Page:West Irish folk-tales and romances - William Larminie.djvu/139

 Rh fire. The mistress bade him bring in a basket of turf. He said he would not. “You won't be there,” said the mistress, “unless you do some work.”

“I won't do one turn till night.”

“Musha, you won't be there,” said the mistress.

The two quarrelled. She put him out of the house. He went out and stayed about the place till night.

When Jack went out a neighbour came in. The mistress got dinner for him. When he was going, she went with him part of the way. They came to an old lime-kiln. They went into it. He kissed the mistress. Jack was watching them always. “If I knew,” said she, “where you would be working to-morrow, I would bring you your dinner.”

“I'll be at work ploughing at the east end of the village. I'll have a white horse and a black horse.”

When night came, Jack went into the byre. The master came home. He asked where the boy was.

“I don't know where he is,” said the mistress. “He came in here and sat down by the fire. I bade him bring in a cleeve of turf. He said he wouldn't. I said he shouldn't be there if he didn't work. He said he wouldn't do a turn till