"The Goban Saor was a mason and a smith, and he could do all things, and
he was very witty. He was going from home one time and he said to the
wife 'If it is a daughter you have this time I'll kill you when I come
back'; for up to that time he had no sons, but only daughters. And it
was a daughter she had; but a neighbouring woman had a son at the same
time, and they made an exchange to save the life of the Goban's wife.
But when the boy began to grow up he had no wit, and the Goban knew by
that he was no son of his. That is the reason he wanted a witty wife
for him. So there came a girl to the house one day, and the Goban Saor
bade her look round at all that was in the room, and he said 'Do you
think a couple could get a living out of this?' 'They could not,' she
said. So he said she wouldn't do, and he sent her away. Another girl
came another day, and he bade her take notice of all that was in the
house, and he said 'Do you think could a couple knock a living out of
this?' 'They could if they stopped in it,' she said. So he said that
girl would do. Then he asked her could she bring a sheepskin to the
market and bring back the price of it, and the skin itself as well. She
said she could, and she went to the market, and there she pulled off the
wool and sold it and brought back the price and the skin as well. Then
he asked could she go to the market and not be dressed or undressed. And
she went having only one shoe and one stocking on her, so she was
neither dressed or undressed. Then he sent her to walk neither on the
road or off the road, and she walked on the path beside it. So he said
then she would do as a wife for his son."


AN ADVICE SHE GAVE

"One time some great king or lord sent for the Goban to build a