Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 2 1884.djvu/77

Rh was very clever. She noticed that before they went to bed the giant put straw rapes round her neck and her sisters', and round his ain lassies' necks he put gold chains. So Mally took care and did not fall asleep, but waited till she was sure every one was sleeping sound. Then she slippit out of the bed, and took the straw rapes off her own and her sisters' necks, and took the gold chains off the giant's lassies. She then put the straw rapes on the giant's lassies and the gold on herself and her sisters, and lay down. And in the middle of the night up rose the giant, armed with a great club, and felt for the necks with the straw. It was dark. He took his own lassies out on the floor, and laid upon them until they were dead, and then lay down again, thinking he had managed fine. Mally thought it time she and her sisters were out of that, so she wakened them and told them to be quiet, and they slippit out of the house. They all got out safe, and they ran and ran, and never stoppit until morning, when they saw a grand house before them. It turned out to be the king's house; so Mally went in, and told her story to the king. He said, "Well, Mally, you are a clever cutty, and you have managed well; but, if you would manage better, and go back, and steal the giant's sword that hangs on the back of his bed, I would give your eldest sister my eldest son to marry." Mally said she would try. So she went back, and managed to slip into the giant's house, and crept in below the bed. The giant came home, and ate up a great supper, and went to bed. Mally waited until he was snoring, and she crept out, and raxed in ower the giant and got doon the sword; but just as she got it oot ower the bed it gave a rattle, and up jumped the giant, and Mally oot at the door and the sword with her; and she ran, and he ran, till they cam to the "Brig o' ae hair"; and she wan ower, but he cuddna, and he says, " Wae worth ye, Mally Whuppie! lat ye never come again." And she says, "Twice yet, carle," quo she, "I'll come to Spain." So Mally took the sword to the king, and her sister was married to his son.

"Well," the king he says:—"Ye've managed well, Mally; but if