J. F. Campbell Collection > Popular tales of the West Highlands > Volume 2

THE THREE WIDOWS. 2 1 9
" He will be doing every sort of divination," said
D6mliuull. "Make him do divination," said the gen-
tleman.
He went and he wrung him, and the bird gave a
RAN.* " What is he saying ? " said the gentleman.
" He says that thou hast a wish to buy him, and that
thou wilt give two hundred pounds Saxon for him, "
said DomhuuU. " Well, surely ! — it is true, doubt-
less ; and if I were thinking that he would do divina-
tion, I would give that for him," said the gentleman.
So now the gentleman bought the bird from Domh-
null, and he gave him two hundred pounds Saxon for
him.
" Try that thou do not sell him to any man, and
that there is no knowing that I might not come myself
to seek him yet. I would not give him to thee for
three thousand pounds Saxon were it not that I am in
extremity. "
Domlinull went home, and the bird did not do a
pinch of divination ever after.
When he took his meat he began at counting the
money. Who were looking at him but those vrho
killed the stots. They came in.
"Ah, D6mlmull," said they, "how didst thou get
all the money that is there ?"
" I got it as you may get it too. It 's I that am
pleased that you killed the stots for me, '' said he.
" Kill you your own stots, and flay them, and take
with you the hides to the big town, and be shouting,
' Who will buy a stot's hide, ' and you will get plenty
of money."
They killed the stots, and they flayed them. They
took with them the hides to the big town, and they
* There seems to be a pun liere. Ean is a roar, a hoarse
noise. Eann is a rhyme, a verse, a stanza.