Legendary fictions of the Irish Celts

26o Fictions of the Irish Celts.
the lonely glen, and have another game of backgammon
with the Sighe Draoi, Lassa Buaicht. I can mention a
thousand guineas if I like, and I am sure to win them.
Won't I build a nice house for you then, and have you
dressed like a king's daughter, as you are ! " " No, dear
husband," said she ; " if you do not wish to lose me or
perhaps your own life, never play a game with that treacherous,
evil old man. I am under ' geasa ' to reveal
nothing of his former doings, but trust in me, and follow
my advice."
Of course he could only yield, but still the plan did
not quit his mind. Every day he felt more and more
the change in his wife's mode of living, and at last he
stole off one evening to the lonely glen.
There, as sure as the sun, was the foolish-looking old
Druid, sitting silent and grim with his hands on the
table. He looked pleased when he saw his visitor draw
near, and cried out, " How much shall it be ? What is
it for this evening ?—two more mills on your river, a
thousand guineas, or another wife ? It's all the same,
I'm sure to lose. You may make it ten thousand if you
like. I don't value a thousand, more or less, the worth
of a thraneen. Sit down and name the stake. If I v.-in,
which confound the Sighe Ait/me (knowledge) I won't,
you will have to execute any order I give you."
Down they set to the strife. Sculloge named ten thousand
guineas to have done with gambling, and went on rather
careless about his throwing. Ah ! didn't his heart beat,
and blood rush to his face, and a flash
eyes when he found himself defeated !
dart across his
He nearly fell
from his seat, but made a strong effort to keep his
courage together, and looked up in the old man's face to
see what he might expect. Instead of the puzzled,
foolish features, a dark threatening face frowned on him,
and these words came from the thin harsh lips :— " I lay
geasa on you, O Sculloge of folly, never to eat two meals
off one table, and never to sleep two nights in one rath,
or bruigheen, or caisiol, or shealing, and never to lie in