The O'Reiley clan had been dairy farmers for generations. Timmy, Tom, Hank, and George were brothers, whose duty was to tend to the milking chores before school each morning. The brothers started to arise at 3 am and worked as a team in preparation for the pre school activities. Samantha, their only sister was four years old, rather quiet, and was always amused at her brothers antics. She helped upon occasion when one or more of her brothers had overslept - which was quite often.
Timmy was the first to arise and start breakfast which usually consisted of potato patties, fresh yard eggs, milk, apple cider, and pork links. Being the eldest, he also had an propensity for practical jokes and upon occasion placed some of the egg shells in at least one of his brothers potato patties.
Tom on the other had, was a rather somber lad, serious in nature and also the youngest of the four. His duty was to clean the breakfast dishes and lay out clean clothing for school. He was the only one the other brothers trusted for this task, for obvious reasons thanks to Timmy's pranks.
The two middle brothers - Hank and George were identical twins, and the pranks that Timmy played, paled in comparison to their twists and turns. Father O'Reiley had a hard time identifying Hank from George, especially when they dressed alike. He also was proud that at least one of his sons was serious about book learning and might even amount to something later in life
On one particular summer evening the O'Reiley children were playing in a Glenn not too far from their home, when enchanting music caught their attention form the area of tall saw grass. As they quietly moved toward the large clumps of tall grass, a large section moved, which was strange for there was not wind that day. Startled, they stopped and so did the music. Then cow poked her head through the grass and her large brown eyes and a familiar moo calmed their jangled nerves.
Samantha commented that Timmy must have "thrown his voice" to make cow sound like she was playing music, to which Timmy said that Samantha was full of meadow muffins.
About that time chicken came into the clearing and the twins suggested that chicken was the one who was playing music. Tom thought the whole business was rather strange and perhaps Faeries were responsible for the music and that cow and chicken just happened to be in the Glenn.
Later that night at the supper table, the music event was discussed at length while Mr. O'Reiley listened intently. Finally, George asked, "Father have you ever heard music in the Glenn." To which father replied that he had when he was a boy and about their age, but his father had warned him not to be enchanted by the music. And further added that the music was in fact Faerie music which was intended to lull children into a deep sleep and only Faerie dust could either awaken them or keep them from a long slumber.
The very next morning Samantha arose early as was her custom, but her brothers and father failed to awaken, so she decided to start breakfast herself. She went out to the chicken yard to gather eggs, but Mr. Chicken was no where in sight. Then to the barn and there was no Mrs. Cow. Samantha decided to return to the Glenn and there she found Mrs. Cow and Mr. Chicken sitting on a log listening to a quite beautiful lady playing a harp. This was no ordinary lady, nor an ordinary harp, for the music was the most enchanting Samantha had ever heard. After a few hours (or so it seemed) Samantha finally broke the stains of music with a question.
"Who are you," she asked.
To which the lady replied, "I am a Faerie!"
"Can humans play the harp like Faeries" asked Samantha.
"Certainly not my dear. Would you like to try?"
Samantha sat behind the harp rather awkwardly, placed her fingers on the strings and began to play. Such sounds, melody, and enchantment flowed from her playing that soon a rather large group of Faeries had emerged from their hiding places and were dancing to the music which Samantha was playing.
Samantha learned that she was in fact a Faerie too, who had been a changeling. She also learned of the importance of raw milk which Mrs. Cow gave to the Faeries which they fed to all special children, some of which developed Faerie like qualities. Only upon occasion would one such Faerie changeling child be able to play music like Samantha.
Years had passed since Samantha had left home that fateful day while everyone else in the O'Reiley family slept the day away. When they had awakened a search for Samantha began which lasted for four days without finding a trace of her. Everyone guessed that she had been kidnapped, although there was no ransom note or contact from anyone who had either seen or heard from Samantha.
In the ensuing seven generations which followed, a member of the O'Reiley family remained on the land, continued to milk cows, and upon occasion heard enchanting music from the area of the Glenn which contained the tall saw grass. Yet no one ever heard from Samantha again.
Or did they?
Copyright:1986-2008