It is the nature (or perhaps we should say PRE-
TERNATURE) of Fairies to love beautiful things: star-
shine and flowers, of course, and trees; rushing
streams, dew-bright morning spider webs, and mu-
sic. But of all the desires of the Fair People, there is
one thing for which Man shares the same passion:
Jewels.
To the Fairies, gold is pretty enough stuff. It re-
minds them of sunlight dancing on water and of the
turning leaves in autumn. (Catch a Leprechaun, they
say, and demand of him his golden treasure: you’ll
sleep a hundred years and wake with dead leaves in
your pocket-he keeps his word.)
Likewise, they cherish silver, for it puts them in
mind of moonlight and icicles.
But precious stones they value for themselves; per-
haps because, like them, gems are earthbom, rare,
and beautiful. When it comes to jewelry (and the
Fairies are great craftsmen of jewelry)-to rings and
pendants, bracelets and necklaces, to broaches and