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

FAIRY TALES AND FOLK LORE. 65
of the sheep. He came with her, and left her between his
feet. Cathal then opened the sheep, and no sooner
had he done so than a bird sprang out of her, and
flew away. Then said he to himself: "How useful
would be here the Falcon of the Rock of the Ledge! "
Almost before the word was out of his mouth the
kind Falcon came, and brought back the dove dead,
and left it at his feet. No sooner did Cathal open
the bird than an egg fell out of it, and rolled into a
cairn, which was near the place.
The wife then cried: " O! Cathal O'Cruachan ! make
haste, the Giant is after coming over the edge of the
ben, taking each way that is shorter than another."
Then said Cathal: "How useful would be here the
Brown Wren of the Stream of Flowing! " and almost
before he had uttered the words, there was the Wren
within the cairn, and out he came with the egg in
his bill. The Giant was almost as soon as Cathal
near the Wren ; but the W^ren reached the egg to
Cathal, who put it under his shoe, and broke it. No
sooner had he broken the egg than the Giant fell dead
within fifty paces of him.
Cathal O'Cruachan and his wife stayed that night in
the Giant's house. The next day they took all the
gold and silver they found there. They also took
with them the Brown Wren of the Stream of Flowing,
the Falcon of the Rock of the Ledge, and the Dog
of the Great Mull. And when they reached their own
home, they made a great liberal feast for themselves,
their neighbours, and their friends.
When the feast came to an end, the Dog said: " We
must be going." But Cathal said: " You will not be
going." "I must go, at anyrate," said the Dog.
"My house will be robbed by foxes, pole -cats, and
martins." The Falcon said: " I also must go, for my
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