i7O = Celtic Fairy Tales

rugged ground, till he reached the king’s house. When he
arrived he went on his knees to the king; and the king
said to him, “ What is your news, O’Cronicert ?”

“T have but poor news for you, king.”

“ What poor news have you?” said the king.

“That I have had the Sturdy Strolling Beggarly Brother-
hood for a day and a year, and they have eaten all that I
had, and made a poor man of me,” said he.

, “ Well!” said the king, “I am sorry for you ; what do
you want?”
“1 want help,” said O’Cronicert ; “ anything that you
may be willing to give me.”

The king promised him a hundred cows. He went to
the queen, and made his complaint to her, and she gave
him another hundred. . He went to the king’s son, Murdoch
' Mac Brian, and he got another hundred from him. “ He got
food and drink at the king’s ; and when he was going away
he said, “ Now I am very much obliged to you. This will
set me very well on my feet, After all that I have got
there is another thing that I want.”

“What is it?” said the king,

“It is the lap-dog that is in and out after the queen that
I wish for.”

“Ha!” said the king, “it is your mightiness and pride
that has caused the loss of your means; but if you become
a good man you shall get this along with the rest.”

O’Cronicert bade the king good-bye, took the lap-dog;
leapt on the back of the old lame white horse, and went: off
at speed through wood, and over moss and rugged ground.
After he had gone some distance through the wood a -
roebuck leapt up and the lap-dog went after it, In a