he did not choose to lose the laird's reward. And though the thing
roared to him to stop, yet the sprightly tailor was not the man to
be beholden to a monster. So he held his trews tight, and let no
darkness grow under his feet, until he had reached Saddell Castle.
He had no sooner got inside the gate, and shut it, than the
apparition came up to it; and, enraged at losing his prize, struck
the wall above the gate, and left there the mark of his five great
fingers. Ye may see them plainly to this day, if ye'll only peer
close enough.

But the sprightly tailor gained his reward: for Macdonald paid him
handsomely for the trews, and never discovered that a few of the
stitches were somewhat long.



THE STORY OF DEIRDRE

There was a man in Ireland once who was called Malcolm Harper. The
man was a right good man, and he had a goodly share of this world's
goods. He had a wife, but no family. What did Malcolm hear but that
a soothsayer had come home to the place, and as the man was a right
good man, he wished that the soothsayer might come near them.
Whether it was that he was invited or that he came of himself, the
soothsayer came to the house of Malcolm.

"Are you doing any soothsaying?" says Malcolm.

"Yes, I am doing a little. Are you in need of soothsaying?"