Narrator,P. Minahan, of Malinmore, Glencolumkille, co. Donegal.
There was a master, and he went to look for a servant boy. He fell in with Jack. He hired him. He took him home. On the morning of the morrow the master was leaving home. Jack asked him what he should do that day.
“Go threshing in the barn,” said the master.
“Shall I thresh anything but what is there?”
“Do not,” said the master. “If you thresh all that’s there, thresh no more.”
“What’ll I go to do then?” said Jack.
“Don’t do a turn till night.”
The master went away then, and Jack went to the barn and began threshing. The chaff began flying about, and he slashed through the barn, and there was not a grain of it left in an hour by the watch. Jack cleared the barn. He shook the straw. He cleaned up the barn. He went into the house and sat down by thefire. The mistress bade him bring in a basket of turf. He said he would not. “You won’t be there,” said the mistress, “unless you do some work.”
“I won’t do one turn till night.”
“Musha, you won’t be there,” said the mistress.
The two quarrelled. She put him out of the house. He went out and stayed about the place till night.
When Jack went out a neighbour came in. The mistress got dinner for him. When he was going, she went with him part of the way. They came to an old lime-kiln. They went into it. He kissed the mistress. Jack was watching them always. “If I knew,” said she, “where you would be working to-morrow, I would bring you your dinner.”
“I’ll be at work ploughing at the east end of the village. I’ll have a white horse and a black horse.”
When night came, Jack went into the byre. The master came home. He asked where the boy was.
“I don’t know where he is,” said the mistress. “He came in here and sat down by the fire. I bade him bring in a cleeve of turf. He said he wouldn’t. I said he shouldn’t be there if he didn’t work. He said he wouldn’t do a turn tillnight. We had a quarrel. I haven’t set eyes on him since then.”
They went to bed. They heard a noise in the byre. “The cattle have broken loose,” said the mistress. “They are goring one another.” The master called to the servant-girl to go out and look into the byre; that the cattle were broken loose. The girl got up and went out. She was a while outside. She couldn’t catch the cattle. The master got up himself and went out. The girl was in the byre before him. He kissed the girl. They came in. The master said two of the cattle were broken loose. Jack was in the byre all the time watching them, and when they went to bed he came into the house and went to bed. He got up on the morrow morning. “I never saw the work I’d rather do than ploughing,” said he. “It’s time to turn the soil up. Let us go ploughing to-day.”
“I don’t care,” said the master. They got the breakfast ready. They took the beasts with them to go ploughing. The two beasts were black. “I never saw anything I disliked more than a black beast.” Jack went in and brought out a white sheet. He put it on one of the beasts. He then had a black beast and a white beast. They went ploughing the land that was nearest to them. When the middle of the day came, Jack raised his head, and he ploughing. He looked before him.He saw the woman coming near them, with a bundle in her hand. “I don’t know,” said he, “who that woman over there is.” The master looked.
“It is my wife,” said he, “coming with our dinner.”
“What a right sort of woman!” said Jack.
When the mistress came to them she was ashamed to go past. They sat down and went to take their dinner. They had a good dinner. There were a great many eggs.
“It’s a pity,” said the master, “the man over there hasn’t some dinner.”
“Musha,” said Jack, “I’ll go and bring him some.”
“Do,” said the mistress.
Jack got up, and said he, “I’ll take some eggs to be eating on the way.” He took a handful of eggs. When he was gone a little way from them he let one of the eggs fall on the ground. He was dropping the eggs on the road. When he got as far as the man he sat down and began chatting.
Said the mistress, “He won’t come over till the dinner’s good for nothing.”
“I’ll go over myself,” said the master. He got up and he went over, but he wasn’t gone far when he came on an egg. He stooped and picked it up. He was gathering the eggs on the road.
“What’s the man beyond gathering?” said the other man to Jack.
“He’s gathering white stones to kill you for being with his wife yesterday in the lime-kiln.”
“Did he hear of that?”
“He heard,” said Jack.
“I’ll stay here no longer,” said the man.
He got up and went running away as fast as he could. The master began to call after him. He wouldn’t turn back. The master kept running after him. When Jack saw the two of them travelling he went back to the dinner.
“Where is he gone to?” said the mistress.
“He’s after that man for his doings with you in the lime-kiln yesterday.”
