regulate their dark affairs and divide the spoil; and then perform
their nightly _orgies_, so as to terrify people from coming
near them, lest their tricks and cheats should be discovered. It is
possible the men of Ystrad might have less superstition, and
somewhat more courage, than their neighbours, and supposing such a
one to come suddenly on these nightly revellers, he would of course
cause great consternation amongst them; and, on finding a comely
female in the group, it is not unnatural to imagine that he might,
as the heroes of old have done before him, seize on a beauteous
Helen, carry her home, and in process of time marry her--for many
valorous knights have done the latter; but she, on account of some
domestic jars, might afterwards have eloped from him, and returned
to her former companions and occupation."

The author makes the following remarks in a foot-note:--

"The English writers of romances feign the fairies to be of a
smaller size than even the fabled pigmies; the Welsh people ever
supposed them to be of the same stature with mankind. Shakespeare
describes his fairy as less than a mite, riding through people's
brains to make the chase. This has not been my experience. I have
had them described to me of all sizes, varying from a woman to
little people two feet high. They have been described, when large,
as dressed like ordinary ladies, when small, with short dresses; no
hats, and hair in a plaited pigtail down the back."

Finally, the writer says:

"What other interpretation can be given to this tale I know not.
This, and such other tales, the material of which one might collect