J. F. Campbell Collection > Fireside stories of Ireland

62 THE FIRESIDE STORIES OF IRELAND.
I needn't tell you what joy there was before him, and
how all his family gathered round him, and hugged him,
hut thought it mighty queer that he kept his hand on his
mouth, and wouldn't let even his mother kiss him. Well,
things were getting a little quiet, and he was just beginning
to tell about his princess and where she was, when a for-
ward young damsel, that was striving to make him fond of
her before the giant took him away, burst through the
crowd, and cried, " Oh, is this my betrothed prince that's
come back to us ]" and bedad, before he could defend him-
self, she gave him a smack that sounded like the slap of a
wet shoe on a flag. The same instant he lost all memory
of what happened since the giant took him away, and stood
like a fool in the middle of the crowd. Well, a great feast
was made, and the forward lady sat by his side, and there
was nothing but joy, and in a day or two he was to be
married.
After the princess walked about for an hour, she grew
very melancholy and said to herself, " Ah, I guessed what
would happen, but I'll recover him yet." She asked the
gate-keeper's wife would she give her house room for a week
or two, and instead of promising to pay her well, she laid
down five guineas on the table. They made her welcome,
and there she staid, knitting and sewing at the window, and
the young gentlemen of the court used often pass by to have
a look at her, and the ladies undervalued her beauty, and
still they were speaking of her continually at the palace.
The prince found himself very much disturbed every time
he had a sight of her.
At last the wedding-day came, and they were all after
dinner, and about to walk into the chapel to have the mar-
riage celebrated, when the princess came into the hall very
nicely dressed, and asked the king if she might make some
entertainment for the company. He gave her leave, and
she took a nice little cock and hen out of a bag and set them
on the table, and threw some oats before them, and the hen
began to pick. The cock drove her away, and she cried
out, "Ah, prince, is that my reward for cleaning out the
stable for you 1 '' The bridegroom did not understand the
meaning, and she threw some more oats. The cock drove