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Risks, Identity and
Conflict
Theoretical Perspectives and
Case Studies
Edited by Steven Ratuva · Hamdy A. Hassan
Radomir Compel
Risks, Identity and Conflict
 Steven Ratuva · Hamdy A. Hassan ·
Radomir Compel
Editors

Risks, Identity
and Conflict
Theoretical Perspectives and Case Studies
Editors
Steven Ratuva Hamdy A. Hassan
Faculty of Arts College of Humanities & Social
University of Canterbury Sciences
Christchurch, New Zealand Zayed University
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Radomir Compel
School of Global Humanities and
Social Sciences
Nagasaki University
Nagasaki, Japan

ISBN 978-981-16-1485-9 ISBN 978-981-16-1486-6 (eBook)

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-1486-6

© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer
Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the
Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights
of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on
microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and
retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology
now known or hereafter developed.
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc.
in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such
names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for
general use.
The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and informa-
tion in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither
the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, expressed or implied, with
respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been
made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps
and institutional affiliations.

Cover credit: © Dotnut Creative

This Palgrave Macmillan imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature
Singapore Pte Ltd.
The registered company address is: 152 Beach Road, #21-01/04 Gateway East, Singapore
189721, Singapore
To Michael Blain, one of our authors and a wonderful philosopher, who
passed away much too early and suddenly in 2020 when the book was in
preparation.
 Foreword

If ever there has been a need to understand the politics, ideology and
impact of the relationship between risk, identity and conflict across the
world, it is in these days. This book has been put together by a group of
eminent international scholars, from the research committee on Security,
Conflict and Democratization (R44) of the International Political Science
Association (IPSA). The IPSA was founded under the auspices of the
United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Council in 1949, as
an international scholarly association for the advancement political science
across the world.
Through its fifteen chapters, this book introduces the idea of risk into
the study of identity and conflict, and how through unlocking debates
and unique narratives, there is a potential that we might be able to address
such conflicts in ways that are people-centred, empowering and sustain-
able. Risk is part of our everyday lives and how we frame it does vary
in relation to different cultural, political, ideological, methodological and
philosophical contexts.
The book provides a comparative discussion of the complex relation-
ships between identity and conflict and manifestations, of risks and how
different societies have managed to deal with these given the resources
they have and limitations with which they are faced. The case studies are
from various parts of the world and what is clear is that while the process
of globalization has linked many international and regional developments,
there are still specific issues and conditions, which are unique and highly

vii
viii FOREWORD

relevant to local contexts. The 2020–2021 COVID-19 pandemic posed

one of the most devastating risk factors ever to beset humanity. Each
country dealt with it differently in accordance with their specific condi-
tions and capabilities. For many this added to the existing social and polit-
ical risks of inequality, ethnic conflict, territorial disputes, political power
struggle and economic exploitation. And for many there was a need for
recovery that included innovative solutions to conflict, and social trans-
formation beyond conventional security paradigms. Thank you to the
scholars contributing to this book, for expanding our understandings of
risk, identity and security, and illuminating future trends regionally and
globally. The quest for peace and international relations is foundational to
each chapter. This is unique, timely, vital scholarship.
While risk of identity conflict is often unfairly stereotyped as being
specific to Global South countries, the storming of Capitol Hill on 6
January 2021 by supporters of President Donald Trump was but one
example of how liberal democracy itself creates conditions for political
risks in the form of right-wing extremist groups, clamouring for a partic-
ular political and cultural identity. This book provides a series of examples
of how risks are associated with political mobilization, elections, refugees,
ethnic cleansing and even peace-making, regionally and globally. The posi-
tive aspect to these is that we humans have the creative capacity to respond
to and transform these risks into opportunities for peace and stability.
For students and researchers in the areas of identity, security, conflict,
peace-building and international relations, this book offers much that is
thought-leading, critically substantive and bold. The global context of the
book makes it appropriate for comparative studies as well as regional and
national analysis of risk, identity and conflict. As a scholar who has worked
in the areas of identity, power and education, I find the book timely, given
the dramatic changes in the world today, and that the potential we each
have to contribute to peace and stability.

