Page:Shiana - Peadar Ua Laoghaire.djvu/200

186 the palace. Sive followed him. The master knocked softly at the door, and it was soon opened. The man who opened it was a fine, brave, portly gentleman. He had a silver cap on his head, or Sive thought it was silver, and he wore a silken cloak. He had a battle-axe on his shoulder, and it was polished and shining like glass, and it was so sharp that you would think it would take the head off a horse at one blow. The two men spoke in whispers for a little time. Then the man with the axe beckoned to Sive, and she followed him, and the other man remained outside.

"No sooner was Sive inside the door than her eyes nearly jumped out with astonishment. She saw a splendid hall, large, wide, and high, and nobles sitting at each side of it. Fine, tall, handsome men they were, with silk cloaks, and chains of gold, and gold buckles on their shoes, and each man with his sword at his side. Up in front of her she saw one man who was taller and stronger and handsomer than any other man there. There was a crown of gold on his head, and things like little horns standing up out of it all round. On the top of each little horn there was a little ball of gold, and in the middle of each little ball there was some sort of light, shining and twinkling like a star on a frosty night. He wore a red cloak, as red as the cloak Sive herself wore on the fair day, or perhaps redder. He had a sceptre in his right hand, and he was seated on a big, high chair, and you would think every bit of it was made of twisted gold. When Sive saw him she knew he was the King, but she was not a bit nervous or afraid of him, because he had not a hard, haughty look,