Page:Fairy Book by Sophie May.djvu/68

62 plague of all is a great glaring eyeball of fire, which mortals call the sun."

When Clod told his stories of the earth, he always ended by saying,—

"Believe me, it is bad luck to have the sun shine on you. It nearly put my eyes out; and I have had the headache ever since."

Now, there was a young girl, named Moneta, who listened very eagerly to the old gnome's stories of the earth, and thought she would like to see it for herself. She was a kind little maiden, as playful as a kitten; and her friends were not willing she should go. But Moneta had somewhere heard that fairies who marry mortals receive the gift of a human soul: so, in spite of all objections, she was resolved to take the journey; for she had in her dark mind some vague aspirations after a higher state of being.