January 2021 Prof. Airini

Provost and Vice-President Academic
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, Canada
 Preface

The unprecedented impact of COVID-19 around the world and the

recent storming of Capitol Hill by supporters of former President Donald
Trump are two classic examples of how social risks have shaped events
both at the local and global levels. With globalization, risks associated
with specific places and historical moments can become universalized as
a result of cross-border interactions and global virtual communication,
amongst other means. Risks are part of human experiences and how we
construct and understand them may differ from society to society or from
context to context. This book is about understanding how risks are linked
to identity and conflict and how these manifest themselves in different
contexts.
In a conference on Risk, Identity and Conflict in August 2019 at the
Nagasaki University, jointly organized by several research committees of
the International Political Science Association (IPSA) and the Nagasaki
University, the notion of “risk” was seen as a missing link in the current
discussions on security and conflict. While the idea of risk is contextual, it
is also recognized that there are universal conditions, especially in situa-
tions of conflict, which are common. These include threats to human life,
identity and survival of social groups, amongst other things, although the
theoretical framing may differ. The idea of the book is part of the broader
plan to initiate discussions on re-theorizing the idea of risks in the context
of identity and conflict. Risk, identity and conflict and value-loaded terms,
which are subject to diverse theoretical framing and application.

ix
x PREFACE

The relationship between identity and risks in today’s world is multilay-

ered and complex and contribute in direct and indirect ways to increasing
conflict, insecurity and instability different regions. Almost every aspect of
economic policies, political decisions, military strategies, financial invest-
ment and other forms of human endeavours are associated with risks. In
the natural sciences, risks can be predictable and calculable, using proba-
bility functions and statistical analyses. In the social sciences, risks have to
be understood and interpreted in the context of behaviour, relationships,
events, perceptions and social transformation. They are intersubjective and
are based on assumptions and consequences of complex social interactions
and human intentionality. Such risks are far more complicated and difficult
to quantify. Social risk has been a concept common to political and secu-
rity studies with their focus on the potential of adversarial intentionality
and communal survival, beyond the conventional security paradigms. The
study of risk management as a way of responding to risk must inevitably
include human security, identity construction and social trust. It is impor-
tant to capture the complex, intersectional, multi-causal and co-relational
linkages between risks, security culture and identity.
This volume explores the complex interrelation between risk, identity
and conflict and focuses on ethnicity, religion and gender as modes of
identity, which are often associated with conflict and cooperation in the
contemporary world. The chapters provide various theoretical perspec-
tives and pay special attention to analysis of diverse case studies from
Africa, Middle East, East and Southeast Asia, Latin America, as well as
the Euro-American world. Using various conceptual and methodolog-
ical approaches, it provides narratives of unique local and regional social
risk factors and conflict contexts. The relationship between risk and secu-
rity is multidimensional and perpetually changing, and lends itself to
multiple interpretations. This publication provides some discussions for
future theoretical and policy debates on risk, and identity and conflict in
a dramatically changing world.

Christchurch, New Zealand Steven Ratuva

Dubai, United Arab Emirates Hamdy A. Hassan
Nagasaki, Japan Radomir Compel
 Acknowledgements

The chapters are based on papers presented at a conference on Risk, Iden-

tity and Security at the Nagasaki University in August 2019, a result of
mutual partnership and collaboration between a number of organizations
and networks. Firstly, we acknowledge the conference hosts, the Transdis-
ciplinary Research Platform on “Risk Society” in Humanities and Social
Sciences of Nagasaki University, which organized a very high standard
international conference under the coordination of Associate Professor
Radomir Compel.
Secondly, we acknowledge the role of the various research commit-
tees of the International Political Science Association for their mutual
partnership in making the conference a success. These Research Commit-
tees include Security, Conflict and Democratization (RC44), Women and
Politics in the Global South (RC07), Biology and Politics (RC12), Poli-
tics and Ethnicity (RC14), Technology and Development (RC35) and
Religion and Politics (RC43).
Thirdly, we acknowledge the grants provided by the São Paulo
Research Foundation (FAPESP), Japan Society for the Promotion of
Science (JSPS), Japan International Cooperation Agency Ogata Sadako
Research Institute for Peace and Development (JICA-RI), Univer-
sity of Kitakyushu Grants for Special Research, academic exchange
funding bodies, such as, Nagasaki International Tourism and Convention
Association.

xi
xii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Lastly, we acknowledge the hard work of the authors and others who
presented papers during the Nagasaki conference, as well as other insti-
tutions not named above, which have contributed to making this book
possible.
 Contents

