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 Rh sense!" said the angel. "Now you have only one wish more. Ask the Mercy of God for your soul."

"Oh, you are right," said Shiana; "I was near forgetting it. I have a little apple-tree beside my door, and every dalteen that comes the way must needs put up his hand and pull an apple and carry it off. The next person, except myself, that puts his hand into that tree, may he stick in it!—Oh, people," said he, as he burst out laughing, "won't I make fun of them!"

When he came out of his laughing-fits, he looked up, and the angel was gone. He thought for a good while of the position he was in. At last he said to himself, "Well now, there isn't a greater fool in Ireland than I! If I had three people stuck by this time, one in the chair, and one in the malvogue, and one in the tree, what good would that do me, far from home, without food or drink or money?"

No sooner had he said it than he saw opposite him, in the place where the angel had been, a tall, slight, black-haired man, who was staring at him, with a sort of electric fire coming out of his eyes like baneful sparks. He had two horns, like those of a he-goat, and a long, coarse, steel-grey "goatee" beard; a tail like a fox's tail, and a hoof like a bull's hoof on one of his feet. Shiana's mouth and eyes opened wide, and he ceased speaking. After a while the Black Man spoke.

"Shiana," said he, "you need not be afraid of me. I do not mean to do you harm. I would like to do you good if you would take my advice. I heard you say just now that you were without food or drink or money. I would give you as much money as you could want, on one small condition only."