The master came back to his dinner. When the mistress saw him coming she got up and took to her heels. When the master saw that, he asked where was she going?
“She’s going to drown herself,” said Jack, “for your kissing the servant girl in the byre last night.”
“Did she hear of that?” said the master. He went running after her. “Come back,” said he, “and I’ll never do it again.”
“Oh, don’t kill me,” said she, “and I’ll never do it again.”
She returned then and they took their dinner, but it was good for nothing. They ploughed tillnight-time. Jack was a good servant-boy. He put in his time.
When he left his master he went to the big town. He went tailoring. His master had twelve boys before he came. Jack wasn’t long with him when he was a great hand at the sewing. His time was nearly up. His master thought he would keep no one but Jack. The times were hard. He dismissed them every one but Jack. He kept him. They were tailoring one day. The master said to Jack it was a bad year.
“Don’t be afraid,” said Jack. “Do you see that field full of cattle over there?”
When night came Jack and his master went out. They went to the field. Jack took one of the bullocks. He skinned the skin off it. He cut the flesh off the bones. He sewed the skin on the bullock again. They went home, and two loads of meat with them. They had enough that time. To make a long story short, they didn’t leave a bullock in the field but they did the same to. When the last of the cattle was eaten, they began with the sheep. They played the same trick on the sheep.
When the king thought it was time to kill a bullock he went to the butcher. They went to the field. When they went to look at a bullock, the bullock was barely able to walk. They were all like that. The king couldn’t tell what happenedthem. They went to the field where the sheep were. They were in bad condition. There wasn’t a sheep or a head of cattle that Jack and the tailor hadn’t eaten the flesh off.
The king went home, and he didn’t know what to do. He went to the old man who was in the town to tell him what happened to them.
“There’s some neighbour of yours that’s smart.”
“I don’t know how I can get hold of him.”
“I know,” said the old man. “The first fine day that comes take some gold and silver, spread it out, and leave it outside till the dark comes. Whoever is playing the tricks on you will spy it. He’ll try for it. When night comes, take in the money and put out a barrel of pitch.”
The king did so. Jack looked out at the window. He saw the king spread out the money. “Do you see,” said he, “what the man is doing yonder?” Jack was watching the money all day. Night was coming on, and nobody was going near the money. “He has forgotten it,” said Jack; “no one will come near it till morning.”
When night came Jack and his master went drawing near the money, to take home the full of a bag with them. They went to the place where the money was. There was a barrel of pitch there. “Which will you do, stoop into the barrel, or watch?” The tailor said he would stoop. He stooped into the barrel; he stretched his twohands down to get a handful. The two hands stuck in the pitch. He was caught then. He could not stir. He called to Jack to draw him out of the barrel. Jack went to draw him. He failed to draw him. He placed his two hands on his body and shoved him down on the crown of his head. He left him there.
The king came in the morning. He found the thief caught in the barrel. He couldn’t tell then who he was, he was so black with pitch. He was as bad as ever. He went to the old man again. He said the thief was caught by him, but he didn’t know who he was.
“Do you know what you’ll do? Take a beast and tie him to the beast’s tail. Whoever it is that has lost her husband, when she sees him she will go crying.”
He tied a rope on the man. He put him behind the beast. He went through the big town with him. He did not go far till he came to the house of the tailor. When the tailor’s wife saw him she gave a roar of lamentation out of her. Jack caught hold of the scissors and cut the tip of his finger. The king came in. He said she was caught. The tailor (i.e., Jack) looked round. “What ails you?” said Jack.
“It is your wife who has lost the man and is crying there.”
“It was I cut my finger,” said Jack, “and shethought I was killed, and that’s what she was crying for. You may go off with yourself. There’s nothing for you to get here.”
The king went away. He was up and he was down. If he were to be walking till now he wouldn’t get one to go crying. He had nothing for it but to go home. The tailor’s wife and Jack were married then.
Narrator,P. Minahan, Malinmore, Glencolumkille, co. Donegal.
There was a rich farmer there. He was going from home to buy cattle. The king and the farmer met. Each of them got a letter that there was a young son born to the farmer, a young daughter to the king. They were rejoiced when they heard it. They went both into a tavern to drink a glass. They made it up that if the children would agree to it they would have them married. They went home then. They were rejoiced at the children.
