Moonlight and Whisky
and Reflections on the Water
(continued)
"Lost?" said a voice. It was the barman.
Stunned, Hughie couldn't think of anything else to do but go up to the bar and say, '"Is this not The Old Black Bull?"
"No mate, this is The Old Green Toad, what are ye having?"
"An ale."
"Pint or quart?"
"You do quarts?"
"It's our favourite measure of ale."
"A quart then."
The barman pulled the quart and said, "Was it you who was doing all that shouting out there?"
"No!" said Hughie as he felt his face grow hot.
"Because it doesn't make a lot of sense to shout for fairies in Fairyland. Throw a brick and you'll hit one. Oh, that'll be two feymercs. In any denomination. We take absolutely anything here."
Hughie, head amok with questions, suddenly realized he had to pay for the ale, and rummaged about in his pocket. All he could find was a single pound note. He'd have to break it, he supposed. He pulled it out and proffered it to the barman, who said, "Paper money! Well, I did say we took everything here."
The barman held the note between his hands and examined it. "Not seen one of those before. 'The Royal Bank of Scotland.' Hmm. Something to add to the collection." He turned to the wall behind him and pinned the note up. Hughie noticed there were a lot of other notes, none of which, at a glance, he recognized. "Scotland, I think I might have heard of that. It'll be a kingdom, in Midgard or whatever you want to call it. Oh, I'd better give you some change. I've no idea what the exchange rate is, but here, this looks about right." The barman pushed some copper and silver coins forward. Hughie picked them up. They were of different shapes and sizes, and he didn't recognize any of them, but it did indeed "look about right."
A feeling akin to horror came over Hughie. Here in his palm was tangible evidence that something was well amiss. As a man of Science he had evidence to consider. After some moments of thought, and feeling slightly foolish, he said, "All right, so I stood in the fairy circle and I've been transported between worlds?"
"You really are new round these parts."
Hughie weighed up the situation. What a tale he had to tell when he got back to The Old Black Bull. The irony was that they would never believe him. But then he had these coins to show them! Aye he'd be famous when he got back. If he got back? With some trepidation he asked, "So to go back all I need to do is stand again in the circle and walk again to the inn, and I'll find myself back where I started from?"
"Aye."
"Thank goodness for that."
"Subject to the usual conditions."
"Conditions?"
"Aye, that you neither eat nor... hem... drink anything of this
realm." Hughie looked down into the mug. It was half drained. And
that's the story of how Hughie MacKenzie Came to be a regular at The
Old Green Toad.
