having an especially fine frolic, a little boy 

 spied a pretty black horse, and he suggested to the others 



that they should all get on his back and ride home. So 

 they mounted the horse, and on their way home they met 

 several of their playmates, whom they invited also to take a 

 ride. Now, it may appear strange, but the little horse had 

 conveniently stretched its back so far that it carried thirty 

 little boys quite easily. Imagine their horror, however, 

 when the magic steed suddenly bolted with them into the 

 sea, and, plunging f;ir under the waves, the naughty Uttle 

 boys were all drowned. 



Another lutin, named Le Petit Homme Rouge, was very 

 angry with some little children who made fun of him. He 

 pelted them so hard with stones that they hid themselves 

 under an old fishing-boat. They heard the shower of 

 stones on every side ; but, when they at last ventured to 

 peep out, not a stone was to be seen. Neverthel&ss, they 

 had learned a good lesson, they were not likely to forget in 

 a hurry. 



There are fairies resembling the lutins who have been 

 known to steal horses out of the staVjles and take many a 

 wild ride across the country. They would sit on the horse's 

 neck, and plait the mane togei.her for stirrups. Sometimes 

 they would work with the tools they found in the stables, 

 but everything would be in perfect order next morning, and 

 the tools mended if they needed repair. Besides, the 

 farmers liked to have the bright little beings around the 

 place, for they invariably brought good luck, and were kind 

 and obliging, helping those whom they liked with their work. 



The Esprit Follet, or Gobelin of the North of France, 

 resembles the domestic sprites of Germany, and is full of 

 mischief. They haunt the cottages of the peasants, and 

 pelt people with sticks and stones as they pass in and out of 

 the doors. Though their little cracked voices are often 

 heard, yet they have never been seen, so that it is impossible 

 to drive them out. They have been known to enter houses 

 suddenly, taking children out of their cradles, blowing out 

 the lights, and even worrying those who were sleeping. The 

 peasants found to their great distress that all the holy water 

 in the church was of no avail against these mischievous 

 sprites I 



In Besancjon, the meadows are supposed to be haunted on 

 dark nights by these frolicsome little beings. A charming 

 account is given of one in the story of " La Petite Fadette." 



" C'etait vraiement une vilaine chose ;i voir. Tantot il 

 filait comme un martin pecheur, et tantot il disparaissait 

 tout k fiiit. Et d'autres fois il devenait gros comme la tcte 

 d'un bceuf, et tout aussitot menu comme nn teil de chat ; et 

 il accoui-ait auprcs de Landry, tournait aiitour de lui si vite, 

 qu'il en 6tait ebloui, et enfin, voyant qu'il ne voulait pas le 

 suivre il s'en retournait fretiller dans les loseaux oi 11 avait 

 I'air de se facher et de lui dire des insolences." 



In the south of France the peasants still believe in fees, or 

 fadas, as they are sometimes called, and there is not a village 

 in Languedoc without some little nook or spring frequented 

 by them. 



In Provence a special feast is prepared for them on the 

 night of December 31. A room is set apirt for their use, 

 and the doors and windows are left open as an invitation 

 for them to enter. A table is spread with a snow-white 

 cloth, on which are placed a loaf, a knife, a vessel full of 

 wine or water, a plate, and a lighted candle. 



According to the old romances, three fees would go to 

 each house :■ — • 



Coustume avoient les gens, par vurites, 

 Et en Prnvence et en autres regnez. 

 Tables metoient et sieges ordenez, 

 Et sur la table iij blanc pains bulfitez, 

 lij poz de vin et iij henez de les 

 Et par oncoste iert li enfes posez.* 



* Possibly G. Sand's story of " Les Dames Vertes " was founded 

 on this myth. 