It was not long after that when the farmer died. His wife was broken up. She had nothing but the child. She had to sell the farm and the stock. She was not worth a penny. She was bringing up the child till he was fit to go to school. He would be out on the street, and anyone who would have anything to carry, the boy would carry it forhim. They would give him sixpence or a shilling. He would give that to the master of the school, till the last of it was spent. He was coming on with his learning, till he was a good scholar. He was on the street one day. The king was there. The king bought a quarter of mutton. The king looked about him. He saw the little boy opposite watching him. He asked him would he carry it. The boy said he would carry. The king went with the boy. When they came to the house the king gave him half-a-crown. The boy went home rejoiced. He gave that to the master. He was at school till the half-crown was spent. One day the daughter of the king was on the street. She bought a parcel of clothes. She looked about her. The boy was behind her. She asked him would he carry the parcel. He said he would carry. The two went to the king’s house. When the king saw the two coming in, he went laughing. The girl gave the boy another half-crown. She asked her father what was the reason of his laughing. Her father said there was none. The girl said there was no harm in it. The king said that at one time the boy was as good as herself. He told her everything that had passed, nor did she pretend anything. She had an eye on the boy from that out. She was giving him money to keep him at school, till he was a good scholar, till he was growing too big to be at school.
“What would you think of being a pedlar?” said she.
“I have no money,” said the boy.
She gave him five pounds. He went to buy hardware. He met a fighting cock. He bet his five pounds on the cock. The cock was beaten, and his five pounds were lost on him. He went home then. She met him at the end of a couple of days.
“How did you get on?” said she.
“I met a fighting cock. I bet my five pounds on the cock. The cock was beaten. I lost the five pounds.”
“Well! here are five other pounds,” said the girl. “Do no foolishness with them, till you buy the hardware.”
He went then. He fell in with a race-horse. He took a conceit on the horse. He bet the five pounds. The beast was beaten. The five pounds were lost. He had to go home. He was afraid to come across the girl. He was leaving the way for fear he should meet her. He met her one day.
“Well, how did you get on?” said she.
“I believe you will kill me,” said he. “I lost the five pounds again.”
“Well,” said she, “unless there was venture in you, you would not have lost them. If you got five pounds more, I think you would not lose them.”
“I would not,” said he.
She gave him five pounds more. He went. He bought the five pounds’ worth of hardware. He came home. He went pedlaring. He was doing well till he sold everything. He doubled his money. He came home then. She met him.
“You have made your way home,” said she.
“I have made,” said he.
“How did you get on?” said she.
“Very well,” said he. “I have doubled my money.”
“Buy ten pounds’ worth now,” said she.
He bought the ten pounds’ worth. He struck to pedlaring again, till he sold the ten pounds’ worth. He came home then. She met him.
“You have got home,” said she.
“I have got,” said he.
“How did you succeed?” said she.
“Very well,” said he; “I have twenty pounds now.”
“Good you are,” said she. “Buy twenty pounds’ worth now.”
He was buying and selling, till his pack was so heavy that he was tired with it. He came home. She met him. He said he was growing tired carrying the pack. Would she give him leave to buy a beast to carry it? She said she would give him leave. He went to buy a beast. He was buying and selling then till he had a greatdeal of money. He came home then. She came to him. He asked her would she give him leave to set up a shop in the town. He was afraid he would be killed for his money. She said she would give him leave. He set up a shop then and he laid in a stock. He was selling as much as any two in the city.
The king was dealing with a merchant from London. He came to Dublin to settle with the king. They went to settle. They could not agree. They got a couple of clerks to settle between them. The clerks could not settle it all. They were three days sitting at the settling. They failed. The king came home at night. His daughter came to him.
“How are you and the London man getting on?”
“They have failed to settle it,” said the king.
“Did you try the shopman?” said she. “They say he has good learning.”
“We did not try,” said he.
“Try him to-morrow,” said she.
