Page:West Irish folk-tales and romances - William Larminie.djvu/44

 12 On the fourth day the woman asked him how he had found himself, and he told her. "And I am going out" (said he) "to play again today."

"I cross" (forbid) "you to go again to him. If you have won so much, you will lose more; and have no more to do with him."

But he went against her will, and he saw the currach coming; and the young man was driving his balls from end to end of the currach; he had balls of silver and a hurl of gold, and he stopped not till he drew his boat on the shore, and made her fast for a year and a day. And Morraha and he saluted each other; and he asked Morraha if he would play a game of cards, and they played, and he won. And Morraha said to him, "Give your claim now."

Said he, "You will hear it too soon. I lay on you the bonds of the art of the druid, not to sleep two nights in one house, nor finish a second meal at the one table, till you bring me the sword of light and news of the death of Anshgayliacht."

He went home to his wife and sat down in a chair, and gave a groan, and the chair broke in pieces.

"It is the son of a king under spells you are," said his wife; "and you had better have taken my counsel than that the spells should be on you."