Legendary fictions of the Irish Celts

Household Stories. 53
shower of mud that came down on him ; and if he didn't
fume, and splutter, and shake himself, it's no matter.
"There's no use," says he, "going on this way. The
fox never got a better messenger than himself."
So he changed his clothes, and washed himself, and
out he set to the smith's forge. Maybe he wasn't polite
to the young prince, and asked him to sit along with
himself. The prince begged to be allowed to sit in the
other carriage, and when they were half-way, he opened
his snufif-box. " Master," says he, " I'd wish to be dressed
now according to my rank." "You shall be that,'' says
Seven hiches. " And now I'll bid you farewell. Continue
as good and kind as you always were ; love your
wife, and that's all the advice I'll give you." So Seven
Ine/ies vanished ; and when the carriage door was opened
in the yard—not by the king though, for a burnt child
dreads the fire—out walks the prince as fine as hands and
pins could make him, and the first thing he did was to
run over to his bride, and embrace her very heartily.
Every one had great joy but the two other princes.
There was not much delay about the marriages that were
all celebrated on the one day. Soon after, the two elder
couples went to their own courts, but the youngest pair
stayed with the old king, and they were as happy as the
happiest married couple you ever heard of in a story.
The next tale is one which was repeated oftenest in
our hearing during our country experience. It probably
owed its popularity to the bit of a rhyme, and the repe-
tition of the adventures of the three sisters, nearly in the
same words. It may seem strange that this circumstance,
which would have brought emmi and discomfort on our
readers, should have recommended it to the fireside
audiences. Let it be considered that they expected to