This curious poem is taken from the reprint of Charles Kirkpatrick
Sharpe’s tiny _Ballad Book_, itself now almost _introuvable_. It does
not, to the Editor’s knowledge, occur elsewhere, but is probably
authentic. The view of the Faery Queen is more pleasing and sympathetic
than usual. Why mortal women were desired as nurses (except to attend on
stolen mortal children, kept to “pay the Kane to hell”) is not obvious.
Irish beliefs are precisely similar; in England they are of frequent
occurrence.