THE FAIRY AND HER LOVER. 183 



love with a young Fingalian hunter, who had frequent occasion, on 

 his way to and from the chase, to pass the shian or green knoll in 

 which the fairy hand of the glen had taken up their abode. The 

 fairy and her hunter lover had frequent opportunities of meeting 

 in secret, until some evil-disposed sister fairy divulged Brianag's — 

 for that was the fairy's name — imprudent and unfairy-like conduct 

 to the powerful fairy prince Aerlunn, who was himself over head 

 and ears in love with the beautiful Brianag, though she gave him 

 no encouragement at all ; on the contrary, she flatly told him that, 

 great and powerful as he was, she did not love him in the least, 

 and would have nothing to do with him. On hearing how things 

 were going on, Aerlunn was very jealous and very angry, just as a 

 mortal might be under similar circumstances, and he issued an 

 edict, as Prince of the Fairies of that glen, by which, after reflecting 

 severely on the unfairy-like conduct of Brianag and others of the 

 band, he prohibited Brianag from leaving the shian on any pretence 

 whatever, except for the one hour before midnight on the night 

 when the moon completed her first quarter — perfect liberty to do 

 as they like during this one hour in the month is every fairy's 

 birthright, and no power can deprive them of it. He would have 

 done something very dreadful to Brianag's lover, only the latter 

 was protected from any evil a fairy enemy could do to him by a 

 talisman of extraordinary value, which his uncle, a priest of the 

 Druids, had given him, and which he always carried on his person. 

 Brianag and her lover were thus able to meet for one hour in every 

 month, despite the opposition of the angry Aerlunn, whose jealousy 

 became at last so insupportable, that he resolved to shift his court 

 and people from that glen to another at a great distance. To this 

 arrangement, much as she regretted it, as it separated herself and 

 her lover, Brianag dare not object. It is a prerogative appertaining 

 to the Princes of Fairyland that they can shift their court at will, 

 when and whither they please. The fairy palace thus forsaken is 