1 Risk, Identity and Conflict: A Critical Overview 1

Steven Ratuva, Hamdy A. Hassan, and Radomir Compel

Part I Ethno-religious Approaches to Risk and Security

2 Risk, Security, and the War on Terror 25
Michael Blain and Angeline Kearns-Blain
3 Ethnicity, Insecurity and Geostrategic Transformation
in the Horn of Africa 61
Hamdy A. Hassan
4 Formation of Diaspora Network and Reconstruction
of Collective Memory: The Case of Indo-Fijians 85
Masaki Kataoka
5 Ethnicity and Geopolitics of Rohingya Crisis 109
Mohd Aminul Karim
6 Pious Predicaments and Pathways for Engagement:
Ulama and Risks in Post-Conflict Milieu 131
Jovanie Camacho Espesor

xiii
xiv CONTENTS

Part II Institutional and Policy Approaches to

Ethno-religious Risks
7 Ethnic Conflicts and Peacekeeping 157
Sergio Luiz Cruz Aguilar
8 Ethnofederal Elections and National Identities:
Cross-National Survey Research 185
Ryo Nakai
9 A Quantitative Text Analysis on Mobilization
of the Electorate by Islamist Parties During the 2018
Iraqi Parliamentary Election 207
Hiroko Kinoshita and Dai Yamao
10 Designing a Constitution: Bridging the Gap Between
Political Ideals and Political Practices in Afghanistan 231
M. Bashir Mobasher
11 COVID-19 and the Way to Authoritarian Rule
in Ethiopia 255
Hala Thabet

Part III Gender-Based Approaches to Risk and Security

12 Women Peace and Security: Sexual Gender-Based
Violence Survivor Support in Refugee Settlements
in Uganda 277
Miho Fukui
13 Why GBV Survivors Cannot Seek Help: The Case
of South Sudanese Refugees in Uganda 307
Chigumi Kawaguchi
14 Negotiating the Gender-Based Violence Referral
Pathway: Challenges and Opportunities in the Refugee
Hosting Areas of Uganda 339
Kalyango Ronald Sebba
 CONTENTS xv

Part IV Conclusion
15 Risk, Identity and Conflict: Some Concluding
Remarks 369
Steven Ratuva, Hamdy A. Hassan, and Radomir Compel

Index 381
 Contributors

Sergio Luiz Cruz Aguilar Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Sao
Paulo, Brazil
Michael Blain Boise State University, Boise, ID, USA
Radomir Compel School of Global Humanities and Social Sciences,
Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
Jovanie Camacho Espesor Mindanao State University, General Santos,
Philippines
Miho Fukui Programme Department, Peace Winds Japan, Tokyo, Japan
Hamdy A. Hassan College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Zayed
University, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Mohd Aminul Karim Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB),
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Masaki Kataoka University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
Chigumi Kawaguchi Toyo Gakuen University, Tokyo, Japan
Angeline Kearns-Blain Boise State University, Boise, ID, USA
Hiroko Kinoshita Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan

xvii
xviii CONTRIBUTORS

M. Bashir Mobasher American University of Afghanistan, Kabul,

Afghanistan;
Western Washington University, Washington, USA
Ryo Nakai Department of Policy Studies, The University of Kitakyushu,
Kitakyushu, Japan
Steven Ratuva Faculty of Arts, Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific
Studies, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
Kalyango Ronald Sebba School of Women and Gender Studies,
Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
Hala Thabet Zayed University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Dai Yamao Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
 List of Figures

Fig. 2.1 Empire, victimage ritual, and the biopolitics of ethnic

groups as terrorists (Source Author, adapted from ideas
developed in Blain [2019]) 29
Fig. 2.2 Structural analysis of melodramatic patterns of meanings
in political victimage ritual (Note […] = substitution
of signifiers. Source Authors, adapted from Blain [2019]) 41
Fig. 9.1 Trust of political parties by each ethno/sectarian group
(Source Yamao [2018b, 30]) 212
Fig. 9.2 Result of the 4th parliamentary election: number and %
of seats (Source Made by authors based on the Iraqi
Independent High Electoral Commission [https://www.
ihec-iraq.com/ar/]) 213
Fig. 9.3 Frequency and weight of each dictionary by parties
(Source Made by authors) 221
Fig. 9.4 Mobilization tone of each party (Source Created
by authors) 223
Fig. 9.5 Coefficient plot of the Model 1 (Source Created
by authors) 225
Fig. 9.6 Marginal effect of each party’s mobilization tone (Source
Created by authors) 226
Fig. 9.7 Coefficient plot of the Model 3 (Source Created
by authors) 227
Fig. 10.1 Ethnic distribution of survey respondents (Source Author) 234
Fig. 10.2 Opinion of different groups on the issue of power-sharing
in the government (Source Author) 235

