John-y-Chiarn took the biggest journey in his life without meaning
to do it at all.
One night he was going towards Ballaquirk, taking his time and thinking
of his younger days, when all of a sudden he heard a great murmur of
people coming up behind him, and, before he had time to look round
him, he felt himself getting jostled and a voice asked him--middling
sharp, too:
'What business have you here in our way at this hour of the night?'
'I am sorry to give anyone trouble,' said John; 'I'll get over the
hedge out of the road.'
Then the leader came and touched him with the little stick he was
carrying, and said to the others:
'We'll take him with us; he'll be useful enough among the rest.'
At that there was a big titter and John felt himself all altered like,
and a thing like a load came on to his back. Then they all went on
together, Themselves talking and laughing away. As soon as they came
near the Ballaragh Chapel though, all was as silent as the grave. The
houses were dark and the only thing they saw stirring was Quilleash's
dog, and as soon as he smelt Themselves he took to his heels with
his tail between his legs.
It was a fine easy night with just a touch of soft fog on, and a little
air coming down from the mountain as we got to Dreem-y-Cuschaage. There
the leader sounded his big ram's horn, and as they went galloping down
to the Dhoon, out came some more of the Lil Fellas from the gill and
joined them, and more talking and laughing went on. He blew another
blast at Ballellin, for there they could see the fog rolling down
from Creg-ny-Molt.
Again he blew at Ballagorry and they slacked down a bit, and you
would have thought the whole glen would have wakened up with the
echoes. Down at the bridge they could see the lights going about like
will-o'-the-wisps. Then the leader shouted:
'Get into your lines there, my boys,' and the Maughold Lil Fellas
put themselves in rows on the walls of the bridge, just under the big
cherry trees, holding their coloured lanthorns on the points of their
sticks to give light round that dirty turn; then when all had passed,
they joined in and followed behind. Away they all went, down Slieu
Lewaige, fit to break their necks. They slackened off a bit as they
got to Folieu and then took their time as far as Ballure's Bridge,
where there was a big lanthorn hanging up in a tree over the old
mill. As soon as they saw this, two of Themselves blew horns and then
a host of riders came out of the mill, blowing horns too. They turned
up the gill and all of a sudden the whole crowd, with John among them,
were right in the middle of a big camp of the Lil People. There were
lights hanging all about in the trees, and fires blazing under the
cowree pots, and musicians playing fine music. Oh, the taking joy
there was! Some were going round, giving horn-spoons for the cowree
and binjean, and then handing round the oatbread and cheese, and the
tramman wine. Then the little fiddlers and fluters and reed-fellows
and the drummers got upon the top of a big rock, and the Lil Fellas
began to dance, till John's head took the reel watching them. It was a
grand sight to see the nice little girls in their red petticoats, and
white stockings and shoes with silver buckles on, and little bells all
tinkling in their hair; and the Lil Men in their white knee breeches,
loghtan stockings and spotted carranes. In the middle of it all,
up came the Lil Captain and----
'John,' says he. 'What do you think of this sight, boy?'
'It's mortal grand,' says John. 'Far before any of the carnivals I've
seen before; an' how long will it last?'
'Maybe a fortnight,' said he, laughing heartily. 'And maybe more,
so you would better go back to your own people.'
'How'll I get back at all, at all, an' in the dark, too?' says John.
'Tchut, man,' he said, tipping John on the head with his little
stick again.
John didn't remember any more till he wakened at the break of day
close to his own house, and little the worse for his long journey.