J. F. Campbell Collection > Fireside stories of Ireland

I T2 THE FIRESIDE STORIES OF IRELAND.
winter." " It was the very thing that hrought me here,"
says Gilla, " to get it, and I won't leave without it ; but if
you look in the black pool of the LifFey at noon to-morrow,
you'll find it tliere," Well, they were very down in the
mouth for the loss of the flail, but a second rib-roasting
wasn't to be thought of. When they had him fairly lock-
ed out, they put out their tongues at him through the bars,
and shouted, "Ah! Gilla na Chreckan Gour! wait till you're
let in here so easy again ;" but he only answered, " You'll
let me in when I ask you."
There was both joy and terror at court when they saw
Gilla coming back with the terrible flail in his hand.
" Is"ow,"' says every one, " we care little for the Danes and
all their kith and kin. But how did you coax the fellows
down below to give up the implement V So he told them
as much as he chose, and was very glad to see the welcome
that was on the princess's face. Eed-head thought it
would be a fine thing to have the flail in his power. So he
crept over to where Gilla laid it aside after charging no one
to touch it ; but his hand did not come within a foot of it,
when he thought it was burned to the bone. He danced
about, shook his arm, put his fist to his mouth, and roared
out for water. " Couldn't you mind what I said ?" says
Gilla, " and that wouldn't have happened," However he
took Red- head's hand within his own two that had the
ointment, and he was freed from the burning at once. Well,
the poor rogue looked so relieved, and so ashamed, and so
impudent at the same time, that the princess joined in the
laughing of all about. " Three halves at last," said Gilla.
" iSTow, my liege,'' said he, " I hope that after I give a good
throuncing to the Danes, you will fulfil your promise."
" There are no two ways about that," said the king. " Danes
or no Danes, you may marry my daughter to-morrow, if she
makes no objection herself." Red-head, seeing by the prin-
cess's face that she wasn't a bit vexed at what her father
said, ran up to his room, thrust his head into a cupboard,
and nearly roared his arm off, but the coinpany down stairs
did not seem to miss him.
Early in the forenoon of next day a soldier came run-
ning in all haste from the bridge that crossed the Lifi'ey,