Part 16 (2/2)

”Against a stick,” was the reply.

”I see no stick better than your own head,” said Sean Ruadh; and with that he swept the head off the giant.

The cowboy now went back to the castle and hung up the sword. ”Blessing to you,” said the housekeeper; ”you have killed the giant! Come, now, and I'll show you his riches and treasures, which are yours forever.”

Sean Ruadh found more treasure in this castle than in the first one.

When he had seen all, he gave the keys to the housekeeper till he should need them. He slept as on the day before, then drove the cows home in the evening.

The king said: ”I have _the_ luck since you came to me. My cows give three times as much milk to-day as they did yesterday.”

”Well,” said Sean Ruadh, ”have you any account of the urfeist?”

”He didn't come to-day,” said the king; ”but he may come to-morrow.”

Sean Ruadh went out with the king's cows on the third day, and drove them to the third giant's land, who came out and fought a more desperate battle than either of the other two; but the cowboy pushed him down among the gray rocks to his shoulders and killed him.

At the castle of the third giant he was received with gladness by the housekeeper, who showed him the treasures and gave him the keys; but he left the keys with her till he should need them. That evening the king's cows had more milk than ever before.

On the fourth day Sean Ruadh went out with the cows, but stopped at the first giant's castle. The housekeeper at his command brought out the dress of the giant, which was all black. He put on the giant's apparel, black as night, and girded on his sword of light. Then he mounted the black-haired steed, which overtook the wind before, and outstripped the wind behind; and rus.h.i.+ng on between earth and sky, he never stopped till he came to the beach, where he saw hundreds upon hundreds of kings'

sons, and champions, who were anxious to save the king's daughter, but were so frightened at the terrible urfeist that they would not go near her.

When he had seen the princess and the trembling champions, Sean Ruadh turned his black steed to the castle. Presently the king saw, riding between earth and sky, a splendid stranger, who stopped before him.

”What is that I see on the sh.o.r.e?” asked the stranger. ”Is it a fair, or some great meeting?”

”Haven't you heard,” asked the king, ”that a monster is coming to destroy my daughter to-day?”

”No, I haven't heard anything,” answered the stranger, who turned away and disappeared.

Soon the black horseman was before the princess, who was sitting alone on a rock near the sea. As she looked at the stranger, she thought he was the finest man on earth, and her heart was cheered.

”Have you no one to save you?” he asked.

”No one.”

”Will you let me lay my head on your lap till the urfeist comes? Then rouse me.”

He put his head on her lap and fell asleep. While he slept, the princess took three hairs from his head and hid them in her bosom. As soon as she had hidden the hairs, she saw the urfeist coming on the sea, great as an island, and throwing up water to the sky as he moved. She roused the stranger, who sprang up to defend her.

The urfeist came upon sh.o.r.e, and was advancing on the princess with mouth open and wide as a bridge, when the stranger stood before him and said: ”This woman is mine, not yours!”

Then drawing his sword of light, he swept off the monster's head with a blow; but the head rushed back to its place, and grew on again.

In a twinkle the urfeist turned and went back to the sea; but as he went, he said: ”I'll be here again to-morrow, and swallow the whole world before me as I come.”

”Well,” answered the stranger, ”maybe another will come to meet you.”

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