You know if you keep fern-seed in your pockets you'll have the
chance of seeing the pixies. The moonwort is supposed to be a very
supernatural plant, and to have the power of opening locks if you place a
leaf of it in the keyhole. No, I've never tried to burgle with it! I've
never found any moonwort. It's an exceedingly rare plant now, and it's
not been my luck to come across any. If you're troubled with warts, you
ought to go at sunrise to an ash tree, stick a pin into the bark, and
say:
"Ashen tree! Ashen tree!
I pray thee buy these warts of me!
"Then the ash tree would cure you, that's to say, if you'd repeated the
charm properly!"
"I suppose it was always wise to leave a loophole in case the cure didn't
come off!" laughed Mavis.
They had been walking by a footpath across the meadows, and found
themselves in the little village of Bamberton, a small place with
picturesque cottages close to a river. Miss Mitchell, who was an
enthusiast upon architecture, marched her party off to view the church,
much to the disgust of several of them.
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