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

THE TALE OF THE SOLDIER. 28 1
smithy where there were twelve smiths striking their
great hammers.
" Here 's for you, lads, an old ahersgaic, and I will
give you half-a-crown, and take a while at it with the
twelve great hammers ; it is so hard that it is taking
the sldn off my back."
But that was fun for the smiths ; it was good
sport for them the ahersgaic of the soldier ; but every
" sgaile " it got, it was bounding to the top of the
smithy. " Go out of this, thyself and it," said they ;
"we will not believe but that the 'Bramman'*is in it."
So then John went on and the IMischief on his
back, and he reached a great furnace that was there.
""\^Tiere art thou going now, John?" said the j\Iis-
chief.
"Patience a little, and thou 'It see that," said John.
"Let me out," said the Mischief," and I will never
put trouble on thee in this world."
" K'or in the next Ì " said John.
"That's it," said the Mischief.
" Stop then," said John, "till thou get a smuke ;"
and so saying, John cast the ahersgaic and the Donas
into the middle of the furnace, and himself and the
furnace went as a green flame of fire to the skies.
AX SAIGHDEAR.
Bha seann saighdear ann, aon iiair, agus threig e 'n t-arm. Chaidh
e gu mullach cnoc 'bha 'm braigh 'bhaile, agus thubhairt e, " Gu ma
th' ann a thig an Donas, agus mise a tlioirt leis air a dhruim, an ath
uair a thig mise an sealladh a bhaile so a rithist." Bha e so a cois-
eachd, giis an d' thainig e gu tigh diiin' uasail a bha 'n sin. Dh'
* This word I have never met before.