24 THE FAIRY-FOLK OF THE BLUE HILL.

they were working on the stone walls of the
cavern), seemed to drown their voices, but soon
I became accustomed to both sounds, and
could distinguish what they sang.”

“What was it?” eagerly demanded the blue
dragon-fly,

“T will try to remember,” replied the brown
beetle, and he recited slowly the following

lines:
“Tn their dark homes,

Live merry gnomes.
Through the long day,
At home they stay,
Their hammers ring
Kling a ling kling.
When others sleep,
Abroad they peep,
The darkest night
Is their delight.
Running, leaping,
Spying, peeping,
The dead of night
Is gnomes’ delight.”

“They must be jolly fellows, and I should
like to get a look at them at their work,” said
the blue dragon-fly, “but I wish they would
take the day-time for their frolics. It would be
such fun to watch them.”