hen the fairies steal away a beautiful mortal child they leave an ugly,
wizened little creature in its place. And these fairy changelings grow up
malicious and wicked, and have voracious appetites. The unhappy parents
often try the test of fire for the child, in this wise--placing it in the
centre of the cabin, they light a fire round it, and fully expect to see it
changed into a sod of turf. But if the child survives this ordeal it is
accepted as one of the family, though very grudgingly; and it is generally
hated by all the neighbors for its impish ways. But the children of the
Sidhe and a mortal mother are always clever and beautiful, and especially
excel in music and dancing. They are, however, passionate and wilful, and
have strange, moody fits, when they desire solitude above all things, and
seem to hold converse with unseen spiritual beings.Fine young peasant women are often carried off by the fairies to nurse their fairy progeny. But the woman is allowed to come back to her own infant after sunset. However, on entering the house, the husband must at once throw holy water over her in the name of God, when she will be restored to her own shape. For sometimes she comes with a hissing noise like a serpent; then she appears black, and shrouded like one from the dead; and, lastly, in her own shape, when she takes her old place by the fire and nurses her baby; and the husband must ask no questions, but give her food in silence. If she falls asleep the third night, all will be well, for the husband at once ties a red thread across the door to prevent the fairies from coming in to carry her off, and if the third night passes over safely the fairies have lost their power over her for evermore.
