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

THE THREE WIDOWS. 223
" It's a pity," said the shepherd, "that thou shouldest
not let myself in a while."
" I won't let thee. It is much that would make
me. "
" And wilt thou not let me in ? Mightest thou not
let me in for one minute, and mightest thou not have
enough thyself nevertheless 1 "
" By the books, poor man, since thou art needful,
I will let thee in. (Do) thou thyself drive the head
out of the barrel and come here ; but thou shalt not
get (leave) to be long in it, " said Domlmull.
The shepherd took the head out of the barrel, and
he came out ; he seized on the shepherd by the two
shanks, and he set him head foremost in the barrel.
" There is neither silver nor gold here," said the
shepherd.
" Thou wilt not see a tiling till the head goes on
the barrel, " said Domhnull.
" Oh, I don't see a shadow in here, " said he.
" K thou seest not, so be it wdth thee, " said
Domhnull.
D5mhnull went and he put on the plaid that the
shepherd had, and when he put on the plaid the dog
followed him. Then they came out and they seized
the barrel, and they raised it on their shoulders. They
went away with it.
The shepherd would say at the end of every mi-
nute, " It 's me that 's in it — it 's me that 's in it." " Oh,
it's thou, roguey ! belike it's thou ?"
They reached the peak of the rock, and they let
down the barrel with the rock and shepherd in its in-
side.
When they returned, whom did they see but Domh-
null, with his plaid and his dog, and his hundi-ed of
sheep with him in a park.