He went on the morning of the morrow. They sat down to the settling again. They sent word for the shopman. He came. He began to look into the books. He made it up in a moment between the king and the man from London. The king was satisfied then. He went home. His daughter asked him how he got on. Theking said he got on very well, that he never saw a better scholar. The London man came to the young man the next day, to find out how much he would take for a year. The young man said he could not leave his shop. The London man said he would give him more than he would make by his shop in a year. He made advice to go with him. He went home. He went to find out if she would give him leave. She said she would give. He put his shop to auction. He sold it out. He made ready to go with the man from London. He went with him then. He was sending letters to her. She was reading them. When the year was up, he was making ready to go home. The London man said to him to stay another year. He made advice to stay. He remained another year. When the year was up he made ready to go. He filled a ship full of every kind of goods. He bade the captain go to Dublin in the name of Kayleh-na-Bochtjinacht. When the captain came to Dublin there was no one at all of that name to be found. He did not know what to do. He had nothing for it but to return home. He was angry. The king was in the city. He went to tell at home that there was a ship was come from London with a cargo of goods, in the name of Kayleh-na-Bochtjinacht, and that there was no one at all in the place of that name.
“Well,” said the king’s daughter, “the cargowill go to loss. Prepare a store of your own, and empty the cargo into it. Perhaps the owner will come to look for it.”
The king got men, and they unloaded the cargo into the store. The captain was rejoiced when he got the vessel unloaded. When two years were up with Kayleh-na-Bochtjinacht he was coming home. He was walking round by the foot of the sea. A collegian met him, going the same road. He asked Kayleh-na-Bochtjinacht where he was going. Kayleh answered he did not know well where he was going; that he made a herring-net, and the first night he put it out he had not seen it since; that he was walking round by the foot of the sea to look if he could find it rolled on to a stone.
“Where are you going yourself?”
“I am going to Dublin, to be married to the daughter of the king.”
“Well, I will be with you a bit of the way.”
A rainy day came on them, and they were greatly wet. This young man, he was all but perished with cold.
“If you had your own house from the town with you, you would not be wet.”
They went on till they came to a river. There was no bridge at all on the river. Kayleh-na-Bochtjinacht went out into the river. He went across. The young champion went out after himtill he was all but lost. When he got to the other side of the river, “I was all but lost,” said he.
“Well, if you had your own bridge with you, you would not be lost.”
They went on another while. The champion said he was hungry. Kayleh said, “If you had your mother with you from home, you would not be hungry.”
Kayleh had a loaf with him. He drew it out and took his dinner. They went on then till they came to Dublin. Kayleh stopped at the end of the town. The young champion went to the king’s house. He was all but famished. He went into the parlour then. They took their dinner. They were passing fun. The young woman was with them.
“Well,” said the young champion, “there was a fine man with me to-day, he had the silliest talk ever I heard. When I met him, I asked him how far he was going. He said he did not well know; that he made a herring-net; the first night he put it out into the sea he never had a sight of it since; that he was walking by the foot of the sea, to look if he would fall in with it in a creek, or rolled on a rock. We went on another while. A day of rain came. We were wet greatly. I called out that I was wet.
“‘Well,’ said the man, ‘if you had your house with you, you would not be wet.’
“We went on another while, till we came to a river. There was a great flood in the river. The man went out. He went to the other side. I went out after him, so that I was all but lost. I said I was all but lost. ‘If you had your bridge with you, you would have had no fear of being lost.’ We went on another while. I said I was hungry. ‘Well,’ said the man, ‘if you had your mother with you from home, you would not have been hungry.’” The king was listening to him.
“Well,” said he, “when you called out that you were wet, that man had a top-coat on, that didn’t let a drop in. When you called out you were all but lost on the river, if you had a nag you would not have been afraid. The other man had a good horse.”
“He had,” said the champion.
“As good as I ever saw,” said the king’s daughter.
“How far was he with you?”
“He was with me to the end of the city.”
She arose standing. She went out, nor did she stop till she was in the city, in the place where was Kayleh-na-Bochtjinacht. She took a hold of him by the hand. She bade him welcome home. He got up and opened a travelling bag. He gave her a silk gown. He put it on her. He put silk clothes entirely on her. The two went till they came to the king’s house. The king and the champion thought the bride was in a room inside.There was a knock at the door. The housemaid arose and opened it. The young couple came in. They asked the maid if the priest was in the king’s house. She said he was; that the champion and the king’s daughter were to be married. “I would like to see the king,” said Kayleh. The maid went to the king. She told him there was a gentleman to see the wedding. The king arose. He opened the parlour door. Kayleh came to him. He said he was a stranger, that he had a woman with him to get married to; he would be thankful to the king to get the first chance of being married. The king said he would give it to him and welcome. The young couple went into the room where the priest was. They were married. They came out and they married. The bride came forward to the king and the champion. She took hold of the young champion by the shoulder. She told him to go home to his mother—“The silly man that was with you to-day, I am married to him now.” “You thought you were wise,” said the king; “but it is you were the fool, not that man.” He had nothing for it then but to get up and go home. The king’s daughter then told her father who the husband was she had. There was great joy on the king then that the lad got on so well.
