as each son was born Prince Florentine carried the little thing away
on his back over the sea to where the queen his mother lived and left
the little one with her.

Seven years passed thus and then a great trouble came to them. For the
Earl Mar wished to marry his daughter to a noble of high degree who
came wooing her. Her father pressed her sore but she said: "Father
dear, I do not wish to marry; I can be quite happy with Coo-my-dove
here."

Then her father got into a mighty rage and swore a great big oath, and
said: "To-morrow, so sure as I live and eat, I'll twist that birdie's
neck," and out he stamped from her room.

"Oh, oh!" said Coo-my-dove; "it's time that I was away," and so he
jumped upon the window-sill and in a moment was flying away. And he
flew and he flew till he was over the deep, deep sea, and yet on he
flew till he came to his mother's castle. Now the queen his mother was
taking her walk abroad when she saw the pretty dove flying overhead
and alighting on the castle walls.

"Here, dancers come and dance your jigs," she called, "and pipers,
pipe you well, for here's my own Florentine, come back to me to stay
for he's brought no bonny boy with him this time."

"No, mother," said Florentine, "no dancers for me and no minstrels,
for my dear wife, the mother of my seven, boys, is to be wed to-
morrow, and sad's the day for me."

"What can I do, my son?" said the queen, "tell me, and it shall be