Page:Shiana - Peadar Ua Laoghaire.djvu/261

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SHIANA
247

the view now was not more beautiful, because the sky was clearer in the morning. He had a view to the west of Claedach, and of the Paps, and of Mangerton, and of the Killarney lakes,[1] and of Coraun Tuohill,[2] and of the rest of the Black Reeks. When he was tired of looking at them he moved backward and forward on the summit, picking the monadauns[3] and eating them. When he had spent a while at that he went eastward along the brow of the mountain until he was on the top of Knock Lickascaw,[4] where he had a view of Clara to the north, and of the great Galtees, far away off to the north-east. When the sun was falling toward the west he turned westward again to the top of Mullach an Esh. He picked some more of the monadauns, and then he turned down to the house where he had got the morning's meal. The woman was surprised and delighted when she saw him coming into her house. She did not know where he had spent the day, but she did not care, when she saw him coming again safe and sound. She did nothing, however, but welcome him and give him a cheery salutation, showing no surprise and not appearing to notice anything. But I can assure you that she heartily thanked God in her own mind.

"Sit down there for a while, Shiana," said she, "and I'll engage to make you a treat that perhaps hasn't been made for you this long time."

He sat down.

She went out into the haggart to the best stack that was there, and pulled two good sheaves out

  1. Loċ Léin
  2. Corán Tuaṫai.
  3. Mónadán, a little crimson berry, found on the high parts of mountains.
  4. Cnoc Lice Sgáṫ, "the hill of the stone of shadow."