The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-12-07
A CORNWALL LEGEND


because his humble cot was situated on
she borders of the moor, termed the
"Conse" In local parlance.
But John partOok unsparinRly Of the
flowing bowl, much 20 the discomfort of
his poor wife.
On the second Thursday before Christ
mas came PierOu' day, and, in accordance
with the common custom of the district,
the miners did not work, but celebrated
TO the best of their ability.
Johnny GFoat promised faithfully that
for once he would avoid the public house.
Betty, his wife. doubted, but said nothing.
In the morning the miner to0k the
''brats" for walk. In the afternoon he
smoked his pipe and wbistled, but after
his humble supper ives over Johnny could
stand it no longer.
"Hang itP' he said, "Pierou's day
comes but once year. A mans churl
that canno' keep it. have but shilling
and so canno' get much fuddish." And
with the words he seized his hat and start
ed of, paying no heed to Betty's remon-
stranoes.
The good wife stood at the door of the
cot and hurled last angry word after the
obdurate John.
''May the Piskies take you, you drunk
en- elfI'' she cried John grinned, but re-
piled not. He merely hurried on, eager to
get out of earshot. Long experience had
taught him that he was no match for his
wife in scolding.
Now, in Cornwall to wish that the
Piskies might get any one was to wish
them about as much bad luck as possible.
The Piskies, or little people, were a set
of misohievous sprites, supposed to inhabit
the waste places of the country, and who
were noted for playing tricks upon any
mortal unfortunate enough to fall irto
their power after nightfsll.
But little cared the stout hearted miner
for the Piskies. Many a night had he
pursued his devious way by Luxulyan
churohyard and over Tregarden down,
and neither the misehievous elf nor fright
full hobgoblin had ever dared to trouble
him.
So John vent sturdily on to the Royal
Arms. As he had anticipated he found
jolly company assembled there. That
John O. the Conse had but a single shil-
ling mattered but little On Pierous night
his comrades were only too glad to pay
the score, and SO, when IL O. the night
came, Johnny Groat left the public" well
filed with nut brown ale. He could walk,
but that was about all
As he bid the merry crew with whom
he had been carousing last good night
some of them little more thoughtful
than the rest babe him hurry home at the
top of his speed and warned him to be-
ware of the little people.
Johnny nodded in reply, his tongue was
almost too thick for speech, and started
homeward.
The night was dark, the moon half hid
den at times under leaden clouds, and
John O. the Conse could not help wishing
that the road was ended and that his own
door was in sight.
Past the churchyard he went, and Ire
garden down he entered upon. Then the
air seemed to grow nurky, and strange,
shrill cries fell upon his ears. No coward
was Johnny Groat. At singlestick or
with his fist he feared not mortal man,
but as he hurried on he fully understood
that for once in his life he could say he
had heard the cries of the fairies playing
their wild pranks upon the moor. The
words of his wife came into his mind, and
he mentally resolved that if he got safe
home he would give her sound drubbing
as a reward for wishing him such bad
luck. And then all of sudden he lost his
way, he, John O. the Conse, who had trav
eled over Tregarden down, man and boy,
for 40 years. Stumbling over the stones,
first to the right and then to the left,
Johnny Groat got sorely frightened. He
thought that he knew every foot of the
moor, yet the place he had got into seemed
utterly strange to him.
ttiThe devil must be In ~ he muttared
as he tumbled full length over bOwlder.
Hardly had the words passed from his
lips when the moon shone out, and he
found that he was surrounded by a multi
tud6 of little people.
With wild cries and derisive laughter,
the elves danced in a circle around the be-
wildered and now thoroughly frightened
miner, and every now and then some elf,
more malicious than his fellows, admin
istered sly pinch to Johns fat body.
A rude sort of song the elves sang as
they danced around the miner John,
listening, caught the words:
''Ikle, pickle seven times nine,
and my red cap fine.
Ho, for Francei"
The words rang so distinctly in his ears
that perforce he felt obliged to utter them.
''Txle, pickle, seven times nine.
land my red cap fine.
Ho, for Francel"
And with the words one of the Piskies
placed little red cap upon Johns head,
and in twinkling he found himself flying
through the air.
Fast over England and over the channel
the party few like birds and finally land |
ed upon the sandy reaches of the French
coast.
Then the elves sang again:
''Ikle, pickle, seven times nine,
and my red cap fine.
Ho, for D Aubing ce1larl''
As before. Johnny Groat repeated the |
words, and in a wink almost he found |
himself in an ancient French cellar well |
stocked with wine.
To say that both the Piskies and John |
O. the Conse did full justice to the wines |
Of my Lord D'AubinR would be but to |
tell the truth, and Johnny became SO fud- !
died that when the butler disturbed the /
he was unable to utter the magic !
words and remained behind when his |
comrades fed.
Caught thus in the act, scant trial they |
gave the unfortunate Englisbman, who |