Blair Collection > Beside the fire

THE KING OF IRELAND'S SON. 39
She placed a pin of slumber under his head, and he
fell into his sleep, and as soon as he did, she came and
took the scissors from him and left him there. She
gave the scissors to the King of Poison,* and she desired
the king to have the scissors for her in the morning.
Then she went away. When she was gone the King of
Poison fell into his sleep ; and when he was in his sleep
the short green man came, and the old slippers on him,
and the cap on his head, and the rusty sword in his
hand, and wherever it was the king had left the scissors
out of his hand, he found it. He gave it to the king of
Ireland's son, and when she (the lady) came in the
morning, she asked : " Son of the king of Ireland, have
you the scissors ? "
" I have," said he.
There were three scores of skulls of the people that
went to look for her set on spikes round about the castle,
and she thought that she would have his head on a spike
along with them.
On the night of the next day she came and gave him
a comb, and said to him unless he had that comb for her
next morning when she would come, that the head
should be struck off him. She placed a pin of slumber
under his head, and he fell into his sleep as he fell the
night before, and she stole the comb with her. She gave
the comb to the King of Poison, and said to him not to
lose the comb as he lost the scissors. The short green
man came with the old slippers on his feet, the old cap
on his head, and the rusty sword in his hand ; and the
king did not see him until he came behind him and took
away the comb with him.
When the king of Ireland's son rose up the next
morning he began crying for the comb, which was gone
* Or " the King of N'yiv.