Blair Collection > Beside the fire

GULEESH NA GUSS DH'J. II3
has no love for the husband she is to marry. The king
was going to give her to him three years ago, when she
was only fifteen, but she said she was too young, and
requested him to leave her as she was yet. The king gave
her a year's grace, and when that year was up he gave
her another year's grace, and then another ; but a week
or a day he would not give her longer, and she is
eighteen years old to-night, and it's time for her to
marry ; but, indeed," says he, and he crooked his mouth
in an ugly way ; " indeed, it's no king's son she'll marry,
if I can help it."
Guleesh pitied the handsome young lady greatly when
he heard that, and he was heart-broken to think that it
would be necessary for her to marry a man she did not
like, or what was worse, to take a nasty Sheehogue for
a husband. However, he did not say a word, though
he could not help giving many a curse to the ill-luck
that was laid out for himself, and he helping the people
that were to snatch her away from her home and from
her father.
He began thinking, then, what it was he ought to do
to save her, but he could think of nothing. " Oh, if I
could only give her some help and relief," said he, " I
wouldn't care whether I were alive or dead; but I see
nothing that I can do for her."
He was looking on when the king's son came up to
her and asked her for a kiss, but she turned her head
away from him. Guleesh had double pity for her then,
when he saw the lad taking her by the soft white hand,
and drawing her out to dance. They went round in
the dance near where Guleesh was, and he could plainly
see that there were tears in her eyes.
When the dancing was over, the old king, her father,
and her mother the queen, came up and said that this
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