Page:West Irish folk-tales and romances - William Larminie.djvu/230

 198 beast that comes and puts the head in this bridle mine.”

“Very well,” said the king.

He was a good serving-boy, and he minded the horses. He was not two days with his master when two of them were cured, fit to go with the carriage. He went every evening to an old couple, and he used to get news in plenty from them.

“Did you hear the great news there is tonight?”

“I did not hear. What is the news?”

“The daughter of the King of the great Wren is to be devoured to-morrow by a piast."

“I did not hear it,” said he.

“Was it in a wood or a hole in the ground you've been that you didn't hear it? Gentle and simple of the three islands are to be there tomorrow to look at the piast swallowing her—at twelve o'clock to-morrow.”

(The next day) when he found that every one was gone to the place where the piast was to come on land, he called out for his second best suit of clothes, and it came to him with a leap; and he shook the bridle, and the ugliest pony in the stables came to him and put her head into the bridle. “Be up riding on me with a jump” (said the pony)