13 THE FAIRIES

Up the airy mountain,

Down the rushy glen,

We daren't go a-hunting

For fear of little men;

Wee folk, good folk,

Trooping all together;

Green jacket, red cap,

And white owl's feather!

Down along the rocky shore

Some make their home;

They live on crispy pancakes

Of yellow sea-foam;

Some in the reeds

Of the black mountain lake,

With frogs for their watchdogs,

All night awake.

By the craggy hillside,

Through the mosses bare,

They have planted thorn trees

For pleasure here and there.

If any man so daring

As dig them up in spite

He shall find the sharpest thorns

In his bed at night.

Up the airy mountain,

Down the rushy glen,

We daren't go a-hunting

For fear of little men;

Wee folk, good folk,

Trooping all together;

Green jacket, red cap,

And white owl's feather!

(William Allingham)

Word list

fa iry: an imaginary being that looks like a very small human and has wings

glen: a narrow hidden valley

craggy: very rugged country

spite: a wish to annoy others

You Practice

A) Answer the following questions.

1) What does the first stanza tell you about the fairies?

2) Where do some fairies make their home?

3) What does the poet tell us about the fairies' watchdogs?

4) What would happen to anyone who dug up the thorn trees?

5) Why do you think the mountain is called “airy”?

B) Rhyming—Find words in the poem that rhyme with these ones.

1) poke - _ _ _ _

2) leather - _ _ _ _ _ _ _

3) foam - _ _ _ _

4) grouping - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

5) mean - g _ _ _ _

C) True, False, or Not Given—Read these sentences carefully. Write T (true), F (false), or NG (not given) for each.

1) _____ The fairies are friends with dogs.

2) _____ The fairies are the same size as people.

3) _____ Some people are scared of fairies.

4) _____ Most fairies like to be alone.

5) _____ Fairies wear green and purple.