Page:Beside the Fire - Douglas Hyde.djvu/200

 138 are at the inn." He went there, and found Art and Nart, and they two-thirds drunk.

They asked him how he went on since he left them.

"I have found out the Well of D'yerree-in-Dowan, and I have the bottle of water," said Cart.

Nart and Art were filled with jealousy, and they said one to the other: "It's a great shame that the youngest son should have the kingdom."

"We'll kill him, and bring the bottle of water to my father," said Nart; "and we'll say that it was ourselves who went to the Well of D'yerree-in-Dowan."

"I'm not with you there," said Art; "but we'll set him drunk, and we'll take the bottle of (from) him. My father will believe me and you, before he'll believe our brother, because he has an idea that there's nothing in him but a half omadawn."

"Then," he said to Cart, "since it has happened that we have come home safe and sound we'll have a drink before we go home."

They called for a quart of whiskey, and they made Cart drink the most of it, and he fell drunk. Then they took the bottle of water from him, went home themselves, and gave it to the king. He put a drop of the water on his foot, and it made him as well as ever he was.

Then they told him that they had great trouble to get the bottle of water; that they had to fight giants, and to go through great dangers.

"Did ye see Cart on your road?" said the king.

"He never went farther than the inn, since he left us," said they; "and he's in it now, blind drunk."

"There never was any good in him," said the king; "but I cannot leave him there."

Then he sent six men to the inn, and they carried