Blair Collection > Beside the fire

THE KING OF IRELAND'S SON. 3 1
March wind that was before them, and t he March wind
that was behind them would not overtake them, going to
the eastern world. When evening and the end of the
day came, the king of Ireland's son looked from him,
and he did not see any house in which he might be
that night. The short green man looked from him, and
he saw a castle, and he said : " The giant that is in
that castle is the brother of the giant with whom we
were last night, and we shall be in this castle to-night."
They came to the castle, and he left the king's son
and his people at the head of the avenue, and he went
to the door and pulled the coolaya-coric, and he did not
leave child with woman, foal with mare, pigeen with
pig, or badger in glen, within seven miles of him, that
he did not knock three turns out of them with all the
sound he knocked out of the coolaya-coric.
The giant came out, and he said, *' I feel the smell of
a melodious lying Irishman under my sod of country. "
" No melodious lying Irishman am I," says the short
green man ; " but my master is outside at the head of
the avenue, and if he comes he will whip the head off
you,"
" I think you large of one mouthful, and I think you
small of two mouthfuls," said the giant.
" You won't get me of a mouthful at all," said the
short green man, and he began swelling until he was
as big as the castle. There came fear on the giant, and
he said :
" Is your master as big as you ?"
" He is, and bigger."
" Hide me," said the giant, " till morning, until your
master goes, and anything you will be wanting you
must get it."
He brought the giant with him, and he put him under