Blair Collection > Beside the fire

THE KING OF IRELAND'S SON. 29
the avenue, and if he comes he will whip the head off
you." The short green man was growing big, growing
big, until at last he looked as big as the castle. There
came fear on the giant, and he said : " Is your master as
big as you ?"
" He is," says the short green man, " and bigger."
*' Put me in hiding till morning, until your master
goes," said the giant.
Then he put the giant under lock and key, and
went out to the king's son. Then the king of Ireland's
son, the gunman, the earman, the footman, the blow-
man, and the man who broke stones with the side
of his thigh, came into the castle, and they spent that
night, a third of it a' story-telling, a third of it with
Fenian tales, and a third of it in mild enjoyment (?)
of slumber and of true sleep.
When the day on the morrow arose, the short green
man brought with him his master, the gunman, the
earman, the footman, the blowman, and the man who
broke stones with the side of his thigh, and he left them
outside at the head of the avenue, and he came back
himself and took the lock off the giant. He told the
giant that his master sent him back for the black cap
that was under the head of his bed. The giant said that
he would give him a hat that he never wore himself, but
that he was ashamed to give him the old cap. The short
green man said that unless he gave him the cap his
master would comeback and strike the head off him.
" It's best for me to give it to you,'' said the giant ; " and
any time at all you will put it on your head you will see
everybody and nobody will see you." He gave him the
cap then, and the short green man came and gave it to
the king of Ireland's son.
" They were a'going then. They would overtake the