In the Forest of Stone 3

find of the sylvan minster where the Oak-
people worship. As we wandered through
the Forest we came upon a number of
notice boards nailed high up on the trunks
of various trees, but when W. V. discovered
that these only repeated the- same stern
legend: “ Caution. Persons breaking, climb-
ing upon, or otherwise damaging,” she in-
dignantly resented this incessant intrusion
on the innocent enjoyment of free foresters.
How much nicer it would have been if there
had been a hand on one of these repressive
boards, with the inscription: ‘“ This way to
the North Star Church;” or, if a caution
was really necessary for some of the people
who entered the Forest, to say: “ The pub-
lic are requested not to disturb the Elves,
Birch-ladies, and Oak-men;” but of course
the most delightful thing would be to have
a different fairy-tale written up in clear
letters on each of the boards, and a seat
close by where one could rest and read it
comfortably.

I told her there were several forests I had
explored, in which something like that was
really done; only the stories were not fairy-
tales, but legends of holy men and women;