THE BREAKING UP OF THE PARTY. 393 



"There was one condition on which the 

 people enjoyed this blessing : the rising sun- 

 beams must never touch the water. Why, 

 nobody could say — what misfortunes were 

 to follow, nobody knew ; but there was an 

 old traditionary caution, and every one at- 

 tended to it. It was only the earliest rays 

 that were dangerous ; for the spring, rising 

 close under the northern face of the steep 

 rock, was completely sheltered during the 

 day. 



" In those times there was a young girl. 

 I hope she was better than her wicked 

 neighbours, for she was very beautiful ; and 

 somehow or other I cannot bear to think of 

 a pretty girl being a bad one. However, 

 one thing is certain ; she had a lover, and 

 she met this lover by the side of the fairy 

 well. It was early in the morning, before 

 the sun had peeped over the islands of Lord 

 Ely's park ; but there was no Lord Ely 

 then, nor park neither. What he said, and 

 what she replied, I do not know, for I was 

 not in their confidence ; but I know that he 

 rolled the stone for her from the mouth of 

 the well, and dipped her pitcher into the 

 sparkling current, and then they talked and 



D D 



