The Scottish Celtic review

76 IIoiu the Oreat Tuairingeul was 2nd to Death.forgive it this time yet. The third time,' said the captain, we'will destroy it, if the like happens.' She became a third time pregnant;and when the time came when she was to be delivered, theygot midwives. She had a male child. When they had arrangedabout the woman and child, the midwives slept. I was lyingbelow the bed ; a big hand came in at the roof of the house ; andwhen I saw the hand coming, I sprang and caught the hand ; andthe hand took me up to the roof of the house ; and I took the handfrom the shoulder off him, and I took it in below the bed; and heput in the other hand, and took the child away.I ran out afterhim, and followed him to the shore. There was snow on theground, and I followed him by his blood. I saw an island overopposite to me, and I swam to the island. I went into the cavethat he had ; and he was asleep in the upper part of the cave, andthe child under his arm, and the other two children he had takenwith him playing on the floor of the cave. I sprang at histhroat, and tore his throat for him {lit., took the throat out of him).He had a little skiff in the island; and I got the two childrenand the babe put into the skiff and hurried home; and my masterhad then got up. I went in and took the hand before him.'This shows, ray good fellow, it was not you that was doing themischief; but those that did the mischief—they will be burned.'I now made a sign to him, which made him follow me to the shore.He found his three children in the skiff; and if he loved me before,he loved me seven times more then. He brought the children homewith him, and got men and bundles of fire-wood, and burned themidwives that were about his wife. He went one day to dinnerto my own father's house, and I went with him—I would notpart with him : and there was a young child there that my fatherand stepmother had, and the divining rod that had put myselfunder spells was in its hands; and I thought if I were struck withthe rod, the spells would leave me, and I would be as I wasbefore. And I was always going past the child, to see if it wouldstrike me with the rod. At last, I took a bite out of the child, andit struck me with the rod, and the spells left me, and I became aman as I was before. Then, when my master was going away home,no one knew where I was. They were seeking me everywhere. Ithen made my.self known to my master ; and I told him how thematter stood, and how it happened. That is for you, son of theKing of Ireland, the way the Great Tuairisgeul was put to death,and," said the old grev-haired man, " I am not to live any longui-;