Ossian Collection > Folk tales and fairy lore in Gaelic and English

FOLK TALES AND FAIRY LORE. 177
get the honour of blowing so much as one blast into
the bag. He was also kept down by the rest, and left
to do every piece of work that was more slavish than
another.
On a certain day, his father and his two brothers
went to the fair, and left him alone at home. After
they had gone, he got hold of the chanter, and began
to play upon it. And in the midst of the playing, who
should come upon him but the Banshee from the Castle.
"Thou art busy discoursing music, Lad," said she.
He answered that he was. " Which wouldst thou pre-
fer, skill without success, or success without skill?" said
she then. He answered that he would rather have skill
without success. She pulled a hair from her head, and
asked him to put it round the reed of the chanter. When
he had done that, she said to him: "Place now thy
fingers on the holes of the chanter, and I will lay my
fingers on thy fingers." As soon as that was done,
she said: " When I shall lift my finger, lift thou the
finger which happens to be under it. Think now of
any tune thou pleasest, and play it with me in the way
I have told thee." He did so, and played the tune
skilfully. When he had finished the tune, she said:
" Now thou art the King of Pipers. Thine equal was
not before thee, and thine equal shall not be after thee."
She then bade him good day, and departed.
As soon as she had gone, he took down the Black
Gate and began playing on it. There was not a tune
he could think of which he did not try and which he
could not play wàth ease. Before he ceased his father and
brothers had returned from the fair. And when they
approached the house, they heard the music, and stood
to listen. " Whoever is playing, it is on the Black
Gate," said the father to his sons. They went on, but
the music ceased before they reached the house.
N