Blair Collection > Beside the fire

108 GULEESH NA GUSS DHU.
France," said the sheehogue, " and you must come with
us now."
"The devil a foot," said .Guleesh, "till I get the
priest's pardon ; the honestest and the pleasantest man
that's in Ireland."
Another sheehogue spoke then, and said :
" Don't be so hard on Guleesh. The boy's a kind boy,
and he has a good heart ; and as he doesn't wish to come
without the Pope's bull, we must do our best to get it
for him. He and I will go in to the Pope, and ye can
wait here."
" A thousand thanks to you," said Guleesh. " I'm
ready to go with you ; for this priest, he was the sport-
ingest and the pleasantest man in the world."
" You have too much talk, Guleesh,'' said the shee-
hogue, " but come along now. Get off your horse and
take my hand."
Guleesh dismounted, and took his hand; and then
the little man said a couple of words he did not under-
stand, and before he knew where he was he found him-
self in the room with the Pope.
The Pope was sitting up late that night reading a
cook that he liked. He was sitting on a big soft chair,
and his two feet on the chimney-board. There was a
fine fire in the grate, and a little table standing at his
elbow, and a drop of ishka-baha (eau-de-vie) and sugar
on the little tcthleeen; and he never felt till Guleesh
came up behind him.
" Now Guleesh," said the sheehogue, " tell him that
unless he gives you the bull you'll set the room on fire ;
and if he refuses it to you, I'll spurt fire round about out
of my mouth, till he thinks the place is really in a blaze,
and I'll go bail he'll be ready enough then to give you
the pardon."