Tales out of school

by Frank R. Stockton

Christern shook his head.

“Wanted to shut me up in a sty, and fatten me, eh? I wouldn’t be much of a mouthful now, would I? Don’t you wish you could get me?”

And the saucy fellow soared high up among the trees.

Christern nearly dropped his lantern in his astonishment. “You don’t ever mean to tell me that boars are fairies?” he said, at last.

“I mean to say nothing of the kind!” cried the fairy, indignantly. “Your horrid, beastly boars are no relations of ours, even! I’ll tell you how it was,” he said, coming nearer Christern, and speaking in a confidential tone. “Our fairies all have wings, and can fly, but there are other kinds without wings. Some of these are good, but some are bad, and they are full of spite against us because we are better off than they. I offended a tribe of these not long ago, and they had influence with a wicked old witch who changed me into a little boar. I was to remain in that shape for a week. She would have made the time longer, if she could. But they all thought I would be killed in that time. And so I should have been but for your Sybil. And there was another thing worse than death. If I was deprived of my liberty during that week, I could never again regain my natural shape. So, if you had put me in your sty, I would have been eaten up one of these days as a boar. From this awful fate your Sybil saved me. So I am doubly indebted to her, and I want to do something for her.”

“Oh, you are the good fairy, who is to save our Maghar!” cried the old man, joyfully.

Thereupon he related the whole sad story, and the fairy told him he would consult with his tribe that night; and, if he and Sybil would come to that spot on the following night he would let them know what could be done.

Sybil’s delight was unbounded. She now felt sure that her brother would be saved. But, nevertheless she accompanied Christern to the place of meeting, half fearing that the frisky fairy would play her some trick. But he was there, before them, and had dressed himself in his best suit of green in honor of the occasion.

As soon as they appeared he began chattering as fast as ever he could.

“We fairies have hit upon a splendid plan,” he said. “But there is no time to lose. Sybil, I have seen your brother, but he did not see me. I was at the castle this morning before cock-crow. I flew in through a loop-hole. Nobody saw me. It took me a long time to find out in what room your brother was kept, but, at last, I made it out. I intended to stay until I did. He is in a room, high up in the north tower. He has been pretty well, but now his jailers have begun the plan of starving him; and he will soon be too weak to save himself as we propose, which is the only way open to him. It requires steady nerves, and great courage. But do not weep, for we will save him, only it must be done speedily. Do you, Christern, be ready to go with me to the castle at break of day. Pretend you are a beggar. There are so many of these you will pass unsuspected. I will point out to you a small postern door at the back of the castle, stay about that; and I will hide near it. I could slip inside easily enough, and tell Maghar what to do, but he does not know me, and would not trust me. So you must get inside the castle some way and see him. And, not only that, but you must get out again. And this is our plan for doing this. We fairies have three magical cocks. At a signal from me these cocks will appear on the crest of the hill at the back of the castle, and will sing a song. This will so astonish the sentinels that they will be thrown off their guard. I will then slip in through a loop-hole, unlock the postern door, and let you in. We will tell Maghar how he can escape. Then the cocks will appear again, and while the attention of the guards is distracted, we will get out of the castle. Remember now to be here at daybreak.”