212 THE HOME OF A NATURALIST. 



and features of every man in it. But she had " taken 

 the virtue from their ointment." So one day a Trow- 

 man met her on the hill, and says he, "Ye travel 

 light and brisk for sae auld a wife." Never suspect- 

 ing who he was, Kirstan answered, "It's my glide 

 sight that helps me alang." " And which eye do you 

 see best upon, glide wife ? " asked the Trow. Kirstan 

 told him readily enough, and he instantly put his 

 little finger to the eye she had indicated, and she was 

 blind on it ever after. 



Mam Kirstan said that whenever she was " fetched " 

 the Trows pressed her to eat, but she would not touch 

 their food. They even marked a cross upon the butter 

 they set before her, thinking to beguile her in that 

 way, but nothing would tempt her to partake, knowing 

 that if she did so she would be in their power, and 

 they would be able to keep her as long as they liked. 



At another time, when she was required profession- 

 ally, the Trow who fetched her took her in his hands 

 and muttered, "Safe there, safe back," and Kirstan 

 found herself over the sea in another island. When 

 matters were satisfactorily concluded in the Trow's 

 domestic circle, he told her to follow him, and he 

 brought her back the same way. Her husband never 

 knew that she had been farther than her own kail- 

 yard until he discovered that she was cold and weary, 

 and her clothes damp from the sea spray. "Kir- 

 stan ! " he exclaimed, " glide be aboot de ! Whars do 

 been ? " Then her tongue was loosed, and she told 

 her adventure. 