xix
xx LIST OF FIGURES

Fig. 10.3 Popularity of the emerging cross-ethnic coalitions against

ethnic parties or banning both political organizations
among different ethnic groups (Source Author) 236
Fig. 10.4 Popularity of a cross-ethnic party system over an ethnic
or a mixed party system based on the public opinion
(Source Author) 237
Fig. 10.5 Importance of different identities based on the public
opinion in Afghanistan (Source Author) 238
Fig. 10.6 Comparison of ethnic groups’ responses with regard
to the use of ‘Afghan’ for the people of Afghanistan
as their national identity (Source Author) 239
Fig. 11.1 Map of Ethiopia and the nine regional states (Source map
made by the author) 261
Fig. 12.1 Uganda refugee response coordination structure (Source
WFP and UNHCR 2018) 285
Fig. 12.2 Yumbe settlement referral mechanism (Source UNHCR
2016a, 7) 296
Fig. 13.1 Ecological framework for explaining GBV (Source Author,
adapted from Heise 1998; Ellsberg and Heise 2005, 26) 312
Fig. 14.1 The GBV referral pathway (Source Author, adapted
from data in Inter Agency Standing Committee [2008].
Gender Based Violence Resource tool: Establishing GBV
standard operating procedures (SOP) guide) 347
 List of Tables

Table 2.1 Percent and number of US Presidential

State-of-the-Union addresses containing references
to empire and deploying terror/subjection by stages
of US Empire, 1790–2018 31
Table 2.2 Number of n Oxford English Dictionary concepts
of terror in relation to the French revolutionary period,
1789–1815 33
Table 2.3 Number of Trump tweets and retweets during campaign
(06-01-15) and after 2016 Presidential election
(11-04-2016) 44
Table 2.4 Percent articles linking subjects and discourses
to “terrorism” in influential articles indexed
in Sociology Abstracts pre-9/11 (1960–2001) and WoT
(2002–2012) 53
Table 6.1 Muslim population in the Bangsamoro 136
Table 8.1 Logistic regression analysis of people’s national identity
by three unitary-federal systems 197
Table 8.2 Logistic regression analysis of people’s national identity
with interaction terms 198
Table 8.3 The list of countries, elections, and surveys in our
analysis 203
Table 9.1 Social media platforms of the parties 215
Table 9.2 Result of OLS regression 224
Table 10.1 Ethnic composition of political parties
inside the parliament of Afghanistan 243

xxi
xxii LIST OF TABLES

Table 12.1 Organizations and type of service provided 294

Table 12.2 FGDs GBV help-seeking preferences 299
Table 12.3 Refugees’ suggestions for improving SGBV survivor
support access 301
Table 13.1 Promoters and inhibitors of GBV act and help-seeking
act from FGDs 328
Another random document with
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The Project Gutenberg eBook of The chronicles of Fairy land
This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United
States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away
or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License
included with this ebook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you
are not located in the United States, you will have to check the
laws of the country where you are located before using this
eBook.

Title: The chronicles of Fairy land

Author: Fergus Hume

Illustrator: M. Dunlop
Maria Louise Kirk

Release date: September 21, 2023 [eBook #71700]

Language: English

Original publication: Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Company,

1911

Credits: Carlos Colon, Gísli Valgeirsson, The Library of

Congress and the Online Distributed Proofreading
Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced
from images generously made available by The
Internet Archive/American Libraries.)

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE

CHRONICLES OF FAIRY LAND ***
THE CHRONICLES OF FAIRY LAND
 HOLIDAY EDITIONS OF
JUVENILE CLASSICS
By GEORGE MACDONALD

THE PRINCESS AND THE

GOBLIN
THE PRINCESS AND CURDIE
AT THE BACK OF THE
NORTH WIND
Illustrated in color by Maria L. Kirk. Decorated
chapter-headings and lining papers. Octavo.
Ornamental cloth, gilt top, $1.50 per volume.

OUIDA’S CLASSIC JUVENILES

A DOG OF FLANDERS
Containing also her most famous stories, “The
Nürnberg Stove,” “The Little Earl,” and
“In the Apple Country.”

BIMBI: STORIES FOR

CHILDREN
Each illustrated in color by Maria L. Kirk. Decorated
lining papers. Octavo. Ornamental cloth,
gilt top, $1.50 per volume.

