The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-08-14
A Fiddler i'm the Fairy Ring.

Fiddler i'm the Fairy Ring.
There was once, in days gone by, q
farmers son, who had no great harm in
him, and no great good either. He
always meant well, but he had poor
spirit and was too fond of idle company.
One day his father sent him to mar
ket with some sheep to sell, and when
business was over for the day the rest
of the country folk made ready to go
home, and more than one of them
offered the lad lift in his cart.
"Thank you kindly, all the same, "
said he, "but I'm going back across the
downs with Limping Tim"
Now, Limping Tim was an idle,
graceless sort of fellow, who fiddled for
his livelihood, and what else he did for
the money he got no one knew.
More than one steady old farmer now
babe the lad come home with the whole
party, and by the high road, which,
it stands TO reason, it is better
to go by, after sunset, than over
the downs, which is no such very
short cut and has large fairy ring on
il Just as you turn the hill.
But the farmers son would go his
own way, and that was with Limping
Tim and across the downs. So they
started, and the fiddler had his fiddle
in his hand and bundle of marketings
under his arm, and he sang snatches of
strange songs, the like of which the
lad had never heard before. And the
moon drew out their shadows over the
short grass till they were as long as the
great stones of Stonehenge.
A l.. a L. IL 4.
fairy ring looked dark under the moon,
and the farmers son blessed himself
that they were passing it quietly, when
Limping Tim suddenly pulled his cloak
from his back, and handing it to his
companion, cried:
Hold this awhile, will you? I'm
wanted. They're calling for me-"
4" hear nothing" said the farmers
son. But before he had got the words
well out of his mouth, the fiddler had
completely disappeared.
He shouted aloud, but in vain, and
was even thinking of proceeding on his
way, when the fddler's voice cried,
Catch !" and there came flying at
him from the direction of the fairy ring
the bundle of marketings which the
fiddler had been carrying.
It's in my way" he then heard the
fiddler cry. "Ah this is dancing !!
Come in, my lad, come in !"
But the farmers son was not totally
without prudence, and he took good
care to keep at safe distance from the
fairy ring.
After calling for some little time
longer to no purpose, he again heard
the tiddler's voice, crying aloud:
"Look out Take care of it for me-
The money dances out of my pocket. :"
And Herewith the fiddler's purse was
hurled at his feet, where it fell with O
heavy chinking OF gold within.
He picked it up, and renewed his
warnings and entreaties to the fiddler to
come away. But it was all in vain and
after waiting for a long time, he made
the best of his way home alone, hoping
that the fiddler would follow, and come
to reclaim his property.
But the fiddler never came. And
when, at last, there was fuss about his
disappearance, the farmers son, who
had but poor spirit, began to be afraid
to tell the truth of the matter.
"Who knows but they may accuse me
LneID OO nc nll blC ClOuh uuOi tuS
bundle and the money-bag in the
garden.
But when three months passed, and
the fiddler never returned, it was whis-
pered that the farmers son had been his
last companion; and the place was
searched, and they found the cloak and
the bundle and the money-bag, and the
lad was taken to prison.
Now, when it was too late, he plucked
up a spirit, and told the truth but no
one believed him, and it was said that
he had murdered the fiddler for the sake
of his money and goods; and he was
taken before the Judge, found guilty,
and sentenced to death.
But his old mother was a wise woman,
and when she heard that he was con
demned, she said:
"Only follow my directions, and we
may save you yet; for l guess how II
is.
So she went to the Judge, and begged
for her son three favors before his
death.
CT will grant them," said the Judge,
eff you do not ask for his life.
"The first, said the old woman, lis,
that he may choose the place where the
pallows shall be erected the second
that he may choose the hour of his exc
cution and the third is, that you will
not fail TO be present.