Page:West Irish folk-tales and romances - William Larminie.djvu/145

 Rh hands down to get a handful. The two hands stuck in the pitch. He was caught then. He could not stir. He called to Jack to draw him out of the barrel. Jack went to draw him. He failed to draw him. He placed his two hands on his body and shoved him down on the crown of his head. He left him there.

The king came in the morning. He found the thief caught in the barrel. He couldn't tell then who he was, he was so black with pitch. He was as bad as ever. He went to the old man again. He said the thief was caught by him, but he didn't know who he was.

“Do you know what you'll do? Take a beast and tie him to the beast's tail. Whoever it is that has lost her husband, when she sees him she will go crying.”

He tied a rope on the man. He put him behind the beast. He went through the big town with him. He did not go far till he came to the house of the tailor. When the tailor's wife saw him she gave a roar of lamentation out of her. Jack caught hold of the scissors and cut the tip of his finger. The king came in. He said she was caught. The tailor (i.e., Jack) looked round. “What ails you?” said Jack.

“It is your wife who has lost the man and is crying there.”

“It was I cut my finger,” said Jack, “and she Rh