Page:West Irish folk-tales and romances - William Larminie.djvu/100

 68 himself and his old currach. He went and told his brothers how she spoke, and the second of them went and she said the like to him. Said the third man “it is like this I have ever found you.” He went out himself and spoke to her, and said “God save you, young maiden! Is it harm for me to ask who you are, or how far you are going.”

“I will tell you. But will you tell me? Every evening there are two carrying a dead man, and three go away alive in the morning.”

“I will tell you that, young queen, and welcome. When my father and mother were living my father was a king, and when he died, there came Fawgawns and Blue-men on us, and banished us out of two islands; and we are on the top of the third island with them, and as many of them as we kill are alive to fight us again in the morning; and every day they kill one of us, and we bring him to life again with the healing water.”

“With me is a champion, the best that ever struck blow with sword; and I promise you his help for a day if you bring him to life.”

The man went in, and brought the healing water, and rubbed it to the wound; and Kaytuch