16 THE ORNITHOLOGIST'S GUIDE 



worth recording I shall take the liberty of repeat- 

 ing it. It runs thus : An inhabitant of the island 

 of Unst, while walking along the sandy margin of 

 a voe, saw a number of fairies dancing, by moon- 

 light (of course), and several seal-skins strewed 

 about them on the ground; at his approach they 

 all fled to secure their garbs, and taking upon 

 themselves the form of seals, plunged immedi- 

 ately into the sea ; but the Shetlander, perceiving 

 that one skin lay close to his feet, snatched it up, 

 bore it swiftly away, and concealed it. Returning 

 to the shore he met the fairest creature he had 

 ever gazed upon, lamenting the robbery by which 

 she should become an exile from her submarine 

 friends, and a tenant of the upper world; vainly 

 she implored the restitution of her property, for 

 the man was too far overpowered with her fasci- 

 nating appearance to listen to her equitable de- 

 mand, and had already drunk deep of the intoxi- 

 cating draught of love ; her prayers and her 

 entreaties that he would restore her to her friends 

 were alike in vain ; he offered to make her his 

 bride, and she, perceiving that the upper world 

 must now be her sphere, accepted his offering. 

 This strangely combined attachment existed for 

 some years ; several children were the fruits of it, 

 who bore no other resemblance to their mother 