They built a big house then in the city. When it was ready, they put into it the goods that werein the store. The master that was in London came into the harbour with his ship. When Kayleh heard he was there he was rejoiced. He went out to see him. The captain was rejoiced to see him. Kayleh went praising his wife. “You are a fool,” said the captain; “maybe she’s the worst in the world.” “How much will you wager on it? I’ll lay my shop against your ship that you won’t find her yielding.”
They laid the wager. The captain was going out then. “What proof shall I bring that I have had my way with her.” “There is a gold ring on her finger. Have that for me.” “Stay you here,” said the captain, “till I come.”
The captain went on shore. He went to her. She was rejoiced to see him. She said to herself that the captain was taking liberties with her. She went into a room. She locked the door and left his sight. The captain did not know then what to do. He was afraid his ship was lost. He went to the kitchen to the maid. He drew out a purse of money. He said he would give her the purse if she would open the door of the room. She covered the money. She took the lock off the door. The captain went to the woman. He said he would not leave the room till she drank a drop of his whiskey. To get rid of him she drank a drop of the whiskey. What was in it but a sleeping drop! She fell asleep. The captain took thering from her finger. He went to Kayleh. When Kayleh saw he had the ring, the shop was lost. He went home. When the woman saw she had lost the ring, she knew it was all over with her. She went away. He was raging with anger. If he got hold of her he would kill her. She went away ashamed. The captain went to live in the house. He was selling the goods. Kayleh went off wandering. She went and put a man’s clothes on her. She went to a city. She went to a tailor’s shop. She asked the tailor if he wanted a young man. The tailor said he would not mind taking one. She made it up with him. She would sell as much as three. He thought it was a man was with him. He was with him for a year. A poor man came to the city selling brooms. He spent a couple of days in the city. The mob was casting it up to that tailor that a man from his country was selling brooms. She said there was never a man from her country who sold brooms. She rose out one evening. She went through the city to try if she could find him. She met him, and he with a load of brooms. She asked him if that was his means of living. The poor man said it was—that he was all that day, and few were the brooms he sold. She asked him how much he got for them apiece. He said he got only a halfpenny. She put her hand in her pocket and gave him the price of his load.
“Throw them away from you. Have you any learning at all?” said she.
“I have a trifle,” said the poor man.
“Do you think you could do as a clerk in a shop?”
“I think I could do.”
The tailor went and bought a suit of clothes for him. She put them on him. He and the tailor went to the shop.
“Here’s a young man I have got for you,” said she.
He hired the young man for a year. The young man came to him and was serving him well. Better was the learning that he had than the shopman’s. The tailor was content as they were together. They were the two comrades; nor did he ever recognise the tailor. They were a couple of years in the city. One day the tailor said they were there long enough, and would go home for a while now. He said he would never go home. She said she would, that they would get a place as good as to be there. They got ready and were drawing towards Dublin. The clerk said he would not go near the city. She said she would go. They walked on till they came to the city. There was no going through the street for the clerk. He became sorrowful and troubled. They were walking till they came to the house they used to live in.
“This is a good house,” said the tailor; “we’ll go in to see if they will keep us for the night.”
“We will not go into that house on any account.”
“We’ll go to no other place but that,” said the tailor.
They went in and got place till morning. The captain was living there always. There were gentlemen dining with him. The tailor was making fun for the girls in the kitchen. He began dancing and singing. The clerk was sitting under the window, with his head bent down. When the gentlemen heard the singing and the dancing in the kitchen, they opened the parlour door to see the tailor playing his music. They bade him come up to the parlour, to themselves. He said he would like to have his companion with him. They bade the two come. The two went up. They got whiskey. They made the tailor sing. He was performing a while. He looked about him.
“This is a fine house you have,” said he. “I have travelled far enough, but I never in my travellings met with a better house than this of yours.”
“Simply I got this house.” He told the gentlemen how he came into the house.
“Well,” said the tailor, “you bear witness to everything you have heard. I was the woman, that was in the house, to whom that happened.”
