Page:West Irish folk-tales and romances - William Larminie.djvu/63



HERE was a man coming from a funeral, and it chanced as he was coming along by the churchyard he fell in with the head of a man. “It is good and right,” said he to himself, “to take that with me and put it in a safe place.” He took up the head and laid it in the church-yard. He went on along the road home, and he met a man with the appearance of a gentleman.

“Where were you?” said the gentleman.

“I was at a funeral, and I found the head of a man on the road.”

“What did you do with it?” said the gentleman.

“I took it with me, and left it in the church-yard.”

“It was well for you,” said the gentleman.

“Why so?” said the man.

“That is my head,” said he, “and if you did anything out of the way to it, assuredly I would be even with you.” Rh