Blair Collection > Beside the fire

114 GULEESH NA GUSS DHU.
was the right time to marry her, that the bishop was
ready and the couch prepared, and it was time to put
the wedding-ring on her and give her to her husband.
The old king put a laugh out of him : " Upon my
honour," he said, " the night is nearly spent, but my
son will make a night for himself. I'll go bail he won't
rise early to-morrow."
" Musha, and maybe he would," said the Sheehogue
in Guleesh's ear, *' or not go to bed, perhaps, at all.
Ha, ha, ha ! "
Guleesh gave him no answer, for his two eyes were
going out on his head watching to see what they would
do then.
The king took the youth by the hand, and the queen
took her daughter, and they went up together to the
altar, with the lords and great people following them.
When they came near the altar, and were no more
than about four yards from it, the little sheehogue
stretched out his foot before the girl, and she fell. Be-
fore she was able to rise again he threw something that
was in his hand upon her, said a couple of words, and
upon the moment the maiden was gone from amongst
them. Nobody could see her, for that word made her
invisible. The little manavz seized her and raised her
up behind Guleesh, and the king nor no one else saw
them, but out with them through the hall till they came
to the door.
Oro ! dear Mary ! it's there the pity was, and the
trouble, and the crying, and the wonder, and the search-
ing, and the rookazim^ when that lady disappeared from
their eyes, and without their seeing what did it. Out
on the door of the palace with them, without being
stopped or hindered, for nobody saw them, and, " My
horse, my bridle, and saddle ! " says every man of them.