Page:West Irish folk-tales and romances - William Larminie.djvu/182

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150
The Son of the King of Prussia.

“Master,” said he, “here are twelve others for him, and I will do their work.”

“Oh!” said the master, “I will not ask one turn of you, except one meal and one drink for ever.”

So he gave over to the robber the twelve other men, who had refused to let him work with them. And before he parted with the robber he put him under obligations.

“I will not kill you,” said he, “this is O'Daly, and I am Gerald O'Daly, and anything at all that's ever asked of you by the honour of O'Daly, do that.”

Then they went on with themselves to the house, and there was a feast ready for them; and they took their meal, and while they were eating, the twelve others he gave over to the robber came. One of them asked the robber to let them go their way by the honour of O'Daly, and he told them to go and a hundred welcomes, and if it were a greater thing (he would grant it).

When Crooked-mouth ate his supper, he stretched himself under the table, and when the others ate their supper, (the gentleman) put them out to sleep in the barn, and when he came in he heard snoring, and he gave the man a kick, and asked him why he wasn't with the others, and he said he would not leave the house that night; and the man of the house said that he must leave; that no one slept in the house for a year, and that he