Edited by G. E. MITTON

THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON

Twelve full-page illustrations in color by Harry
Rountree. Octavo. Ornamental cloth, $1.50.

By JEAN INGELOW
 MOPSA, THE FAIRY
Illustrated in color by Maria L. Kirk. Decorated
lining papers. Octavo. Ornamental cloth, $1.50.

By JOHN KENDRICK BANGS

MOLLIE AND
THE UNWISEMAN ABROAD
Ten full-page illustrations in color by Grace G.
Weiderseim. Octavo. Cloth, pictorial cover, $1.50.

By FERGUS HUME

CHRONICLES OF FAIRYLAND
Illustrated in color by Maria L. Kirk. Decorated
lining papers. Octavo. Ornamental cloth, $1.50.

HANS ANDERSEN’S
FAIRY TALES
Profusely illustrated in color by Maria L. Kirk.
Decorated lining papers. Octavo. Cloth, $1.50.

J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY
Publishers Philadelphia
A THRONE OF GREAT WHITE LILIES,
UPON WHICH SAT THE KING AND
QUEEN OF FAERYLAND—Page 104
 CHRONICLES OF
FAIRY LAND

BY
FERGUS HUME

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS IN COLOR BY

MARIA L. KIRK
AND IN THE TEXT BY
M. DUNLOP

PHILADELPHIA & LONDON

J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY
1911
COPYRIGHT, 1911, BY J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY

PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER, 1911

PRINTED BY J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY

AT THE WASHINGTON SQUARE PRESS
PHILADELPHIA, U.S.A.
TO THOSE EARNEST STUDENTS OF FAERY LORE
JOAN AND JACK BURNETT
THESE STORIES
ARE DEDICATED BY THEIR FRIEND
FERGUS HUME
 CONTENTS

PAGE
KING OBERON’S LIBRARY 11
The Red Elf 25
Shadowland 47
The Water-witch 63
Moon Fancies 95
The Rose-princess 109
Sorrow-singing 139
The Golden Goblin 157

THE ENCHANTED FOREST 183

 ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE
A Throne of Great White Lilies, upon which Sat the King and
Queen of Faeryland Frontispiece
“Yes, It Is Faeryland,” Piped a Shrill Voice 14
The Rude Giant Laughed Heartily at the Poor Elf’s Plight 32
As Tom Picked It Up He Felt that It was Filled with Money 49
He Saw the Form of the Water-faery Glimmering Ghostly
Under the Thin White Veil 71
On Seeing Ardram She Bounded Toward Him and Put Her
Arms Round His Neck 134
One Bright Summer’s Night a Number of Faeries Flew Into the
Room 139
“I Am the Golden Goblin,” He Cried in a Harsh Voice 165
 A BALLAD OF FAERY TALES

I.

O’er weary earth the twilight falls

The sunset fades from western skies,
Dark shadows dance upon the walls,
As from the hearth red flames arise.
This hour is full of strange surprise,
Of mystic stories sweet and grand;
And children hear with shining eyes
These Chronicles of Faeryland.

II.

So, children, gather round my knee,

And list to tales of old romance;
With stories of the land and sea
I’ll make your eyes with pleasure dance.
And if the fays are kind, perchance
You’ll see in dreams the elfish band,
Whene’er you hear with wond’ring glance
These Chronicles of Faeryland.

III.

The rugged caves where giants dwell;

The dragons guarding gems and gold;
Fair ladies who by magic spell
Are held enchained in castles old;
The handsome princes, brave and bold,
Who cross the moat by drawbridge spanned:
Such tales and more will now unfold
These Chronicles of Faeryland.
 Envoi.

Then, children, leave your books and toys,

And come to this enchanted strand;
I tell for happy girls and boys
These Chronicles of Faeryland.
 King Oberon’s Library.

