Celts -- Folklore; Fairy tales; Fairy tales -- Great Britain; Folklore -- Great Britain; Tales -- Great Britain
Well, while they were thinking of making out another dinner, a messenger
came from Jack's father to beg that the squire, and the mistress, and
the young lady would step across the fields, and take share of what God
sent. There was no dirty mean pride about the family, and they walked
over, and got a dinner with roast turkey, and roast beef, and their own
roast goose; and the squire had like to burst his waistcoat with
laughing at the trick, and Jack's good clothes and good manners did not
take away any liking the young lady had for him already.
While they were taking their punch at the old oak table in the nice
clean little parlour with the sanded floor, says the squire, "You can't
be sure of my daughter, Jack, unless you steal away my six horses from
under the six men that will be watching them to-morrow night in the
stable."
"I'll do more than that," says Jack, "for a pleasant look from the young
lady"; and the young lady's cheeks turned as red as fire.
Monday night the six horses were in their stalls, and a man on every
horse, and a good glass of whisky under every man's waistcoat, and the
door was left wide open for Jack. They were merry enough for a long
time, and joked and sung, and were pitying the poor fellow. But the
small hours crept on, and the whisky lost its power, and they began to
shiver and wish it was morning. A miserable old colliach, with half a
dozen bags round her, and a beard half an inch long on her chin came to
the door.
"Ah, then, tendher-hearted Christians," says she, "would you let me in,
and allow me a wisp of straw in the corner; the life will be froze out
of me, if you don't give me shelter."
Well, they didn't see any harm in that, and she made herself as snug as
she could, and they soon saw her pull out a big black bottle, and take a
sup. She coughed and smacked her lips, and seemed a little more
comfortable, and the men couldn't take their eyes off her.
"Gorsoon," says she, "I'd offer you a drop of this, only you might think
it too free-making."
"Oh, hang all impedent pride," says one, "we'll take it, and thankee."
So she gave them the bottle, and they passed it round, and the last man
had the manners to leave half a glass in the bottom for the old woman.
They all thanked her, and said it was the best drop ever passed their
tongue.
"In throth, agras," said she, "it's myself that's glad to show how I
value your kindness in giving me shelter; I'm not without another
_buideal_, and you may pass it round while myself finishes what the
dasent man left me."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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