fairytales

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  The Mermaid Of Zennor
Many years ago a beautiful young lady with a remarkable singing voice began to attend the church services at Zennor.
Nobody knew who she was, but she soon becae the focus of much attention.
  Many of the men in this village were intrigued by her, however it was a handsome young man by the name of Matthew Trewella, a fine singer himself, who decided to find out where this lovely stranger had come from.
  It was on a Sunday after church that she first smiled at Matthew, and so he followed her as she walked towards the cliffs. When they reached the stream that led to the sea the young lady turned to Matthew and took himby the hand. At the very moment that they leapt into the water he saw that this mysterious young stranger possessed shimmering fish's fins instead of feet.
  It was many years later that word reached the folk of Zennor as to Matthew's whereabouts.
  One fine summer's day, a sailing ship entered Pendower Cove near Zennor and dropped anchor. The Captain was about to go ashore when he heard a voice calling to him from the sea. He looked over the side of the ship and saw a beautiful mermaid. She asked the Captain if he would please raise the ship's anchor as it had landed in front of the doorway to her home. She was now prevented from entering whilst her husband Matthew and their children were trapped on the inside.
  Of course the Captain, not wishing to cause harm, weighed anchor immediately and headed out of the cove.

  Re-told and illustrated by Julie Eaton.

Lucky Clover
Daisy, a very fine red and white cow, lived on a farm at Bosfrancan in St. Burrien. She held her milk from calf to calf and her udder was always full to bursting. And yet she would never let the milkmaid take much of it. If the maid persisted in milking her, Daisy would kick up a fuss, sending both bucket and milk flying.
  What on Earth could be the matter with Daisy? Possibly she was bewitched. Still, nobody worried too much as she was always well and all the other cows on the farm held more milk than any of those belonging to neighbouring farmers. Good luck and fortune were with the farmer and his wife.
  Then, one midsummer's evening, the maid was later than usual with the milking. So late that the stars were already blinking in the sky. And it was on this occasion that Daisy gave up all her milk. The bucket was so heavy that the milkmaid grabbed a handful of grass and clover to put under her hat as padding. As she looked back up she saw, swarming towards Daisy from every direction, hundreds of small people. They had come for the milk that this very fine cow now let flow freely from her teats. Daisy, who was now smiling contentedly, clearly enjoyed the attention that these small people bestowed upon her.
  The maid ran to find the farmer and his wife and told them what she had just seen. Wherever there are small people four leaved clover can also be found. The farmer's wife knew this and told the milkmaid that it was the only evidence of her story being true that they would accept. Off came the maid's hat and a stem of clover with four leaves attached fell to the floor.
 
Re-told and illustrated by Julie Eaton