Buckwheat Cakes French folktale

They say elves keep cattle. One day a black cow belonging to the elves of Pont-aux-Hommes-Nées ate the buckwheat in the field of a woman of that neighbourhood. The woman went to the elves to complain, and a voice answered: "You will be paid for your buckwheat!"

Thereupon the elves gave the woman a cupful of buckwheat, and promised her that it would never diminish so long as none should be given away. That year buckwheat was very scarce, but no matter how many buckwheat cakes the woman and her family ate there was never less buckwheat in their store.

At last, however, a rag-gatherer arrived and asked for food. Thoughtlessly the woman gave him one of her buckwheat cakes, and suddenly, as though by magic, all the rest of the buckwheat disappeared and was gone forever.