She opened her bosom to show it was a woman.
“Get up, you gillie over there.” She locked the parlour door. Kayleh went for the police. The police came. They arrested the captain. The gentlemen were witnesses. The captain was put in prison. She put off the tailor’s clothes then. They arrested the maid and put her in prison. They fell into their house and place again. They were then as they were ever. The report went out through the city that Kayleh and the king’s daughter were in their own house again. The king then made a dinner and invited them to it. They were eating and drinking for three nights and three days.
[10]Or “Spouse of Poverty.”
[10]Or “Spouse of Poverty.”
[10]Or “Spouse of Poverty.”
Narrator,Michael Faherty, Renvyle, co. Galway.
Long ago there was a king’s son called Simon, and he came in a ship from the east to Eire. In the place where he came to harbour he met with a woman whose name was Margaret, and she fell in love with him. And she asked him if he would take her with him in the ship. He said he would not take her, that he had no business with her, “for I am married already,” said he. But the day he was going to sea she followed him to the ship, and such a beautiful woman was she that he said to himself that he would not put her out of the ship; “but before I go farther I must get beef.” He returned back and got the beef. He took the woman and the beef in the ship, and he ordered the sailors to make everything ready that they might be sailing on the sea. They were not long from land when they saw a great bulk making towards them, and it seemed to them it was more like a serpent thananything else whatever. And it was not long till the serpent cried out, “Throw me the Irish person you have on board.”
“We have no Irish person in the ship,” said the king’s son, “for it is foreign people we are; but we have meat we took from Eire, and, if you wish, we will give you that.”
“Give it to me,” said the serpent, “and everything else you took from Eire.”
He threw out a quarter of the beef, and the serpent went away that day, and on the morrow morning she came again, and they threw out another quarter, and one every day till the meat was gone. And the next day the serpent came again and she cried out to the king’s son, “Throw the Irish flesh out to me.”
“I have no more flesh,” said the prince.
“If you have not flesh, you have an Irish person,” said the serpent, “and don’t be telling your lies to me any longer. I knew from the beginning that you had an Irish person in the ship, and unless you throw her out to me, and quickly, I will eat yourself and your men.”
Margaret came up, and no sooner did the serpent see her than she opened her mouth, and put on an appearance as if she were going to swallow the ship.
“I will not be guilty of the death of you all,” said Margaret; “get me a boat, and if I go farsafe it is better; and if I do not go, I had rather I perished than the whole of us.”
“What shall we do to save you?” said Simon.
“You can do nothing better than put me in the boat,” said she, “and lower me on the sea, and leave me to the will of God.”
As soon as she got on the sea, no sooner did the serpent see her than she desired to swallow her, but before she reached as far as her, a billow of the sea rose between them, and left herself and the boat on dry land. She saw not a house in sight she could go to. “Now,” said she, “I am as unfortunate as ever I was. There is no place at all for me to get that I know of, and this is no place for me to be.” She arose and she began to walk, and after a long while she saw a house a good way from her. “I am not as unfortunate as I thought,” said she. “Perhaps I shall get lodging in that house to-night.” She went in, and there was no one in it but an old woman, who was getting her supper ready. “I am asking for lodging till morning.”
“I will give you no lodging,” said the old woman.
“Before I go farther, there is a boat there below, and it is better for you to take it into your hands.”
“Come in,” said the old woman, “and I will give you lodging for the night.”
The old woman was always praying by night and day. Margaret asked her, “Why are you always saying your prayers?”
“I and my mother were living a long while ago in the place they call the White Doon, and a giant came and killed my mother, and I had to come away for fear he would kill myself; and I am praying every night and every day that some one may come and kill the giant.”
The next morning there came a gentleman and a beautiful woman into the house, and he gave the old woman the full of a quart of money to say paters for them till morning. The old woman opened a chest and took out a handsome ring, and tried to place it on his finger, but it would not go on. “Perhaps it would fit you,” said she to the lady. But her finger was too big.
When they went out Margaret asked the old woman who were the man and woman. “That is the son of a king of the Eastern World, and the name that is on him is Stephen, and he and the woman are going to the White Doon to fight the giant, and I am afraid they will never come back; for the ring did not fit either of them; and it was told to the people that no one would kill the giant but he whom the ring would fit.”
