At length Jessie reached the edge of the wood, and, oh, joy! there was her father’s house beside the blue lake. Then the little man, smiling, bade her good-bye.
“Have I not led you well?” said he. “Do not forget me. I am the Gillie Dhu from Fairyland. I love little girls and boys. If you are ever lost in the wood again, I will come and help you! Good-bye, little girl! Good-bye!”
And laughing merrily, he trotted away, and was soon lost to sight among the trees.
HOW KAHUKURA LEARNED TO MAKE NETS
From New Zealand
Once upon a time there lived a man named Kahukura. One evening, when he was on his way to a distant village, he came to a lonely spot on the seashore. As he was walking slowly along, he saw a large pile of the heads and tails of fishes lying on the beach. Now, in those days men had no nets and were obliged to catch fish with spears and hooks; and when Kahukura saw the pile he was very much astonished.
“Who has had such luck!” he exclaimed. “It is hard to catch one fish! Here must be the heads and tails of a thousand!”
Then he looked closely at the footprints in the sand. “No mortals have been fishing here!” he cried. “Fairies must have done this! I will watch to-night and see what they do.”