The rejoicings lasted for three whole months , then the new sovereigns settled down to govern their kingdom , and made themselves so much beloved by their subjects , that when they died , a hundred years later , each man mourned them as his own father and mother . -LSB- From Le Cabinet des Fées . -RSB- THE GOBLIN PONY ` Do n't stir from the fireplace to-night , ' said old Peggy , ` for the wind is blowing so violently that the house shakes ; besides , this is Hallow-e ` en , when the witches are abroad , and the goblins , who are their servants , are wandering about in all sorts of disguises , doing harm to the children of men . ' ` Why should I stay here ? ' said the eldest of the young people . ` No , I must go and see what the daughter of old Jacob , the rope-maker , is doing . She would n't close her blue eyes all night if I did n't visit her father before the moon had gone down . ' ' I must go and catch lobsters and crabs , ' said the second , ` and not all the witches and goblins in the world shall hinder me . ' So they all determined to go on their business or pleasure , and scorned the wise advice of old Peggy . Only the youngest child hesitated a minute , when she said to him , ` You stay here , my little Richard , and I will tell you beautiful stories . ' But he wanted to pick a bunch of wild thyme and some blackberries by moonlight , and ran out after the others . When they got outside the house they said : ` The old woman talks of wind and storm , but never was the weather finer or the sky more clear ; see how majestically the moon stalks through the transparent clouds ! ' Then all of a sudden they noticed a little black pony close beside them . ` Oh , ho ! ' they said , ` that is old Valentine 's pony ; it must have escaped from its stable , and is going down to drink at the horse-pond . ' ` My pretty little pony , ' said the eldest , patting the creature with his hand , ` you must n't run too far ; I 'll take you to the pond myself . ' With these words he jumped on the pony 's back and was quickly followed by his second brother , then by the third , and so on , till at last they were all astride the little beast , down to the small Richard , who did n't like to be left behind . -LSB- Illustration : The Goblin Pony -RSB- On the way to the pond they met several of their companions , and they invited them all to mount the pony , which they did , and the little creature did not seem to mind the extra weight , but trotted merrily along . The quicker it trotted the more the young people enjoyed the fun ; they dug their heels into the pony 's sides and called out , ` Gallop , little horse , you have never had such brave riders on your back before ! ' In the meantime the wind had risen again , and the waves began to howl ; but the pony did not seem to mind the noise , and instead of going to the pond , cantered gaily towards the sea-shore .
Richard began to regret his thyme and blackberries , and the eldest brother seized the pony by the mane and tried to make it turn round , XXXXX he remembered the blue eyes of Jacob the rope-maker 's daughter .
From On So after before by for outside through with