thathasbeenwritten,andprintedtoo."

"itoldthatstorymyself,"saidtheman.

"yes,thenyoumustknowit;andyoumustknowalsothatthegirlsankintotheearthdirectly,tothemoor-woman,justasoldbogey'sgrandmotherwaspayinghermorningvisittoinspectthebrewery.shesawthegirlglidingdown,andaskedtohaveherasaremembranceofhervisit,andgothertoo;whileireceivedapresentthat'sofnousetome-atravellingdruggist'sshop-awholecupboard-fullofpoetryinbottles.grandmothertoldmewherethecupboardwastobeplaced,andthereit'sstandingstill.justlook!you'veyoursevenfour-leavedshamrocksinyourpocket,oneofwhichisasix-leavedone,andsoyouwillbeabletoseeit."

andreallyinthemidstofthemoorlaysomethinglikeagreatknottedblockofalder,andthatwastheoldgrandmother'smoor-womansaidthatthiswasalwaysopentoherandtoeveryoneintheland,iftheyonlyknewwherethecupboardstood.itcouldbeopenedeitheratthefrontorattheback,andateverysideandcorner-aperfectworkofart,andyetonlyanoldalderstumpinappearance.thepoetsofalllands,andespeciallythoseofourowncountry,hadbeenarrangedhere;thespiritofthemhadbeenextracted,refined,criticisedandrenovated,andthenstoredupinbottles.withwhatmaybecalledgreataptitude,ifitwasnotgeniusthegrandmotherhadtakenasitweretheflavorofthisandofthatpoet,andhadaddedalittledevilry,andthencorkedupthebottlesforuseduringallfuturetimes.

"prayletmesee,"saidtheman.

"yes,buttherearemoreimportantthingstohear,"repliedthemoor-woman.

"butnowweareatthecupboard!"saidtheman.andhelookedin."herearebottlesofallsizes.whatisinthisone?andwhatinthatoneyonder?"

"hereiswhattheycallmay-balm,"repliedthewoman."ihavenottrieditmyself.butihavenotyettoldyouthe'moreimportant'thingyouweretohear.thewill-o'-the-wisp'sinthetown!that'sofmuchmoreconsequencethanpoetryandstories.iought,indeed,toholdmytongue;buttheremustbeanecessity-afate-asomethingthatsticksinmythroat,andthatwantstocomeout.takecare,youmortals!"

"idon'tunderstandawordofallthis!"criedtheman.

"bekindenoughtoseatyourselfonthatcupboard,"sheretorted,"buttakecareyoudon'tfallthroughandbreakthebottles-youknowwhat'sinsideofthem.imusttellofthegreatevent.itoccurrednolongeragothanthedaybeforeyesterday.itdidnothappenearlier.ithasnowthreehundredandsixty-threedaystorunabout.isupposeyouknowhowmanydaysthereareinayear?"

andthisiswhatthemoor-womantold:

"therewasagreatcommotionyesterdayouthereinthemarsh!therewasachristeningfeast!alittlewill-o'-the-wispwasbornhere-infact,twelveofthemwerebornalltogether;andtheyhavepermission,iftheychoosetouseit,togoabroadamongmen,andtomoveaboutandcommandamongthem,justasiftheywerebornmortals.thatwasagreateventinthemarsh,andaccordinglyallthewill-o'-the-wisps,maleandfemale,wentdancinglikelittlelightsacrossthemoor.therearesomeofthemofthedogspecies,butthosearenotworthmentioning.isatthereonthecupboard,andhadallthetwelvelittlenew-bornwill-o'-the-wispsuponmylap.theyshonelikeglow-worms;theyalreadybegantohop,andincreasedinsizeeverymoment,sothatbeforeaquarterofanhourhadelapsed,eachofthemlookedjustaslargeashisfatherorhisuncle.now,it'sanold-establishedregulationandfavor,thatwhenthemoonstandsjustasitdidyesterday,andthewindblowsjustasitblewthen,itisallowedandaccordedtoallwill-o'-the-wisps-thatis,toallthosewhoarebornatthatminuteoftime-tobecomemortals,andindividuallytoexerttheirpowerforthespaceofoneyear.

"thewill-o'-the-wispmayrunaboutinthecountryandthroughtheworld,ifitisnotafraidoffallingintothesea,orofbeingblownoutbyaheavystorm.itcanenterintoapersonandspeakforhim,andmakeallthemovementsitpleases.thewill-o'-the-wispmaytakewhateverformhelikes,ofmanorwoman,andcanactintheirspiritandintheirdisguiseinsuchawaythathecaneffectwhateverhewishestodo.buthemustmanage,inthecourseoftheyear,toleadthreehundredandsixty-fivepeopleintoabadway,andinagrandstyle,too.toleadthemawayfromtherightandthetruth;andthenhereachesthehighestpoint.suchawill-o'-the-wispcanattaintothehonorofbeingarunnerbeforethedevil'sstatecoach;andthenhe'llwearclothesoffieryyellow,andbreatheforthflamesoutofhisthroat.that'senoughtomakeasimplewill-o'-the-wispsmackhislips.butthere'ssomedangerinthis,andagreatdealofworkforawill-o'-the-wispwhoaspirestoplaysodistinguishedapart.iftheeyesofthemanareopenedtowhatheis,andifthemancanthenblowhimaway,it'salloverwithhim,andhemustcomebackintothemarsh;orif,beforetheyearisup,thewill-o'-the-wispisseizedwithalongingtoseehisfamily,andsoreturnstoitandgivesthematterup,itisoverwithhimlikewise,andhecannolongerburnclear,andsoonbecomesextinguished,andcannotbelitupagain;andwhentheyearhaselapsed,andhehasnotledthreehundredandsixty-fivepeopleawayfromthetruthandfromallthatisgrandandnoble,heiscondemnedtobeimprisonedindecayedwood,andtolieglimmeringthere,withoutbeingabletomove;andthat'sthemostterriblepunishmentthatcanbeinflictedonalivelywill-o'-the-wisp.

"now,allthisiknow,andallthisitoldtothetwelvelittlewill-o'-the-wispswhomihadonmylap,andwhoseemedquitecrazywithjoy.

"itoldthemthatthesafestandmostconvenientcoursewastogiveupthehonor,anddonothingatall;butthelittleflameswouldnotagreetothis,andalreadyfanciedthemselvescladinfieryyellowclothes,breathingflamesfromtheirthroats.

"'staywithus,'saidsomeoftheolderones.

"'carryonyoursportwithmortals,'saidtheothers.

"'themortalsaredryingupourmeadows;they'vetakentodraining.whatwilloursuccessorsdo?