In a remote area near Limerick, a widow named Mary Ryan lives in a small cabin with her three children. The family is poor, relying on the kindness of wealthier neighbors for turf to keep warm during winter. One evening, while Mary is away gathering turf, her eldest daughter, Nell, notices that her younger siblings, Con and Peg, are missing. A sense of dread overtakes her as she recalls local tales of children being taken by fairies. Nell and her mother search for the missing children, but only Con and Peg return, claiming that their brother, Billy, has been taken by "grand ladies" in a beautiful carriage. In a panic, Mary rushes toward the hill of Lisnavoura, known for its fairy associations, calling for her lost child. Nell, terrified, stays behind with her siblings. As time passes, the family continues to feel the absence of Billy. Occasionally, they catch glimpses of him, but he remains elusive, always disappearing before they can reach him. These sightings gradually diminish until they cease altogether, leaving the family in despair. Months later, one winter morning, Peg sees Billy enter the cabin, looking ragged and cold. He approaches the fire but leaves silently, never to be seen again. Despite efforts from local fairy doctors and the priest, Father Tom, to retrieve him, Billy remains lost, leaving his family to mourn without a grave to visit. The story concludes with the enduring sorrow of the family, haunted by the memory of the child they can never reclaim.
By J. Sheridan Le Fanu · First published 1869 · Genre: Fantasy, Folklore, Gothic