THE CHILDREN OF DIANA, OR HOW THE FAIRIES WERE BORN

All things were made by Diana, the great spirits of the stars, men in their time and place, the giants which were of old, and the dwarfs who dwell in the rocks, and once a month worship her with cakes.

There was once a young man who was poor, without parents, yet he was good.

One night he sat in a lonely place, yet it was very beautiful, and there he saw a thousand little fairies, shining white, dancing in the light of the full moon.

"Gladly would I be like you, O fairies!" said the youth, "free from care, needing no food. But what are ye?"

"We are moon rays, the children of Diana," replied one - We are children of the Moon. We are born of shining light; When the Moon shoots forth a ray, Then it takes a fairy's form.

"And thou art one of us because thou wert born when the Moon, our mother Diana, was full; yes, our brother, kin to us, belonging to our band.

"And if thou art hungry and poor...and wilt have money in thy pocket, then think upon the Moon, on Diana, unto whom thou wert born; then repeat these words -

"'Moon, Moon, beautiful Moon! Fairer far than any star; Moon, O Moon, if it may be, Bring good fortune unto me!'

"And then, if thou has money in thy pocket, thou wilt have it doubled.

"For the children who are born in a full moon are sons or daughters of the Moon,

'Good evening, fair goat! And he will reply, 'Good evening, fair sir! I am so weary That I can go no farther And thou shalt reply as usual, 'Fairy Diana, I conjure thee To give to this goat relief and peace!'

"Then will we enter in a great hall where thou wilt see many beautiful ladies who will try to fascinate thee; but let thy answer ever be, 'She whom I love is her of Monteroni.'

"And now Gianni, to horse; mount and away!" So he mounted the cat, which flew as quick as thought, and found the mare, and having pronounced over it the incantation, it became a woman and said -

In the name of the Fairy Diana! Mayest thou hereby become A beautiful young man, Red and white in hue, Like to milk and blood!

After this he found the goat and conjured it in like manner, and it replied -

In the name of the Fairy Diana! Be thou attired more richly than a prince!

So he passed to the hall, where he was wooed by beautiful ladies, but his answer to them all was that his love was at Monterone.

Then he saw or knew no more, but on awakening found himself in Monterone, and so changed to a handsome youth that no one knew him. So he married his beautiful lady, and all lived the hidden life of witches and wizards from that day, and are now in fairy land.