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

THE THREE WIDOWS. 22 1
Tlae maid went up, and she told the king that not
a bit of the man would go there.
" Go there thyself," said the king.
" If she will not answer thee, " said DomhnuU to
the maidservant, " thou shalt push her ; she is deaf."
The maidservant reached where she was.
" Good woman, " said the maidservant to her, " the
king is asking yourself to come over."
She took no notice. She pushed her and she said
not a word. Domhnull was seeing how it was Avithout.
" Draw the stick from her chest, " said DomlmuU ;
" it's asleep she is."
She drew the stick from her chest, and there she
went head foremost into the well.
Then he shouted out, " Oh my cattle ! my cattle !
my mother drowned in the well ! What shall I do
this day 1 " Then he struck his two palms against
each other, and there was no howl he gave that could
not be heard at three miles' distance.
The king came out. " Oh, my lad, never give it
voice for ever, and I will pay for thy mother. How
much wilt thou be asking for thy mother ? "
" Five hundred pounds Saxon," said Domhnull.
" Thou shalt get that within the minu.te, " said the
king.
Domhnull got the five hundred Saxon pounds. He
went where his mother was ; he took the clothes off
that were on her, and he threw her into the well.
He came home, and he Avas counting the money.
They came — the tAvo — where he Avas, to see if he should
be lamenting liis mother. They put a question to him
— " Where had he got all the money that was there V
" I got it, " said he, " where you may get it if you
yourselves should choose. "
" How shall we L^et it ? "