Page:Beside the Fire - Douglas Hyde.djvu/201

 Rh Cart home. When he came to himself, the king made him into a servant to do all the dirty jobs about the castle.

When a year and a day had gone by, the queen of the Well of D'yerree-in-Dowan and her waiting-maidens woke up and the queen found a young son by her side, and the eleven maidens the same.

There was great anger on the queen, and she sent for the lion and the monster, and asked them what was become of the eagle that she left in charge of the castle.

"He must be dead, or he'd be here now, when you woke up," said they.

"I'm destroyed, myself, and the waiting-maidens ruined," said the queen; "and I never will stop till I find out the father of my son."

Then she got ready her enchanted coach, and two fawns under it. She was going till she came to the first house where the king's son got lodging, and she asked was there any stranger there lately. The man of the house said there was.

"Yes!" said the queen, "and he left the sword of light behind him; it is mine, and if you do not give it to me quickly I will throw your house upside down."

They gave her the sword, and she went on till she came to the second house, in which he had got lodging, and she asked was there any stranger there lately. They said that there was. "Yes," said she, "and he left a bottle after him. Give it to me quickly, or I'll throw the house on ye."

They gave her the bottle, and she went till she came to the third house, and she asked was there any stranger there lately. They said there was.

"Yes!" said she, "and he left the loaf of lasting