The Battle of the Birds · page 21 2 3101"Say on," says the king's son.102The giant took him to the byre.103"Now," says the giant, "a hundred cattle are stabled here, and it has not been cleansed for seven years.104I am going from home to-day, and if this byre is not cleaned before night comes, so clean that a golden apple will run from end to end of it, not only thou shalt not get my daughter, but 'tis only a drink of thy fresh, goodly, beautiful blood that will quench my thirst this night."105He begins cleaning the byre, but he might just as well to keep baling the great ocean.106After midday when sweat was blinding him, the giant's youngest daughter came where he was, and she said to him:107"You are being punished, king's son."108"I am that," says the king's son.109"Come over," says Auburn Mary, "and lay down your weariness."110"I will do that," says he, "there is but death awaiting me, at any rate."111He sat down near her.112He was so tired that he fell asleep beside her.113When he awoke, the giant's daughter was not to be seen, but the byre was so well cleaned that a golden apple would run from end to end of it and raise no stain.114In comes the giant, and he said:115"Hast thou cleaned the byre, king's son?"116"I have cleaned it," says he.117"Somebody cleaned it," says the giant.118"You did not clean it, at all events," said the king's son.119"Well, well!" says the giant, "since thou wert so active to-day, thou wilt get to this time to-morrow to thatch this byre with birds' down, from birds with no two feathers of one colour."120The king's son was on foot before the sun; he caught up his bow and his quiver of arrows to kill the birds.121He took to the moors, but if he did, the birds were not so easy to take.122He was running after them till the sweat was blinding him.123About mid-day who should come but Auburn Mary.124"You are exhausting yourself, king's son," says she.125"I am," said he.126"There fell but these two blackbirds, and both of one colour."127"Come over and lay down your weariness on this pretty hillock," says the giant's daughter.128"It's I am willing," said he.129He thought she would aid him this time, too, and he sat down near her, and he was not long there till he fell asleep.130When he awoke, Auburn Mary was gone.131He thought he would go back to the house, and he sees the byre thatched with feathers.132When the giant came home, he said:133"Hast thou thatched the byre, king's son?"134"I thatched it," says he.135"Somebody thatched it," says the giant.136"You did not thatch it," says the king's son.137"Yes, yes!" says the giant. "138Now," says the giant, "there is a fir tree beside that loch down there, and there is a magpie's nest in its top.139The eggs thou wilt find in the nest.140I must have them for my first meal.141Not one must be burst or broken, and there are five in the nest."142Early in the morning the king's son went where the tree was, and that tree was not hard to hit upon.143Its match was not in the whole wood.144From the foot to the first branch was five hundred feet.145The king's son was going all round the tree.146She came who was always bringing help to him.147"You are losing the skin of your hands and feet."148"Ach!149I am," says he. "150I am no sooner up than down."151"This is no time for stopping," says the giant's daughter. "152Now you must kill me, strip the flesh from my bones, take all those bones apart, and use them as steps for climbing the tree.153When you are climbing the tree, they will stick to the glass as if they had grown out of it; but when you are coming down, and have put your foot on each one, they will drop into your hand when you touch them.154Be sure and stand on each bone, leave none untouched; if you do, it will stay behind.155Put all my flesh into this clean cloth by the side of the spring at the roots of the tree.156When you come to the earth, arrange my bones together, put the flesh over them, sprinkle it with water from the spring, and I shall be alive before you.157But don't forget a bone of me on the tree."158"How could I kill you," asked the king's son, "after what you have done for me?"159"If you won't obey, you and I are done for," said Auburn Mary. "160You must climb the tree, or we are lost; and to climb the tree you must do as I say."161The king's son obeyed.162He killed Auburn Mary, cut the flesh from her body, and unjointed the bones, as she had told him.163As he went up, the king's son put the bones of Auburn Mary's body against the side of the tree, using them as steps, till he came under the nest and stood on the last bone.164Then he took the eggs, and coming down, put his foot on every bone, then took it with him, till he came to the last bone, which was so near the ground that he failed to touch it with his foot.165He now placed all the bones of Auburn Mary in order again at the side of the spring, put the flesh on them, sprinkled it with water from the spring.166She rose up before him, and said: "Didn't I tell you not to leave a bone of my body without stepping on it?167Now I am lame for life!168You left my little finger on the tree without touching it, and I have but nine fingers."169"Now," says she, "go home with the eggs quickly, and you will get me to marry to-night if you can know me.170I and my two sisters will be arrayed in the same garments, and made like each other, but look at me when my father says, 'Go to thy wife, king's son;' and you will see a hand without a little finger."171He gave the eggs to the giant.172"Yes, yes!" says the giant, "be making ready for your marriage."173Then, indeed, there was a wedding, and it _was_ a wedding!174Giants and gentlemen, and the son of the king of the Green City was in the midst of them.175They were married, and the dancing began, that was a dance!176The giant's house was shaking from top to bottom.177But bed time came, and the giant said, "It is time for thee to go to rest, son of the king of Tethertown; choose thy bride to take with thee from amidst those."178She put out the hand off which the little finger was, and he caught her by the hand.179"Thou hast aimed well this time too; but there is no knowing but we may meet thee another way," said the giant.180But to rest they went. "181Now," says she, "sleep not, or else you are a dead man.182We must fly quick, quick, or for certain my father will kill you."183Out they went, and on the blue grey filly in the stable they mounted. "184Stop a while," says she, "and I will play a trick to the old hero."185She jumped in, and cut an apple into nine shares, and she put two shares at the head of the bed, and two shares at the foot of the bed, and two shares at the door of the kitchen, and two shares at the big door, and one outside the house.186The giant awoke and called, "Are you asleep?"187"Not yet," said the apple that was at the head of the bed.188At the end of a while he called again.189"Not yet," said the apple that was at the foot of the bed.190A while after this he called again: "Are your asleep?"191"Not yet," said the apple at the kitchen door.192The giant called again.193The apple that was at the big door answered.194"You are now going far from me," says the giant.195"Not yet," says the apple that was outside the house.196"You are flying," says the giant.197The giant jumped on his feet, and to the bed he went, but it was cold--empty.198"My own daughter's tricks are trying me," said the giant. "199Here's after them," says he.200At the mouth of day, the giant's daughter said that her father's breath was burning her back.1 2 3← previous"andrew Coffey! Andrew Coffey!"next →Brewery of Eggshells↑ back to Celtic Fairy TalesThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg7885/31/page/2/