Morraha 95

first, but will fall asleep presently, and do not wake him
till he has slept as much as he wants. I will close the
do? when I am going out.” I took the bar with me, and
I stood over him, and I turned it across through. his eyé as
far as I could. He began to bellow, and tried to catch me,
but I was out and away, having closed the door. The hag
asked me, “ Why is he bellowing ?”

“Oh, he will be quiet presently, and will sleep for a good
while, and I’ll come again to have a look at him; but bring
me out the young men and the young women.”

J took them with me, and I said to her, ‘Tell me where
you got them.”

““My son brought them with him, and they are all the
children of one king.”

I was well satisfied, and I had no wish for delay to get
myself free from the hag, so I took them on board the ship,
and the child I had myself. I thought the king might leave
me the child I nursed myself; but when I came to land,
and all those young people with me, the king and queen
were out walking. The king was very aged, and the queen
aged likewise. When I came to converse with them, and
the twelve with me, the king and queen began tocry. I
asked, ‘‘ Why are you crying ?”

“It is for good cause Iam crying. As many children as
these I should have, and now I am withered, grey, at the
end of my life, and I have not one at all.” S

I told him all I went through, and I gave him the child
in his hand, and “These are your other« children who were
stolen from you, whom I am giving to you safe. They are
gently reared.”

When the king heard who they were he smothered them