THERE was once a goblin who wanted to go to Fairyland. Most goblins hate the very sight of a fairy, and as for Fairyland-why, they can"t even bear to talk about it, much less want to see it! But this goblin, whose name was Scareacat, was not at all like other goblins. Instead of being naughty and fond of playing unkind tricks on people, he was quite a nice, kind little fellow, always ready to help anyone who might be in trouble.
Scareacat did not like being a goblin at all. He thought his name was a dreadfully ugly one, and, indeed, it didn"t fit him at all, for he wouldn"t have scared a fly, much less a cat!
Now Scareacat"s only chance of seeing the fairies at all was to watch for them on a midsummer night, when, as of course you know, fairies become visible to mortal eyes, and even goblins are able to see them if they wish to do so.
For many years, Scareacat had watched the fairy revels on a midsummer night without being discovered by the fairies. But, one year, as he was crouchingdown underneath a foxglove plant, he must in his excitement have leaned too far forward, for, suddenly, one of the fairies stopped dancing, and cried out, "A goblin-a goblin! " And she pointed straight at Scareacat"s hiding-place.
Drawn by Elsie J. McKissock
Fairy Revels
In a moment Scareacat was surrounded by elves and fairies, who dragged him out from the foxglove plant, and pushed him forward to the Fairy Queen"s throne.
"Why have you come hither to spy upon us? " the Fairy Queen demanded sternly. "You must be meaning to work us some mischief-for you are one of the deadly enemies of our race. ""Indeed, Your Majesty, I would not harm you, " pleaded the goblin, dropping on his knees before the Fairy Queen. "I hate the evil deeds of my brothers, andnever take part in their hateful plots. Every midsummer night I come to watch your revels, and my only wish is that I might be a fairy and go myself to Fairyland. "One of the fairies stepped forward and bowed low to the Fairy Queen.
"It is true, Your Majesty, " she said. "This goblin is not as other goblins. He loves the light of day, and hates the dark deeds of night. Often have I watched him working in his garden-and I have seen that he is ever kind and tender to the birds and bees and flowers around him. "The Fairy Queen looked at Scareacat more kindly.
"If this is so, we shall forgive you, " she said. "And, since I would make amends for my first harsh judgment, I shall grant you one wish.
"Ask what you will, and, if it be within my power to grant your desire, it shall be yours. "The goblin gave a gasp of delight.
"May I ask anything-anything I like? " he said. "Then let me go to Fairyland! "The Fairy Queen shook her head.
"It would be no good my taking you to Fairy- land, " she said. "Your eyes are not fairy eyes, and so you would see nothing even if I did. But there is onecharm that would enable you to obtain your wish. If you were to bathe your eyes with dew from a four- leaved clover, fairy sight would be given to you, and you would see clearly the way to Fairyland. ""Oh, thank you, thank you for telling me! " cried the goblin. "And where can I find a four- leaved clover? ""Ah, that you must find out for yourself, " said the Fairy Queen.
Just at that moment the cock began to crow, and in an instant Queen and elves and fairies had vanished from Scareacat"s sight. He was left alone, as he had been on so many midsummer nights, but this time his heart was beating high with hope.
"I"ll search through the world until I have found a four-leaved clover! " he cried. "When I have bathed my eyes in its magic dew I shall see clearly the way to Fairyland! "The little goblin lost no time in setting out on his search.
"I shall go first to the common, " he said to himself. "I shall be sure to find a four-leaved clover there. " But, though he searched the common from end to end, he couldn"t find a four-leaved clover.
Scareacat was rather disappointed at his failure, buthe soon cheered up.
"Never mind, " he said to himself, "I"ll try the forest next. " So he journeyed on until he came to the forest, and then he hunted over every little bit of ground, peeping under every bush and looking behind every tree, but he couldn"t find a four-leaved clover in the forest.
"Maybe I shall find it on the mountains, " said the goblin; but, though he climbed ever so many mountains and grew terribly footsore and tired, he couldn"t find a four-leaved clover on the mountains. And at last poor Scareacat grew quite despairing.
"I shall never find a four-leaved clover, never! " he said with a choking sob. "And I shall never, never be able to go to Fairyland. I suppose I"d better go home to my little house, and try not to mind about having to be a goblin. "Very sadly and slowly Scareacat made his way back to his little house in Buttercup Meadow. It was quite early in the morning when he reached it, and all the flowers and grasses were wet with dew.
He had been away for three years, and the garden round the house was overgrown with weeds and grass.
Scareacat was quite shocked when he caught sight of it. "Dear me! Dear me! " he exclaimed. "My poor little garden! I shouldn"t have stayed away so long. " Takingoff his coat, he began at once to set the garden in order, without even waiting for his breakfast. He began at the front door, and the very first thing he uncovered was- what do you think?-a clover plant bearing a spray of four-leaved clover!
Scareacat hardly believed his eyes. He rubbed them, and pinched himself all over to make sure it wasn"t a dream. But it was true; he gave a shout of delight and flung his cap up in the air, he was so pleased and surprised and happy.
"Now I shall be able to find the way to Fairyland! " he cried.
The dew was still wet on the clover, and Scareacat quickly bathed his eyes in the magic liquid. Scarcely had he done so when he heard a laugh close behind him.
"Bravo! Bravo! " said a tiny little voice. "Why, I declare that you have found the charm at last! "Scareacat turned round hastily. There, perched on his own front gate, sat a little fairy, smiling and laughing at him! And all round her were other fairies, laughing and singing and working together. Scareacat rubbed his eyes again.
"Why, " he said in surprise, "I"ve never seen a fairy in Buttercup Meadow before! I didn"t know you ever came here."Drawn by Elsie J. Mckissock
The Goblin"s House
"Why, of course we do! Buttercup Meadow is part of Fairyland, " said the fairies, laughing. "We"ve been here all the while, only you didn"t see us until just this minute. ""Buttercup Meadow part of Fairyland! " gasped Scareacat. "Why, then-I"ve been living in Fairy-land all the time! ""Yes, of course you have! " laughed the fairies.
"Only you were so stupid you couldn"t understand. Fairyland is just wherever there are birds and flowers and sunshine-and, now that you"ve bathed your eyes with dew from a four-leaved clover, you will be able to see us and work with us, and be a sort of fairy, too. "The little goblin lived on in his cottage in ButtercupMeadow, very happy and contented. The fairies often came to take tea with him in his little house, and then the little goblin would tell them all about his tremendous search for the four-leaved clover, and how disappointed and despairing he was when he thought he would never be able to find the way to Fairyland after all. "And just fancy! " he would say when he came to the end of his story, and the fairies were listening hard, "just fancy! I spent three years searching the world for a four-leaved clover, and all the while it was growing beside my own front door! "From Tiny Tots
About the Author.-The author is not known.
About the Story.-How many characters are mentioned? What is a goblin? Is there any difference between elves and fairies? Why is it hard to find a four-leaved clover? Make up a play about the good little goblin and act it in class. A "common" is land owned by all the people in a village. Anyone living in the village may graze animals there.