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

306 -^VEST HIGHLA^'D TALES.
go, SO that he need not come home for it, and he got
as much meat as they used to allow the servants at one
meal, and he ate that ; and he asked for his dinner, so
that he need not stop at mid-day, and he got the
allowance which there was for dinner, and he ate that ;
and he asked for liis supper, so that he need not come
home at night, and they gaye him that, and he ate
that; and he went where his master was, and he
asked liim,
"What are thy servants wont to do after their
supper ? "
And his master said to him, " It is their wont to
put off their clothes and go to lie do^mi."
And Mac-a-Eusgaich went where his bed was, and
he put off his clothes, and he went to he down.
The mistress went where the man of the town (the
master) was and she asked him, " What sort of a ser-
vant he had got there, that he had eaten three meals at
one meal, and had gone to he down?" And the
master went where Mac-a-Rusgaich was, and he said to
him,
" Why art thou not at work 1 "
And Mac-a-Eusgaich said, " It is that thou thyself
saidst to me that it was thy servants' wont, when they
had got their supper, to put off their clothes and go to
lie down."
And the master said, " And why tUdst thou eat the
three meals together ? "
And Mac-a-Eusgaich said, " It is that the three
meals were little enough to make a man content."
And the master said, " Get up and go to thy work."
And ]\Iac-a-Eusgaich said, " I will get up, hut I
must get meat as I need, or my work will accord. I
am but to do as I am able. See ! art thou taking the
rue, old carle ? "