Part 7 (1/2)

You always were a neighbourly lad, Donald. You wouldn't wish to keep the luck all to yourself?”

”True for you, Hudden, though 'tis a bad example you set me. But I'll not be thinking of old times. There is plenty for all there, so come along with me.”

Off they trudged, with a light heart and an eager step. When they came to the Brown Lake the sky was full of little white clouds, and, if the sky was full, the lake was as full.

”Ah! now, look, there they are,” cried Donald, as he pointed to the clouds in the lake.

”Where? where?” cried Hudden, and ”Don't be greedy!” cried Dudden, as he jumped his hardest to be up first with the fat cattle. But if he jumped first, Hudden wasn't long behind.

They never came back. Maybe they got too fat, like the cattle. As for Donald O'Neary, he had cattle and sheep all his days to his heart's content.

The Shepherd of Myddvai

[Ill.u.s.tration:]

Up in the Black Mountains in Caermarthens.h.i.+re lies the lake known as Lyn y Van Vach. To the margin of this lake the shepherd of Myddvai once led his lambs, and lay there whilst they sought pasture.

Suddenly, from the dark waters of the lake, he saw three maidens rise.

Shaking the bright drops from their hair and gliding to the sh.o.r.e they wandered about amongst his flock. They had more than mortal beauty, and he was filled with love for her that came nearest to him. He offered her the bread he had with him, and she took it and tried it, but then sang to him:

”Hard-baked is thy bread, 'Tis not easy to catch me,”

and then ran off laughing to the lake.

Next day he took with him bread not so well done, and watched for the maidens. When they came ash.o.r.e he offered his bread as before, and the maiden tasted it and sang:

”Unbaked is thy bread, I will not have thee,”

and again disappeared in the waves.

A third time did the shepherd of Myddvai try to attract the maiden, and this time he offered bread that he had found floating about near the sh.o.r.e. This pleased her, and she promised to become his wife if he were able to pick her out from among her sisters on the following day.

When the time came the shepherd knew his love by the strap of her sandal. Then she told him she would be as good a wife to him as any earthly maiden could be unless he should strike her three times without cause. Of course he deemed that this could never be; and she summoning from the lake three cows, two oxen, and a bull, as her marriage portion, was led homeward by him as his bride.

The years pa.s.sed happily, and three children were born to the shepherd and the lake-maiden. But one day they were going to a christening, and she said to her husband it was far to walk, so he told her to go for the horses.

”I will,” said she, ”If you bring me my gloves which I've left in the house.”

But when he came back with the gloves he found she had not gone for the horses; so he tapped her lightly on the shoulder with the gloves, and said, ”Go, go.”

”That's one,” said she.

Another time they were at a wedding, when suddenly the lake-maiden fell a-sobbing and a-weeping, amid the joy and mirth of all around her.

Her husband tapped her on the shoulder, and asked her, ”Why do you weep?”

”Because they are entering into trouble; and trouble is upon you; for that is the second causeless blow you have given me. Be careful; the third is the last.”