"Sure an' ye can, miss. It's meself that has seen 'em many's the time, only ye must be up airly, for the sun niver dances after five in the mornin'."
The getting up was indeed a difficult task, for I was a regular "lie-a-bed"; but I had never seen the sun dance or stones turn over, and, being a credulous child, I resolved to try. The only question was, "How was I to waken?" for my head, once on the pillow, lay there generally, without even turning over, for a stretch of twelve hours. Bridget suggested that I tie my hand to the bedpost, but not thinking this a very safe precaution, I settled the matter by giving her an order to wake me at half after four o'clock. This she consented to do, provided I would "niver tell me mither." And I did not until breakfast-time, which was my very first opportunity, and at the moment I was so annoyed at the dolt this Irish cook had made of me, that I would have told a dozen mothers, had I only had the chance. Instead of waking me at half past four, she woke me at four o'clock. Oh, how sleepy I was! I remember dreaming of a short red-faced fairy shaking me and saying, "Hurry, child! stones turning, sun dancing! Hurry-scurry, or you'll be too late!" And on opening my eyes there stood our old red-faced Bridget.
I dressed as fast as I could, begging her to button my shoes. I was all in a quiver of excitement for fear of being late, and as soon as it was light enough to see my way, without waiting for hat or jacket, I rushed wildly along and up the lane, unto the hill and so on, never pausing until reaching the very top.
There I sat down on a big stone, so making sure of that one at least, and with an occasional turning of my head to watch all the other stones lying around, and especially one big rock over which the apple boughs swayed, I awaited the sun's rising.
It finally rose, much after the fashion, I suppose, of any other spring morning. I thought maybe it danced, but my mother didn't agree with me; she said I was faint and dizzy because I was unaccustomed to rise so early and go out without breakfast. But the stones never turned, not even the smallest one; of that I was assured. And so at a quarter before eight o'clock a very disappointed, tired child wandered down the hill and along the lane, so reaching home.
That the Irish serving-maid had been making fun of me I did not dream until I heard a loud, hard laugh, accompanying the words, "What a fool that child is!" Therefore it was no strange thing I was angry enough to make full confession.
And now that I have older grown, I have learned how fraught with superstitions the beautiful Easter day is. Not alone in Ireland, but in almost every country some qualities of the miraculous or uncanny may be discovered.
The time for Easter amusement is during the week which follows Easter day, and it would be a pretty idea at such a season to give a short tableau entertainment in connection with music and games, the tableaux indicating the superstitions of various countries.
When the tableau is shown, announce what it is intended to represent; for example, in Russia the Easter festival might almost be termed the "kissing festival," for beginning with the Emperor, who on Easter day kisses various generals and even privates in his army, the singular contagion spreads throughout the empire, apparently affecting both aristocrat and plebeian.
Tableau.—A boy representing the Russian Emperor kissing a member of the army.