198 WHISPERS FROM FAIRYLAND. {iv.

she had come to that place for a certain purpose, she
determined not to depart without at least an effort to.
accomplish it, and therefore, after a few moments’
thought, she spoke as follows :—

‘Wise Rabbit, if so be that you live here, can you
tell ‘me what to do for to get my John back ?’

_A faint breeze seemed to rustle the leaves of the
old thorn-tree, and to sigh gently through the air, as
almost immediately a voice replied, which seemed to
come from the very tree itself, and was, though clear,
a thin, weak voice, such as might have been expected
to proceed from a person whose vital powers were
weakened by age or illness ; and this is what it said :—

 

 

‘The rabbits are an ancient race
Of very noble birth,
From mortal men they hide their face
Beneath their mother Earth.
For cruel man their race pursues
With snare, and dog, and-gun,
So, lest they prematurely lose
Their lives, away they run.
Yet though thy friends this race oppress,
Some succour shalt thou find, Q
Since, ever, to relieve distress
Is worthy of our kind.
And though, as I have said before,
To man no thanks we owe,
A witch ten thousand times the more
We count our deadly foe.
Between us there is constant war,
For hundreds yearly die,
Because for food a witch by far
Prefers a rabbit-pie.
And so revenge we love to take
(Although the gain be man’s),
And cause the witches’ hearts to ache
By thwarting all their plans,’