United States or Bolivia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"I haven't got any money," said the Leprecaun, "for Meehawl MacMurrachu of the Hill stole our crock a while back, and he buried it under a thorn bush. I can bring you to the place if you don't believe me." "Very good," said Shawn. "Come on with me now, and I'll clout you if you as much as wriggle; do you mind me?" "What would I wriggle for?" said the Leprecaun: "sure I like being with you."
In the night time we go about the country into people's houses and we clip little pieces off their money, and so, bit by bit, we get a crock of gold together, because, do you see, a Leprecaun has to have a crock of gold so that if he's captured by men folk he may be able to ransom himself.
"What do you have for dinner?" "Potatoes and milk," said Seumas. "It's not bad at all," said the Leprecaun. "And what do you have for supper?" Brigid answered this time because her brother's mouth was full. "Bread and milk, sir," said she. "There's nothing better," said the Leprecaun. "And then we go to bed," continued Brigid. "Why wouldn't you?" said the Leprecaun.
"Listen," said Seumas, "let me be the Leprecaun, and you be the two children, and I will ask you our names." So they did that. The next day the Leprecaun came again. He sat down beside the children and, as before, he was silent for a little time. "Are you not going to ask us our names, sir?" said Seumas. His sister smoothed out her dress shyly. "My name, sir, is Brigid Beg," said she.
"We have brought this, sir," said Seumas. But he got no further, for the instant the Leprecaun saw the crock he threw his arms around it and wept in so loud a voice that his comrades swarmed up to see what had happened to him, and they added their laughter and tears to his, to which chorus the children subjoined their sympathetic clamour, so that a noise of great complexity rang through all the Gort.
"It's what my mother calls me, sir," returned the boy. "What does your father call you," was the next question. "Seumas Roghan Maelduin O'Carbhail Mac an Droid." "It's a big name," said the Leprecaun, and he turned to the little girl. "What is your name, a cailin vig O?" "Brigid Beg, sir." "And what does your father call you?" "He never calls me at all, sir."
Her husband had not come in, the children had not come in, the Leprecaun had not returned as arranged.... A light flashed upon her. The Leprecaun had kidnapped her children! She announced a vengeance against the Leprecauns which would stagger humanity. While in the extreme centre of her ecstasy the Philosopher came through the trees and entered the house.
Hereupon the sergeant roared at the top of his voice. "Attention," said he, and the men leaped to position like automata. "What is it you are going to do with your prisoner, Shawn?" said he sarcastically. "Don't you think we've had enough tramping of these roads for one night, now? Bring up that Leprecaun to the barracks or it'll be the worse for you do you hear me talking to you?"
"If they were at home I wouldn't have come here looking for them," was her reply. "It is my belief that you have them." "Search me," said the Leprecaun, opening his waistcoat. "They are down there in your little house," said the Thin Woman angrily, "and the sooner you let them up the better it will be for yourself and your five brothers."
"Why wouldn't I go with you?" said the Philosopher, and he turned aside with the Leprecaun. They pushed softly through a gap in the hedge and into a field beyond. "Come this way, sir," said his guide, and the Philosopher followed him across the field. In a few minutes they came to a thick bush among the leaves of which the other Leprecauns were hiding.
Word Of The Day