Page:Beside the Fire - Douglas Hyde.djvu/65



was once a tailor in Galway, and he was sewing cloth. He saw a flea springing up out of the cloth, and he threw his needle at it and killed it. Then he said:

"Am I not a fine hero when I was able to kill that flea?"

Then he said that he must go to Blackleea (Dublin), to the king's court, to see would he be able to build it. That court was a' building for a long time; but as much of it as would be made during the day used to be thrown down again during the night, and for that reason nobody could build it up. It was three giants who used to come in the night and throw it. The day on the morrow the tailor went off, and brought with him his tools, the spade and the shovel.

He had not gone far till he met a white horse, and he saluted him.

"God save you," said the horse. "Where are you going?"

"I am going to Dublin," said the tailor, "to build a court for the king, and to get a lady for a wife, if I am able to do it;" for the king had promised that he would give his own daughter, and a lot of money with her, to whoever would be able to build up his court.

"Would you make me a hole," said the old white garraun (horse) "where I could go a' hiding whenever the