J. F. Campbell Collection > Fireside stories of Ireland

36 THE FIRESIDE STORIES OF IRELAND.
She did so, and took home the sieve full to the hrim.
" Oh, ho ;" said the angry old witch, " you're too clever for
us, I see. Go up to that lof fc, and take your choice of three
caskets you'll find on the table." She went up, and there
were three caskets — one of gold, one of silver, and one of
lead. She was in doubt which to select, till she heard the
sparrows twittering on the roof at the skylight, " Pass by
the gold, pass by the silver, but take up the lead, fair
maiden." So she did, but as she was quitting the house
the old witch was so vexed at her choice, that she snapped
up a burning log, and flung it after her.
She ran away very swiftly and as swift came the witches
after her, till she came up to where the cow was standing,
" Come under me," says the cow ; 'Til hide you behind
my elder, and I'll put a charm on their eyes. " Did you
see a young girl pass this way 1" said they. ' "Yes," said
the cow, "she turned into that wood on the left." Off they
ran that way, and the cow licked the maiden, and off she
ran. Well, when she came near the ram, she heard the
clatter of their feet behind her. " Get under that heap of
wool," says he, " and they won't see you." " Ram, ram,
did you see a young girl run by ]" "Yes, I did. She ran
into that wood on the right." Off with them again, and
the maiden thanked the ram, and ran on. Just as she was
near the apple tree, she heard the clatter of their feet again.
" Get under the heap of apples/' said the tree, and so she
did. "Apple tree, apple tree, did you see a young maid
run this way ]" "Yes, I did. She is hiding in my branches."
Up they both climbed, and off ran the maid. They thought
to get down and pursue her, but the branches twisted round
them and held them fast, and it wasn't till the maid was
near the hedge that they WTre again on land. Just as she
was at the hedge, she heard the clatter of their feet, but the
fence opened a gap for her, and she was soon in the green
meadow where she first opened her eyes in the underground
world. When the hags attempted to cross the hedge it
pricked them with thorns and brambles, and just as they
were over, it tumbled on them, and it took them half a day
to get clear again.
A heaviness came over the maid as she sat down to rest