22
ON FAIRIES.
"Tells how the drudging goblin swet,To ern his cream-bowle duly set,When, in one night, ere glimps of morn,His shadowy flail hath thresh'd the corn,That ten day-labourers could not end,Then lies him down, the lubbar fend;And stretch'd out all the chimney's length,Basks at the fire his hairy strength;And crop-full out of dores he flings,Ere the first cock his matin rings,"[1]
is a matter of some difficulty. Perhaps the giant-son of the witch, that had the devils mark about her, (of whom "there is a pretty tale"), that was called Lob-lye-by-the-fire,[2] was a very different personage from Robin Good-fellow, whom, however, he in some respects appears to resemble. A near female relation of the compiler, who was born and brought up in a small village in the bishopric of Durham, related to him many years ago several circumstances which confirmed the exactitude of Miltons description; she, particularly, told of his thrashing the corn, churning the butter, drinking
- ↑ L'allegro.
- ↑ Beaumont and Fletchers Knight of the burning pestle, A. 3, S. 1. A female fairy, in Midsummer nights dream says to Robin Good-fellow: "Farewell, thou lob of spirits."
