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WitH THE StToRY TELLERS

And as he listened to the lay

He now felt sad, and now felt gay,

For a master hand the strings did sway;
No longer could he hide.

So quickly he skippd o’er the moat,

And round him tightly drew his coat;

For in the evening, on the hill,

The cooling air is apt to chill;

But no one near the place had been,
Though plain he heard them say:

“Come, Robert Hailey! if you’re seen

Again upon this hill so green;

We’ll take you up before our queen,
And in the moat you'll stay.

Such words did Robert greatly scare,

Not knowing yet how he might fare:

He turned to flee, but turning slipped,

Else by the fairies was he tripped,

And headlong on the sward was flung,
Then burst their elfish roar:

As to the steep hillside he clung,

The moat with laughter fairly rung;

His ear some vicious insect stung,
And left him deaf and sore.

 

Pat Kenna raising up his head

Surveyed the crowd, and this much said:
“There stands Thade Callnan over there;
Come here Pat Burke, give him your chair!
And let him talk of Emly’s fair,

Or race, or pattern, I don’t care.”

Thade Callnan was no bashful man,

But took the chair and thus began:

52