Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-07-25
The FAIRY And
His Bell
Rings on her fingers, bells on her
toes.
She shall have music wherever she
goes

One lovely morning in June little
fairy was working in his garden. He
was busy at bed of ranuncluses,
which were his favorite flowers. Some
months before he had set out the roots
in small holes, which he had made
with sharp-pointed stick; and, when
the tender plants came up in the
spring, he walked about among them
every evening, watering them out Of a
snailshell, which he filled at brook
near by. The ranunculuses were now
quite tall; and this morning was very
busy with little feather brush, made
Of wren's tail, busting the buds
which were nearly ready to open.
While thus engaged, he heard the dis
tant sound of bells.
"Hello!" said he; whats that?
Somebody's house fire, l suspect"
AS he could do nothing for anybody
in such case, he kept on busting his
flower buds. But the sound came
nearer and nearer.
What can it be-" he said again. 1T
certainly is not travelling church,"
In few minutes, however, he found
out what it was. A tall gray horse,
bearing on his back an old woman with
rings on her fingers and bells on her
toes. came dashing toward him; and in
an instant the animal had crushed
through his ranunculuses, broken al
most every flower-stalk. and ruined
the whole bed. The little fairy, who
had just managed to get out of the
way himself, gazed upon his dreadful
loss with face full of horror and des-
pair But directly he was filled with
Il will find out that reckless per
son!" he cried. "She cannot escape
mel"
So saying, he rushed to his home at
the root of an ancient tree; and from
a little cavity he brought out spar
row, which a short time before he had
tanned and broken to the saddle. Hast
lily saddling and bridling the sparrow,
he sprang upon him, and rode away
with the speed of an arrow. 1t was
easy to trace the course taken by the
gray horse and his rider from the
sound of the bells that the old woman
wore; and in very few minutes the
fairy was skimming along by her side,
however attracting from her
the slightest attention.
Reaching the border of small
creek, the old woman refined in her
steed and dismounted. Standing by
the waters edge, she leaned against
the horse and appeared lost in thought.
"Now's my time" said the fairy to
and he fastened to fire that
some charcoal burners had made at
short distance, and, selling a small
piece of blazing light wood, he spurred
his sparrow back to the creek. In a
he had set the horses tail on
fire. The noble animal did not perceive
this for a little while; but the instant
he felt the fire he gave a great leap,
jerked his bride from the hand of
the old woman, and dashed madly
away. The fairy rode over the creek,
mounted tree on the opposite bank,
and guided his sparrow to the very
end of branch which hung over the
water, quite near the old woman, but
still out of her reach. as.-
"Ho! ho!" cried the fairy to the old
who was standing with open
mouth and eyes looking in the direc-
ton her steed had taken. "Ho! no!
Now you are paid up for trampling
down my ranunculuses. I shold like
to know how you are going to get
back to Banbury Cross now"
The old woman looked at the fairy
for a moment, and cried:
$50 that was one of your tricks, was
it? Well, it matters little. don't
care whether I ever get back to Ban.
bury Cross again or not"
"Why, don't you live there" asked
the fairy.
EYES," replied the old woman, II
do But one hates being made the
object of such general curiosity.
can never mount my horse without
bringing together crowd to look at
me-"
well that's because you wear bells
on your toes" said the fairy.
But I can't help that" said the old
woman. II don't wear them because
I like them"
"Why do you wear them, them"
asked the fairy.
"Well," said the old woman, seating
herself upon the ground, for it was
evidently difficult for her to stand
without support,-"it's long story,
but I'll make it as short as can.
MANY years ago, when I was young
woman, prince lived in a palace
near my mothers cottage. He wore
upon his right hand most magnifi-
cent diamond ring, and he declared
that he would marry any young WON
an who could produce one as fine. |
loved that prince; and, in order to be-
his wife, bought all the rings
that I could possibly procure by sell
ing everything I owned. But not one
of them was fine enough: none OF
them would match the one he wore.
Here they all are" she said, stretching
out her hands. II wear them yet
'They are very pretty SAID the
fairy "but / should never nave spent