There were turns of amber beads around the necks of the giant’s
daughters, and strings of hair around their necks. They all slept,
but Maol a chliobain kept awake. During the night the giant got
thirsty. He called to his bald rough-skinned lad to bring him water.
The bald rough-skinned lad said that there was not a drop within.
“Kill,” said he, “one of the strange girls, and bring me her blood.”
“How will I know them?” said the bald rough-skinned lad. “There are
turns of beads about the necks of my daughters, and turns of hair
about the necks of the rest.” Maol a chliobain heard the giant, and
as quickly as she could she put the strings of hair that were about
her own neck and the necks of her sisters about the necks of the
giant’s daughters, and the beads that were about the necks of the
giant’s daughters about her own neck and the necks of her sisters,
and laid herself quietly down. The bald rough-skinned lad came and
killed one of the daughters of the giant, and brought him her blood.
He bade him bring him more. He killed the second one. He bade him
bring him more, and he killed the third. Maol a chliobain wakened
her sisters, and she took them on her back and went away. The giant
observed her, and he followed her.
The sparks of fire which she was driving out of the stones with her
heels were striking the giant in the chin, and the sparks of fire
that the giant was taking out of the stones with the points of his
feet, they were striking Maol a chliobain in the back of her head.
It was thus with them until they reached a river. Maol a chliobain
leaped the river, and the giant could not leap the river. “You are
over, Maol a chliobain.” “Yes, if it vex you.” “You killed my three
bald red-skinned daughters.” “Yes, if it vex you.” “And when will
you come again?” “I will come when my business brings me.”
They went on till they reached a farmer’s house. The farmer had
three sons. They told what happened to them. Says the farmer to Maol
a chliobain, “I will give my eldest son to your eldest sister, and
get for me the smooth golden comb and the rough silver comb that
the giant has.” “It won’t cost you more,” said Maol a chliobain.
She left and reached the giant’s house. She got in without being
seen. She took the combs and hastened out. The giant observed her,
and after her he went until they reached the river. She leaped
the river, and the giant could not leap the river. “You are over,
Maol a chliobain.” “Yes, if it vex you.” “You killed my three bald
red-skinned daughters.” “Yes, if it vex you.” “You stole my smooth
golden comb and my rough silver comb.” “Yes, if it vex you.” “When
will you come again.” “When my business brings me.”
She brought the combs to the farmer, and the big sister married the
big son of the farmer.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account