at his own fireside talking to Bridget and the childher. The neighbours were hurrying to him down every road and through every field, carrying armfuls of holly bushes, as he had sent word for them to do. He knew well he’d have fierce and savage visitors before morn- ing.
After they had come with the holly, he had them make a circle of it so thick around the house that a fly couldn’t walk through without touching a twig or leaf. But that was not all.
You’ll know what a wise girl and what a crafty girl that Maureen was when you hear what the neighbours did next. They made a second ring of holly outside the first, so that the house sat in two great wreaths, one wreath around the other. The outside ring was much the bigger, and left a good space between it and the first, with room for ever so many people to stand there. It was like the inner ring, except for a little gate, left open as though by accident, where the fair- ies could walk in.
But it wasn’t an accident at all, only the wise plan of Maureen’s; for nearby this little gap, in the out- side wreath, lay a sprig of holly with a bit of twine
tied to it. Then the twine ran along up to Darby’s
