Page:Beside the Fire - Douglas Hyde.djvu/207

Rh were afraid to come when the people sent for ye, and now ye will not get a keenogue (mite?) from me, for ye are not worth it."

"Don't you know that we have power to banish you out of this place," said the priests, "and we will make use of that power unless you will be more civil than you are."

"I don't care for your power," said Crinnawn, "I have more power myself than all the priests that are in Ireland."

"It's a lie you're speaking," said the priests.

"Ye will see a small share of my power to-night," said Crinnawn; "I will not leave a wattle over your heads that I will not sweep into yonder river, and I could kill ye with the sight of my eye, if I chose. Ye will find the roofs of your houses in the river to-morrow morning. Now put no other questions on me, and threaten me no more, or it will be worse for ye."

There came fear on the priests, and they went home; but they did not believe that their houses would be without a roof before morning.

About midnight, that night, there came a blast of wind under the roof of the houses of the priests, and it swept them into the river forenent the court. There was not a bone of the priests but was shaken with terror, and they had to get shelter in the houses of the neighbours till morning.

In the morning, the day on the morrow, the priests came to the river opposite the court, and they saw the roofs that were on all their houses swimming in the water. They sent for the friars, and asked them to go to Crinnawn and proclaim a peace, and say to him that they would put no more trouble on him. The friars went to the court, and Crinnawn welcomed them, and asked them, and 11