Hudden and Dudden and Donald O'neary · page 21 2101"Jewels, do you say?102Ah, now, couldn't you take me with you?"103"Well, you're an honest fellow, and as I don't care for the king's daughter, though she's as beautiful as the day, and is covered with jewels from top to toe, you shall have her.104Just undo the cord, and let me out; they tied me up tight, as they knew I'd run away from her."105Out crawled Donald; in crept the farmer.106"Now lie still, and don't mind the shaking; it's only rumbling over the palace steps you'll be.107And maybe they'll abuse you for a vagabond, who won't have the king's daughter; but you needn't mind that.108Ah! it's a deal I'm giving up for you, sure as it is that I don't care for the princess."109"Take my cattle in exchange," said the farmer; and you may guess it wasn't long before Donald was at their tails driving them homewards.110Out came Hudden and Dudden, and the one took one end of the pole, and the other the other.111"I'm thinking he's heavier," said Hudden.112"Ah, never mind," said Dudden; "it's only a step now to the Brown Lake."113"I'll have her now!114I'll have her now!" bawled the farmer, from inside the sack.115"By my faith, and you shall though," said Hudden, and he laid his stick across the sack.116"I'll have her!117I'll have her!" bawled the farmer, louder than ever.118"Well, here you are," said Dudden, for they were now come to the Brown Lake, and, unslinging the sack, they pitched it plump into the lake.119"You'll not be playing your tricks on us any longer," said Hudden.120"True for you," said Dudden. "121Ah, Donald, my boy, it was an ill day when you borrowed my scales."122Off they went, with a light step and an easy heart, but when they were near home, who should they see but Donald O'Neary, and all around him the cows were grazing, and the calves were kicking up their heels and butting their heads together.123"Is it you, Donald?" said Dudden. "124Faith, you've been quicker than we have."125"True for you, Dudden, and let me thank you kindly; the turn was good, if the will was ill.126You'll have heard, like me, that the Brown Lake leads to the Land of Promise.127I always put it down as lies, but it is just as true as my word.128Look at the cattle."129Hudden stared, and Dudden gaped; but they couldn't get over the cattle; fine fat cattle they were too.130"It's only the worst I could bring up with me," said Donald O'Neary; "the others were so fat, there was no driving them.131Faith, too, it's little wonder they didn't care to leave, with grass as far as you could see, and as sweet and juicy as fresh butter."132"Ah, now, Donald, we haven't always been friends," said Dudden, "but, as I was just saying, you were ever a decent lad, and you'll show us the way, won't you?"133"I don't see that I'm called upon to do that; there is a power more cattle down there.134Why shouldn't I have them all to myself?"135"Faith, they may well say, the richer you get, the harder the heart.136You always were a neighbourly lad, Donald.137You wouldn't wish to keep the luck all to yourself?"138"True for you, Hudden, though 'tis a bad example you set me.139But I'll not be thinking of old times.140There is plenty for all there, so come along with me."141Off they trudged, with a light heart and an eager step.142When 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.143"Ah! now, look, there they are," cried Donald, as he pointed to the clouds in the lake.144"Where? where?" cried Hudden, and "Don't be greedy!" cried Dudden, as he jumped his hardest to be up first with the fat cattle.145But if he jumped first, Hudden wasn't long behind.146They never came back.147Maybe they got too fat, like the cattle.148As for Donald O'Neary, he had cattle and sheep all his days to his heart's content.1 2← previousConall Yellowclawnext →The Shepherd of Myddvai↑ back to Celtic Fairy TalesThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg7885/10/page/2/