Page:Beside the Fire - Douglas Hyde.djvu/202

 140 bread after him. That belongs to me, and if ye don't give it to me quickly I will kill ye all."

She got the loaf, and she was going, and never stopped till she came to the castle of Bwee-Sounee. She pulled the cooalya-coric, pole of combat, and the king came out.

"Have you any son?" said the queen.

"I have," said the king.

"Send him out here till I see him," said she.

The king sent out Art, and she asked him: "Were you at the Well of D'yerree-an-Dowan?"

"I was," said Art.

"And are you the father of my son?" said she.

"I believe I am," said Art.

"I will know that soon," said she.

Then she drew two hairs out of her head, flung them against the wall, and they were made into a ladder that went up to the top of the castle. Then she said to Art: "If you were at the Well of D'yerree-in-Dowan, you can go up to the top of that ladder."

Art went up half way, then he fell, and his thigh was broken.

"You were never at the Well of D'yerree-in-Dowan," said the queen.

Then she asked the king: "Have you any other son?"

"I have," said the king.

"Bring him out," said the queen.

Nart came out, and she asked him: "Were you ever at the Well of D'yerree-in-Dowan?"

"I was," said Nart.

"If you were, go up to the top of that ladder," said the queen.

He began going up, but he had not gone far till he fell and broke his foot.