Notes and Queries, Number 217, December 24, 1853: A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc.Various
History
Notes and Queries, Number 217, December 24, 1853: A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc.
Various
Questions and answers -- Periodicals
Once upon a time, a Scottish giant who had heard of Fuenvicouil's fame,
determined to come and see which of them was the stronger. Now Fuenvicouil
was informed by his thumb of the giant's intentions, and also that on the
present occasion matters would not turn out much to his advantage if they
fought: so as he did not feel the least bit "blue-mowlded for the want of a
batin'," like Neal Malone, he was at a loss what to do. Oonagh, his wife,
saw his distress, and soon contrived to find out the cause of it; and
having done so, she assured him that if he would leave things to her
management, and strictly obey her directions, she would make the giant
return home faster than he came. Fuenvicouil promised obedience; and, as no
time was to be lost, Oonagh commenced her preparations. She first baked two
or three large cakes of bread, taking care to put the griddle (the iron
plate used in Ireland and Scotland for baking bread on) into the largest.
She then put several gallons of milk down to boil, and made whey of it; and
carefully collected the curd into a mass, which she laid aside. She then
proceeded to dress up Fuenvicouil as a baby; and having put a cap on his
head, tucked him up in the cradle, charging him on no account to speak, but
to carefully obey any signs she might make to him. The preparations were
only just completed, when the giant arrived, and, striding into the house,
demanded to see Fuenvicouil. Oonagh received him politely; said she could
not tell _any more than the child in the cradle_, where her husband then
was; but requested the giant to sit down and rest, till Fuenvicouil came
in. She then placed bread and whey before him till some better refreshments
could be got ready, taking care to give him the cake with the griddle in
it, and serving the whey in a vessel that held two or three gallons. The
giant was a little surprised at the _quantity_ of the lunch set before him,
and proceeded to break a piece off the cake but in vain; he then tried to
bite it, with as little success: and as to swallowing the ocean of whey set
before him, it was out of the question; so he said he was not hungry, and
would wait. He then asked Oonagh what was the favourite feat of strength
her husband prided himself upon. She could not indeed particularise any
one, but said that sometimes Fuenvicouil amused himself with squeezing
water out of that stone there, pointing to a rock lying near the door. The
giant immediately took it up; and squeezed it till the blood started from
his fingers, but made no impression on the rock. Oonagh laughed at his
discomfiture, and said a child could do that, handing at the same time the
lump of curds to "the baby." Fuenvicouil, who had been attentively
listening to all that was going on, gave the curd a squeeze, and some drops
of whey fell from it. Oonagh, in apparently great delight, kissed and
hugged her "dear baby;" and breaking a bit off one of the cakes she had
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