Blair Collection > Popular tales of the West Highlands > Volume 2

196 WEST HIGHLAND TALES.
reached Muracljadli. Miirachadli blessed liim in the
FiSNiCHE Faisniche — soft, flowing, peaceful words of
wisdom. The lad answered him in better words, and
if no better they were no worse.
" What man art thou?" says Murachadh. " A
good lad am I, seeking a master," said he. " AVliat
wages wilt thou be asking 1 " " Tw^o-tliirds of thy
coimsel to be mine,* and thyself to have but one, till
we come from chasing the maiden."
" If thou gett'st that," said Murachadli, " man got
it not before, and no man will get it after thee, but
sure if thou wouldst not honour it, thou wouldst not
ask it."
When they had agreed he took a race after the
maiden, and he was not long gone when he came back.
" Almighty of the world against thee," said Erian Borr.
" Dost thou wish to be hanged Avith a sea of blood
about thine eyes ? I loieAV he was without a gillie
in the first of the day the man that hired thee, and
had he taken my counsel he had not hired thee."
" I will not do a good turn to-day till the buttons
come off my bigcoat." Then they got a tailor, and
the tailor had not as much skill as would take the
buttons oft' the greatcoat. Then he took shears out of
the rim of his Httle hat, and he took the buttons oif
liis greatcoat in a trice.
Then he took another race after the maiden, and (
he was not long away when he came back "Almighty
of the great world against thee," said Brian Borr. " Dost
thou wish to be hanged wàth a sea of blood about
thine eyes Ì I knew that he was without a gillie
in the first of the day the man that hired thee, and
had he taken my counsel he had not liired thee."
* " Da dhrian de d' comliairle." I am not sure of this trans-
lation.