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

FOLK TALKS AND FAIRY LORE. 29
coals over the feet. When he thought they were ready
he drew one out to the anvil, and struck it with the
hammer. But the foot up to its middle was nothing
but charred bone, and therefore the stroke sent it fly-
ing in splinters over the smithy. The rest of the feet
were in the same condition, and so the smith had no
alternative but to put the poor white horse out of pain
at once, and lay his carcass under ground as quietly
as possible.
A good while after the second gentleman departed,
a third gentleman came to the smithy with two old
women in his company. He said to the Swarthy
Smith: "Will you make for me a young maiden of
these old women, and I will give you a good reward
for your labour?" The Swarthy Smith answered:
" Is it I ? I never made anything but socks." " Will
you then give me a while of the smithy and of your
assistance?" said the gentleman. "Yes, you will get
that." " Come, then, begin work. Many a thing
a man could do if he had courage enough to try."
They put the old women in the fire, and the gentleman
went to blow the bellows, and the Swarthy Smith to
keep coals on the fire. When they had given the
( M women a good heating they drew them out to the
anvil, and then the gentleman began to strike with
the sledge hammer and the smith with the hand hammer,
and with one welding heat they made the very handr
somest maiden man ever beheld. W^hen they had
done, the gentleman gave the Swarthy Smith a good
reward, and departed with the young maiden in his
company.
As soon as he parted with them, the Swarthy Smith
made his way to the house, and said to his wife: