West Irish folk-tales and romances/8

by William Larminie

THE SERVANT^[1] OF POVERTY.

Narrator, P. Minahan, Malinmore, Glencolumkille, co. Donegal.

THERE was a rich farmer there. He was going from home to buy cattle The king and the farmer met. Each of them got a letter that there was a young son born to the farmer, a young daughter to the king. They were rejoiced when they heard it. They went both into a tavern to drink a glass. They made it up that if the children would agree to it they would have them married. They went home then. They were rejoiced at the children.

It was not long after that when the farmer died. His wife was broken up. She had nothing but the child. She had to sell the farm and the stock. She was not worth a penny. She was bringing up the child till he was fit to go to school. He would be out on the street, and anyone who would have anything to carry, the boy would carry it for him. They would give him sixpence or a shilling. He would give that to the master of the school, till the last of it was spent. He was coming on with his learning, till he was a good scholar. He was on the street one day. The king was there. The king bought a quarter of mutton. The king looked about him. He saw the little boy opposite watching him. He asked him would he carry it. The boy said he would carry. The king went with the boy. When they came to the house the king gave him half-a-crown. The boy went home rejoiced. He gave that to the master. He was at school till the half-crown was spent. One day the daughter of the king was on the street. She bought a parcel of clothes. She looked about her. The boy was behind her. She asked him would he carry the parcel. He said he would carry. The two went to the king's house. When the king saw the two coming in, he went laughing. The girl gave the boy another half-crown. She asked her father what was the reason of his laughing. Her father said there was none. The girl said there was no harm in it. The king said that at one time the boy was as good as herself. He told her everything that had passed, nor did she pretend anything. She had an eye on the boy from that out. She was giving him money to keep him at school, till he was a good scholar, till he was growing too big to be at school.

“What would you think of being a pedlar?” said she.

“I have no money,” said the boy.

She gave him five pounds. He went to buy hardware. He met a fighting cock. He bet his five pounds on the cock. The cock was beaten, and his five pounds were lost on him. He went home then. She met him at the end of a couple of days.

“How did you get on?” said she.

“I met a fighting cock. I bet my five pounds on the cock. The cock was beaten. I lost the five pounds.”

“Well! here are five other pounds,” said the girl. “Do no foolishness with them, till you buy the hardware.”

He went then. He fell in with a race-horse. He took a conceit on the horse. He bet the five pounds. The beast was beaten. The five pounds were lost. He had to go home. He was afraid to come across the girl. He was leaving the way for fear he should meet her. He met her one day.

“Well, how did you get on?” said she.

“I believe you will kill me,” said he. “I lost the five pounds again.”

“Well,” said she, “unless there was venture in you, you would not have lost them. If you got five pounds more, I think you would not lose them.”

“I would not,” said he.

She gave him five pounds more. He went. He bought the five pounds' worth of hardware. He came home. He went pedlaring. He was doing well till he sold everything. He doubled his money. He came home then. She met him.

“You have made your way home,” said she.

“I have made,” said he.

“How did you get on?” said she.

“Very well,” said he. “I have doubled my money.”

“Buy ten pounds' worth now,” said she.

He bought the ten pounds' worth. He struck to pedlaring again, till he sold the ten pounds' worth. He came home then. She met him.

“You have got home,” said she.

“I have got,” said he.

“How did you succeed?” said she.

“Very well,” said he; “I have twenty pounds now.”

“Good you are,” said she. “Buy twenty pounds' worth now.”

He was buying and selling, till his pack was so heavy that he was tired with it. He came home. She met him. He said he was growing tired carrying the pack. Would she give him leave to buy a beast to carry it? She said she would give him leave. He went to buy a beast. He was buying and selling then till he had a great deal of money. He came home then. She came to him. He asked her would she give him leave to set up a shop in the town. He was afraid he would be killed for his money. She said she would give him leave. He set up a shop then and he laid in a stock. He was selling as much as any two in the city.

The king was dealing with a merchant from London. He came to Dublin to settle with the king. They went to settle. They could not agree. They got a couple of clerks to settle between them. The clerks could not settle it all. They were three days sitting at the settling. They failed. The king came home at night. His daughter came to him.

“How are you and the London man getting on?”

“They have failed to settle it,” said the king.

“Did you try the shopman?” said she. “They say he has good learning.”

“We did not try,” said he.

“Try him to-morrow,” said she.

He went on the morning of the morrow. They sat down to the settling again. They sent word for the shopman. He came. He began to look into the books. He made it up in a moment between the king and the man from London. The king was satisfied then. He went home. His daughter asked him how he got on. The king said he got on very well, that he never saw a better scholar. The London man came to the young man the next day, to find out how much he would take for a year. The young man said he could not leave his shop. The London man said he would give him more than he would make by his shop in a year. He made advice to go with him. He went home. He went to find out if she would give him leave. She said she would give. He put his shop to auction. He sold it out. He made ready to go with the man from London. He went with him then. He was sending letters to her. She was reading them. When the year was up, he was making ready to go home. The London man said to him to stay another year. He made advice to stay. He remained another year. When the year was up he made ready to go. He filled a ship full of every kind of goods. He bade the captain go to Dublin in the name of Kayleh-na-Bochtjinacht. When the captain came to Dublin there was no one at all of that name to be found. He did not know what to do. He had nothing for it but to return home. He was angry. The king was in the city. He went to tell at home that there was a ship was come from London with a cargo of goods, in the name of Kayleh-na-Bochtjinacht, and that there was no one at all in the place of that name.

“Well,” said the king's daughter, “the cargo will go to loss. Prepare a store of your own, and empty the cargo into it. Perhaps the owner will come to look for it.”

The king got men, and they unloaded the cargo into the store. The captain was rejoiced when he got the vessel unloaded. When two years were up with Kayleh-na-Bochtjinacht he was coming home. He was walking round by the foot of the sea. A collegian met him, going the same road. He asked Kayleh-na-Bochtjinacht where he was going. Kayleh answered he did not know well where he was going; that he made a herring-net, and the first night he put it out he had not seen it since; that he was walking round by the foot of the sea to look if he could find it rolled on to a stone.

“Where are you going yourself?”

“I am going to Dublin, to be married to the daughter of the king.”

“Well, I will be with you a bit of the way.”

A rainy day came on them, and they were greatly wet. This young man, he was all but perished with cold.

“If you had your own house from the town with you, you would not be wet.”

They went on till they came to a river. There was no bridge at all on the river. Kayleh-na-Bochtjinacht went out into the river. He went across. The young champion went out after him till he was all but lost. When he got to the other side of the river, “I was all but lost,” said he.

“Well, if you had your own bridge with you, you would not be lost.”

They went on another while. The champion said he was hungry. Kayleh said, “If you had your mother with you from home, you would not be hungry.”

Kayleh had a loaf with him. He drew it out and took his dinner. They went on then till they came to Dublin. Kayleh stopped at the end of the town. The young champion went to the king's house. He was all but famished. He went into the parlour then. They took their dinner. They were passing fun. The young woman was with them.

“Well,” said the young champion, “there was a fine man with me to-day, he had the silliest talk ever I heard. When I met him, I asked him how far he was going. He said he did not well know; that he made a herring-net; the first night he put it out into the sea he never had a sight of it since; that he was walking by the foot of the sea, to look if he would fall in with it in a creek, or rolled on a rock. We went on another while. A day of rain came. We were wet greatly. I called out that I was wet.

“‘Well,’ said the man, ‘if you had your house with you, you would not be wet.’

“We went on another while, till we came to a river. There was a great flood in the river. The man went out. He went to the other side. I went out after him, so that I was all but lost. I said I was all but lost. ‘If you had your bridge with you, you would have had no fear of being lost.’ We went on another while. I said I was hungry. ‘Well,’ said the man, ‘if you had your mother with you from home, you would not have been hungry.’” The king was listening to him.

“Well,” said he, “when you called out that you were wet, that man had a top-coat on, that didn't let a drop in. When you called out you were all but lost on the river, if you had a nag you would not have been afraid. The other man had a good horse.”

“He had,” said the champion.

“As good as I ever saw,” said the king's daughter.

“How far was he with you?”

“He was with me to the end of the city.”

She arose standing. She went out, nor did she stop till she was in the city, in the place where was Kayleh-na-Bochtjinacht. She took a hold of him by the hand. She bade him welcome home. He got up and opened a travelling bag. He gave her a silk gown. He put it on her. He put silk clothes entirely on her. The two went till they came to the king's house. The king and the champion thought the bride was in a room inside. There was a knock at the door. The housemaid arose and opened it. The young couple came in. They asked the maid if the priest was in the king's house. She said he was; that the champion and the king's daughter were to be married. “I would like to see the king,” said Kayleh. The maid went to the king. She told him there was a gentleman to see the wedding. The king arose. He opened the parlour door. Kayleh came to him. He said he was a stranger, that he had a woman with him to get married to; he would be thankful to the king to get the first chance of being married. The king said he would give it to him and welcome. The young couple went into the room where the priest was. They were married. They came out and they married. The bride came forward to the king and the champion. She took hold of the young champion by the shoulder. She told him to go home to his mother—“The silly man that was with you to-day, I am married to him now.” “You thought you were wise,” said the king; “but it is you were the fool, not that man.” He had nothing for it then but to get up and go home. The king's daughter then told her father who the husband was she had. There was great joy on the king then that the lad got on so well.

They built a big house then in the city. When it was ready, they put into it the goods that were in the store. The master that was in London came into the harbour with his ship. When Kayleh heard he was there he was rejoiced. He went out to see him. The captain was rejoiced to see him. Kayleh went praising his wife. “You are a fool,” said the captain; “maybe she's the worst in the world.” “How much will you wager on it? I'll lay my shop against your ship that you won't find her yielding.”

They laid the wager. The captain was going out then. “What proof shall I bring that I have had my way with her.” “There is a gold ring on her finger. Have that for me.” “Stay you here,” said the captain, “till I come.”

The captain went on shore. He went to her. She was rejoiced to see him. She said to herself that the captain was taking liberties with her. She went into a room. She locked the door and left his sight. The captain did not know then what to do. He was afraid his ship was lost. He went to the kitchen to the maid. He drew out a purse of money. He said he would give her the purse if she would open the door of the room. She covered the money. She took the lock off the door. The captain went to the woman. He said he would not leave the room till she drank a drop of his whiskey. To get rid of him she drank a drop of the whiskey. What was in it but a sleeping drop! She fell asleep. The captain took the ring from her finger. He went to Kayleh. When Kayleh saw he had the ring, the shop was lost. He went home. When the woman saw she had lost the ring, she knew it was all over with her. She went away. He was raging with anger. If he got hold of her he would kill her. She went away ashamed. The captain went to live in the house. He was selling the goods. Kayleh went off wandering. She went and put a mans clothes on her. She went to a city. She went to a tailor's shop. She asked the tailor if he wanted a young man. The tailor said he would not mind taking one. She made it up with him. She would sell as much as three. He thought it was a man was with him. He was with him for a year. A poor man came to the city selling brooms. He spent a couple of days in the city. The mob was casting it up to that tailor that a man from his country was selling brooms. She said there was never a man from her country who sold brooms. She rose out one evening. She went through the city to try if she could find him. She met him, and he with a load of brooms. She asked him if that was his means of living. The poor man said it was—that he was all that day, and few were the brooms he sold. She asked him how much he got for them apiece. He said he got only a halfpenny. She put her hand in her pocket and gave him the price of his load.

“Throw them away from you. Have you any learning at all?” said she.

“I have a trifle,” said the poor man.

“Do you think you could do as a clerk in a shop?”

“I think I could do.”

The tailor went and bought a suit of clothes for him. She put them on him. He and the tailor went to the shop.

“Here's a young man I have got for you,” said she.

He hired the young man for a year. The young man came to him and was serving him well. Better was the learning that he had than the shopman's. The tailor was content as they were together. They were the two comrades; nor did he ever recognise the tailor. They were a couple of years in the city. One day the tailor said they were there long enough, and would go home for a while now. He said he would never go home. She said she would, that they would get a place as good as to be there. They got ready and were drawing towards Dublin. The clerk said he would not go near the city. She said she would go. They walked on till they came to the city. There was no going through the street for the clerk. He became sorrowful and troubled. They were walking till they came to the house they used to live in.

“This is a good house,” said the tailor; “we'll go in to see if they will keep us for the night.”

“We will not go into that house on any account.”

“We'll go to no other place but that,” said the tailor.

They went in and got place till morning. The captain was living there always. There were gentlemen dining with him. The tailor was making fun for the girls in the kitchen. He began dancing and singing. The clerk was sitting under the window, with his head bent down. When the gentlemen heard the singing and the dancing in the kitchen, they opened the parlour door to see the tailor playing his music. They bade him come up to the parlour, to themselves. He said he would like to have his companion with him. They bade the two come. The two went up. They got whiskey. They made the tailor sing. He was performing a while. He looked about him.

“This is a fine house you have,” said he. “I have travelled far enough, but I never in my travellings met with a better house than this of yours.”

“Simply I got this house.” He told the gentlemen how he came into the house.

“Well,” said the tailor, “you bear witness to everything you have heard. I was the woman, that was in the house, to whom that happened.”

She opened her bosom to show it was a woman.

“Get up, you gillie over there.” She locked the parlour door. Kayleh went for the police. The police came. They arrested the captain. The gentlemen were witnesses. The captain was put in prison. She put off the tailors clothes then. They arrested the maid and put her in prison. They fell into their house and place again. They were then as they were ever. The report went out through the city that Kayleh and the king's daughter were in their own house again. The king then made a dinner and invited them to it. They were eating and drinking for three nights and three days.

1. Or “Spouse of Poverty."