Up! Horsie! / An Original Fairy Tale

The narrative follows a young peasant named Gilbert who learns from an old shepherd a charm that lets him ride a ragwort to an enchanted realm. There he enters service to a beguiling lady who entrusts him with an ivory fiddle to shepherd flocks under the condition he returns each night. Gilbert struggles to play the instrument, scatters the sheep, and experiences bewildering effects after drinking from a goblet the lady gives, which reveals the realm's elusive, otherworldly control over perception. The tale explores encounters with folk magic, tests of trust and skill, and the hazards of curiosity and bargaining with a wily guide.