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      elves and goblins, cup, till, children, come here

      The Brownie of Ferne-Den

      People like to write and tell stories about Brownies in Scotland. There are many famous Brownies there, for example, the Brownie of Bodsbeck or the Brownie of Blednock. But I'll tell you about the Brownie of Ferne-Den.

      Ferne-Den was a farmhouse. It got its name from the glen, or “den,” on the edge of which it stood. Anyone who looked for a place to sleep stayed there. This glen was the abode of a Brownie. That Brownie never appeared to anyone in the daytime. Sometimes people saw him at night. He jumped from tree to tree. And he never did harm to anybody.

      Indeed, he always helped those who needed his assistance. The farmer often said that he could not live without him. Any work at the farm the farmer and his wife left to the Brownie. When they went to bed, they put down a bowl of new milk on the doorstep for the Brownie's supper. And when they woke the next morning the bowl was empty. And the job was finished, of course.

      In spite of all this, however, everyone was afraid of the Brownie. People preferred to go a couple of miles round about in the dark, when they came home from Kirk or Market. They did not want to pass through the glen and see him.

      The farmer's wife was good and gentle. She was not afraid of anything on the earth. When she left the Brownie's supper outside, she always filled his bowl with the milk. Moreover, she added a good spoonful of cream to it. She said,

      “He works so hard for us. He asks no wages. He deserves the best meal that we can give him!”

      One night this gentle lady got ill. Everyone was afraid that she would die. Of course, her husband was greatly distressed. Her servants were shocked too. She was a very good Mistress to them. They loved her like their own mother. But they were all young. None of them knew very much about illness. Everyone decided to send off for an old woman. That woman lived about seven miles away on the other side of the river. She was a very skillful nurse.

      But who will go? That was the question. It was black midnight. The way to the old woman's house lay straight through the glen. And whoever travels that road can meet the dreaded Brownie.

      The farmer wanted to go. But he dare not leave his wife alone. The servants stood in groups about the kitchen. No one was ready to go.

      The cause of their terror was a queer, wee, misshapen little man. That little man was all covered with hair. He had a long beard, red eyes, broad, flat feet. He had enormous long arms that touched the ground, even when he stood upright. He was within a yard or two of them. He listened to their talk, with an anxious face. He stood behind the kitchen door.

      He came up as usual, from his hiding-place in the glen. He wanted to see if there was any work for him to do. Also he wanted to get his bowl of milk. He saw, from the open door and windows, that there was something wrong inside the farmhouse. He crept into the entry to find out what the matter was.

      He gathered from the servants'talk that the Mistress was ill. He loved her dearly. She was very kind to him. His heart sank within him. Then he heard that the silly servants were afraid to go and call a nurse for her. His contempt and anger knew no bounds.

      “Fools, idiots, dolts!” he muttered to himself.

      He stamped his queer, misshapen feet on the floor.

      “If they stand like this, the bonnie lady will die. So the Brownie must go himself!”

      A farmer's dark cloak hung on a peg on the wall. The Brownie took it. He threw it over his head and shoulders. He wanted to hide his ungainly form. Then he hurried away to the stable. Then he saddled and bridled the horse that stood there.

      After that he led it to the door and scrambled on its back.

      “Now, go!” he said.

      The horse understood him. It darted out into the darkness like an arrow from the bow. Soon the Brownie drew rein at the old woman's cottage.

      She was in bed. She was asleep. He rapped sharply on the window. She rose and asked who was there. He bent forward and told her his errand.

      “You must come with me, Goodwife, quickly!” he commanded, in his deep, harsh voice. “It's necessary to save the Lady of Ferne-Den's life. There is no one to nurse her at the farm there. She had a lot of empty-headed servant wenches.”

      “But how to get there? I don't have a cart,” said the old woman anxiously.

      She saw there was nothing at the door save a horse and its rider.

      “You must just climb up behind me on the saddle,” replied the Brownie, shortly, “and hang on tight to my waist. I'll promise to bring you to the Ferne-Den safe and sound[19].”

      His voice was masterful. The old woman dare not refuse. She dressed herself. When she was ready she unlocked her door, and mounted the horse.

      Without a word, they approached the dreaded glen. Then the old woman was very afraid.

      “Do you think that we can meet the Brownie there?” she asked timidly. “Folk say that he is a terrible creature.”

      Her companion laughed.

      “Don't be afraid,” he said, “I promise you'll see nobody uglier this night than the man whom you ride behind.”

      “Oh, then, I'm fine,” replied the old woman, with a sigh of relief.

      She relapsed into silence again. They passed the glen. The horse turned into the farmyard. Then the horseman slid to the ground. He lifted the old woman carefully down in his long, strong arms. As he did so the cloak slipped off him. It revealed his short, broad body and his misshapen limbs.

      “Who are you?” the woman asked. “What makes your eyes so big? And what did you do to your feet?”

      The queer little man laughed again.

      “Waste no time, good Dame,” he replied. “Go into the house. If anyone asks you who brought you hither so quickly, tell them that there was nobody near your house, so you rode behind the Brownie Of Ferne-Den!”

      1. Who was not afraid of the Brownies?

      1) the country people

      2) the old woman

      3) the farmer's wife

      4) the little children

      5) everybody