J. F. Campbell Collection > Fireside stories of Ireland

THE WELL AT THE WORLD' S END. 9 I
ed in some of the water, and handed it to his father. He
drank some of it, hut laid down the cup in a moment. He
said he was seized with a colic, and cried out with the
pain. "Let me give the drink," said the second eldest,
" you know it was I that got it." He took up the cup
and handed it to the king; but as bad as he was before^ he
was twice worse now ; and how the brothers looked at one
another ! They begged the princess to hand the cup next,
but she didn't seem to hear them. Well, all were at their
wits' end, when in walked a tallbeggarwoman and her son,
and both in rags. " Will your majesty allow this young
man to hand you the cup ?" *' Oh, if it is of any use, let
him do so ; but if not, he'll be torn between wild horses."
" Oh, very well." The young man went forward, and pre-
sented the cup, but the king turned all manner of colours,
and twisted his face into a dozen of forms before he'd let it
to his lips again. The moment he swallowed one sup his
late pains left him, and his old sickness was gone, and he
stood up in perfect health. He was about opening his
mouth to thank the boy and his mother, but she touched
him with a rod she had in her hands, and his rags w^ere
gone, and there w^as the youngest prince in his own dress,
and as handsome as the May !
A fine looking woman was where the beggar stood a
minute since, and she wasn't long about explaining tlie
whole wickedness of the brothers. They looked for all the
world like two dogs that had lost their tails, and seemed to
wish to sink into the ground. They were banished the
same day from the court, and the next day came on the mar-
riage of the youngest son with the enchanted lady.
r THE POOR GIRL THAT BECAME A QUEEN.
A COTTIER-MAN and his daughter lived near a king's palace,
and they were so poor that the girl advised her father one
day to go to the king, and ask him for three or four acres
I of land, so that they could keep body and soul together.
" Come along with me," said he, " and I will." So when