The First Story

Dark was the night and chill the winter wind that whistled down over the Quinlan hills on the night when Jenny went wandering. The cold could freeze the heart of a body and a cloak of darkness had wrapped the land in deep shadow. And though the cold and dark be fear enough, the Quinlan hills were said to be enchanted. For there, it was told, the Star Gypsies held tryst in the deep of the wildest starlit nights.
Such a night was this when Jenny came, a cloak of midnight blue fastened round her and her white face lifted high unto the winter sky. Dark the night may be, and cold, but Jenny sought a treasure beyond price. Jenny sought the music of the wandering stars.
And who were the star gypsies? They were the very spirits of heaven itself, the souls of the lights whose dance lit the earth and sky. It was told among men that they were a people passing fair, tall of body and pale of face. Some said they came in the nights of the new moon to aid the children of earth, and it was told that a child near death had been called back to life by a song that came through her window from the distant hills.
But none dared tread the star gypsy’s lands when the night drew near, for men and women both had followed the star music never to be seen again. Thus the tale was told that if ever any mortal held counsel with a star gypsy, he would be seen no more among the living. Few even of the bravest of men would have dared tread the ancient paths of those hills in that night and Jenny was but a maiden...