IT was after dinner, I think, as I was seated in my arm-chair before

the fire, tired out with hard work, and therefore half asleep. All day
long it had been snowing hard, and even now, at seven o’clock in the
evening, it was still coming down in great white flakes, making the
earth look like a beautiful birthday cake. There was no light in the
room, except the red glimmer of the fire that flickered and flared on
the wide hearth, roaring up the great chimney, as if it was grumbling
to itself at having to go out into the cold, cold night.
Now, I am very fond of the firelight in a dark room at such an hour,
for it casts strange shadows, which put strange fancies into my head,
and I tell these strange fancies to good children, which pleases them
very much. For the children I tell them to are very wise, and believe
in these strange fancies, calling them faery tales, as indeed they are.
Grown-up people do not believe in faery tales, which is a great pity,
because there are many good and beautiful stories told of the
faeries, which make people who really understand them better and
wiser. But all children understand them because all children know
that Faeryland exists, and, therefore, the strange fancies called faery
tales must necessarily be true.
Well, as I said before, I was seated half-asleep in my arm-chair in the
dark, watching the fire burning merrily on the hearth, and sending out
great shafts of red light to explore dark corners, where goblins are
fond of lurking. On the roof and on the wall danced the firelight
shadows in the most amusing manner; but they are foolish folk these
same shadows, belonging to the strange Kingdom of Shadowland,
which lies near the realm of Faery; yet not mingling with it in any
way, for in Faeryland, as wise children know, there are no shadows
at all.
I grew tired watching the shadow-dance, so, letting my chin sink on
my breast, I stared into the red hollows and burning caverns made
by the flames among the logs of wood. There I saw all kinds of
curious things,—turreted castles, which held enchanted princesses,
broad red plains, across which journeyed brave knights in armour, to
deliver those same princesses, and huge rocky caverns wherein
dwelt cruel magicians, who try to stop the brave knights from
reaching the enchanted castles. I saw all these things in the fire, and
you can see them also, if you look steadily into the flames at night-
time, because then everything is under the spell of faery power. But
you must believe very hard indeed, as you look, for the faeries will
not let their country be seen by children who doubt that the beautiful
land exists.
There were some twigs on the logs still bearing a few withered
leaves, but, being out of reach of the fire, they were not burnt up;
nevertheless the flames made them quiver with their hot breath, just
as if they were still being shaken by the cool breeze of the forest.
Now, while I was looking at the shaking of the withered leaves, a
cricket began to chirp, and, whether it was the magic of the
darkness, or the influence of the faeries, I do not know, but I
understood every word of the song the cricket sang. Oh, it was really
a famous singer, that merry cricket, and the song it sang went
something after this fashion.

THE CRICKET’S SONG.

You can only hear my voice;

But you cannot see me.
Oh, would not your heart rejoice,
If you could but be me!

Thro’ the sultry summer hours

My shrill voice was ringing;
Now, when cold has killed the flowers,
By the fire I’m singing.

You don’t understand my song,

 Tho’ so bright and airy;
For to mortals you belong,
You are not a faery.

Living now the earth upon,

Oft my life’s imperilled;
But at court of Oberon,
I’m the faeries’ herald.

If you caught me you would say,

“In the fire stick it;
In the house it shall not stay,
Noisy, noisy cricket.”

Therefore by the Faery King,

I to hide am bidden,
And you only hear me sing
When I’m closely hidden

First of all, it sounded as if only one cricket was singing, then a

second seemed to join in, afterwards a third and fourth, until the
whole forest appeared to be full of crickets.
Forest?—yes!—I was now in an old, old forest, for, as I listened to
the cricket’s song, the twigs on the logs became fresh and green,
then seemed to grow larger and larger, until they hid the red light of
the fire, and branched out with great leafy boughs into the room. I
looked up in surprise, and saw the green branches, high above my
head, waving in the soft wind, and I could hear the singing of unseen
birds sound through the chirping of the crickets. Under my feet,
instead of a carpet, there was now fresh green turf covered with
daisies, and my arm-chair was a chair no longer, but the mossy trunk
of a fallen tree. The red light glimmered behind the leaves, as though
the fire was still there, but I knew in some strange way that it was not
the fire, but the crimson glare of the sunset. A great wave of
phantasy seemed to roll through the forest, and I started to my feet,
as the crickets finished singing, with a curious sense of wonderful
knowledge and vague longings.
“Dear me!” I said to myself; “this must be Faeryland.”
“Yes, it is Faeryland,” piped a shrill voice, which seemed to come
from the ground. “This is the Forest of Enchantment.”

“YES, IT IS FAERYLAND,” PIPED A SHRILL VOICE

I looked down without astonishment, for in Faeryland no one is

astonished at the strange things which take place, and saw an old,
old little man, with a long white beard, sitting astride the stem of a
flower, which kept swaying up and down like a rocking-horse. He
was dressed in bright green, with the inverted purple cup of a
Canterbury bell on his head, and if he had not spoken I would not
have known he was there, so much did his clothes and cap resemble
the surrounding green grass and coloured flowers.