n the high road from Manchester to Stockport, where Levenshulme Church now
stands, there lived many years ago an old man named Daniel Burton. (His
grandson was afterwards for many years Rector of All Souls' Manchester.)"Old Dannel" was amazingly lucky. All that he did turned out well, so that in time it began to be said that he must be in league with the Devil. Some of the younger men, jealous of his prosperity, were bold enough to tax him with this, but Daniel settled that argument with the use of a gold, tough, black-thorn.
In fact, as some of the neighbors suspected, it was not the Devil, but Puck himself who was the mysterious helper, though Daniel would never say how he had come to win his help. But the farm-labourers, and dairy-maids, and the women in the house were never tired of boasting how all their work used to be done for them. They were not in the least afraid of him, and for many years Puck, the King of the Fairies, continued with his willing services.
Early one morning, as Daniel sat at breakfast, a labourer rushed into the room and cried out that all the corn had been "housed" during the night. Sure enough, when Daneil went out to see, the field was clear, and there was Puck coming to meet him across the field. But instead of thanks, the farmer greeted him with an anxious, "Puck, I doubt thou'st spoiled yon horses!" The fairy went pale with anger, and shouted in a shrill voice:
"Sheaf to field and horse to stall,Next morning, when Daniel was again at his breakfast, he was again disturbed by a messenger, who cried, "Master, the corn's all back in the field!"
I, the Fairy King, recall!
Never more shall drudge of mine
Stir a horse or sheaf of thine."
And so it was; from that time no work was done for Daniel on the farm, though indoors the maids found their helper as willing as ever. The envious neighbors rejoiced that Daniel had fallen out with his fairy, and Daniel himself grew sad and dejected. One day he met a neighbor, who asked the reason for his sorrow. "You miss your night-man?" he said. At that moment Daniel caught sight of the fairy crouching behind a hedge, as though to overhear what was being said.
Eager to make his peace with him, he cried out, "Aye, I do, Abrum, and may God bless Puck, the King of the Fairies."
There was a startled cry from behind the hedge, but when they looked the fairy had vanished, and no one on the farm, indoors or out, ever saw him again.
MOTIF: f482.5.4, f382.3