Matheson Collection > Folk tales and fairy lore in Gaelic and English

FOLK TALES AND FAIRY LORE. 5
the world! and without saying another word she went •- '-''^
out in great displeasure that so insulting an offer had
been put before her.
After her he sent for the middle one. But as soon
as she came in and heard his business with her, she
turned on her heel and sailed out without giving him
as much as an answer. Then came the youngest, and,
when she heard the reason why she was sent for, she
said to her father: " I will marry him on condition
he will bring your own property back to you."
Without further delay people were invited to the
wedding, and on that same night the knight's young
daughter was married to the White Red-eared Hound.
Early next day the knight went out to the top of
the green knoll opposite the castle, and, on looking
round, he beheld every beast that belonged to him
pasturing where he had last seen them. He returned
in joy, and whom did he meet at the door but the very
handsomest man he had ever seen. This was the
White Red-eared Hound of the night before, freed
from the spells under which he lay, and restored to
his own natural form, because the knight's young
daughter had married him of her own free will.
They went in together, and, when the two other
daughters of the knight saw the good-looking husband
their sister had, they were sorry that they themselves
had not married him.
The bridegroom and his wife stayed a few days
longer with the knight, and then they went to his place,
a fine large castle, where they were as comfortable and
happy as the day was long. But, at the end of a day
and a year, she made ready to go to her father's house, . .
where she was intending to remain until she was '^^<-^^^>^-<>n*^>
delivered. Before she left him, her husband told her
not to tell anyone beneath the sun what his name was;
for if she did, she would never see him again. She