Page:Beside the Fire - Douglas Hyde.djvu/159

 Rh "It's I," said Leeam; "open the door for me."

When they heard the voice, they knew that it was Leeam who was in it, and the wife said: "I can't let you in, and it's a great shame, you to be coming back again, after being seven days in your grave."

"Is it mad you are?" said Leeam.

"I'm not mad," said the wife; "doesn't every person in the parish know that you are dead, and that I buried you decently. Go back to your grave, and I'll have a mass read for your poor soul to-morrow."

"Wait till daylight comes," said Leeam, "and I'll give you the price of your joking!"

Then he went into the stable, where his horse and the pig were, stretched himself in the straw, and fell asleep.

Early on the morning of the next day, the priest said to a little lad that he had: "Get up, and go to Leeam O'Rooney's house, and the woman that I married yesterday will give you a pig to bring home with you."

The boy came to the door of the house, and began knocking at it with a stick. The wife was afraid to open the door, but she asked: "Who's there?"

"I," said the boy; "the priest sent me to get a pig from you."

"She's out in the stable," said the wife; "you can get her for yourself, and drive her back with you."

The lad went into the stable, and began driving out the pig, when Leeam rose up and said: "Where are you going with my pig?"

When the boy saw Leeam he never stopped to look again, but out with him as hard as he could, and he never stopped till he came back to the priest, and his heart coming out of his mouth with terror.

"What's on you?" says the priest. 8