The two of them remained during the night praying for him, for fear the giant should kill him; and early in the morning they went out tosee what had happened to Stephen and the lady that was with him, and they found them dead near the White Doon.
“I knew,” said the old woman, “this is what would happen to them. It is better for us to take them with us and bury them in the churchyard.” When they were buried, “Come home,” said the old woman, “and we’ll know who is the first person comes the same way again.”
About a month after a man came into the house, and no sooner was he inside the door than Margaret recognised him.
“How have you been ever since, Simon?”
“I am very well,” said he; “it can’t be that you are Margaret?”
“It is I,” said she.
“I thought that billow that rose after you, when you got into the boat, drowned you.”
“It only left me on dry land,” said Margaret.
“I went to the Eastern World, and my father said to me that he sent my brother to go and fight with the giant, who was doing great damage to the people near the White Doon, and that my wife went to carry his sword.”
“If that was your brother and your wife,” said Margaret, “the giant killed them.”
“I will go on the spot and kill the giant, if I am able.”
“Wait till I try the ring on your finger,” said the old woman.
“It is too small to go on my finger,” said he.
“It will go on mine,” said Margaret.
“It will fit you,” said the old woman.
Simon gave the full of a quart of money to the old woman, that she might pray for him till he came back. When he was about to go, Margaret said, “Will you let me go with you?”
“I will not,” said Simon, “for I don’t know that the giant won’t kill myself, and I think it too much that one of us should be in this danger.”
“I don’t care,” said Margaret. “In the place where you die, there am I content to die.”
“Come with me,” said he.
When they were on the way to the White Doon, a man came before them.
“Do you see that house near the castle?” said the man.
“I see,” said Simon.
“You must go into it and keep a candle lighted till morning in it.”
“Where is the giant?” said Simon.
“He will come to fight you there,” said the man.
They went in and kindled a light, and they were not long there when Margaret said to Simon,—
“Come, and let us see the giants.”
“I cannot,” said the king, “for the light will go out if I leave the house.”
“It will not go out,” said Margaret; “I will keep it lighted till we come back.”
And they went together and got into the castle, to the giant’s house, and they saw no one there but an old woman cooking; and it was not long till she opened an iron chest and took out the young giants and gave them boiled blood to eat.
“Come,” said Margaret, “and let us go to the house we left.”
They were not long in it when the king’s son was falling asleep.
Margaret said to him, “If you fall asleep, it will not be long till the giants come and kill us.”
“I cannot help it,” he said. “I am falling asleep in spite of me.”
He fell asleep, and it was not long till Margaret heard a noise approaching, and the giant cried from outside to the king’s son to come out to him.
“Fum, faw, faysogue! I feel the smell of a lying churl of an Irishman. You are too great for one bite and too little for two, and I don’t know whether it is better for me to send you into the Eastern World with a breath or put you under my feet in the puddle. Which would you rather have—striking with knives in your ribs or fighting on the grey stones?”
“Great, dirty giant, not with right or rule did I come in, but by rule and by right to cut your head off in spite of you, when my fine, silken feet go up and your big, dirty feet go down.”
They wrestled till they brought the wells of fresh water up through the grey stones with fighting and breaking of bones, till the night was all but gone. Margaret squeezed him, and the first squeeze she put him down to his knees, the second squeeze to his waist, and the third squeeze to his armpits.
“You are the best woman I have ever met. I will give you my court and my sword of light and the half of my estate for my life, and spare to slay me.”
“Where shall I try your sword of light?”
“Try it on the ugliest block in the wood.”
“I see no block at all that is uglier than your own great block.”
She struck him at the joining of the head and the neck, and cut the head off him.
In the morning when she wakened the king’s son, “Was not that a good proof I gave of myself last night?” said he to Margaret. “That is the head outside, and we shall try to bring it home.”
He went out, and was not able to stir it from the ground. He went in and told Margaret he could not take it with him, that there was apound’s weight in the head. She went out and took the head with her.
“Come with me,” said he.
“Where are you going?”
“I will go to the Eastern World; and come with me till you see the place.”
When they got home Simon took Margaret with him to his father the king.
“What has happened to your brother and your wife?” said the king.
“They have both been killed by the giants. And it is Margaret, this woman here, who has killed them.”
The king gave Margaret a hundred thousand welcomes, and she and Simon were married,[11]and how they are since then I do not know.