The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1895-10-24


her for Lock of that beautiful green
hair of hers. 'Twasn t such bad idea
So the good people asked her for the
hair accordingly. An. bein woman,
though only sea woman, the princess
was nightly pleased at the compliment
tary way they put the request
she smiled sweeter nor ever before,
an says she: 1t will be done as we say
But To reward your kindness, an i'll or.
der that ye ray find some use in my
gift, will add something to the pres
emit
Then, acushla, she took her eldest
sons sharp sword All cut off big lock of
her hair. Beckonin to the people, she
began to walk up to the cliffs and along
the top, till she came to quiet spot
something like this.
"What dye think she did next?
Stoopin down over the cliff, she planted
the lovely green hair i'll little Granny
of the rock, an filled up the Granny with
loose earth. Then she said something in
the sea language, an waved her golden
wand over the hair as it floated on the
wind The hair seemed to change the
minute she did so. 1t shriveled up an
became just the moral of this piece of
Carrigeen moss IN my hand Now,
SAYS the princess, there is a token that
will last We forever When the cruel
famine strikes ye and food runs short,
this green plant will always be found
growing among the rocks. Eat it, my
children 1t will sustain we when all
else fails The last words were hardly
out of her pretty mouth when she took
one tremendous jump an plunged from
the top Of the rocks into the sea The
people saw just one flash of her golden
wand and one CLEAN of her long green
hair before she vanished in a big white
wave and was gone from their eyes for
ever.
But, sure enough, Noreen achanie,
the Carrigeen moss still remains grow
i'll III the rocks, an, as | said afore, It's
very good tood-when ye cant get
nothin else. Eyah, but my dhudeen's
could, al It's time to open that red
hankercher an see what S good inside. -
Little Noreen took the bunch of Car
rigeen moss and regarded it thought
fully.
so this was once sea princess
hairs, " she said.
Aye, ayic, " answered old Meehaul
AT least that the story"
." Twas mighty kind of that sea
princess. / wonder, gran father, if she's
livin yet
Sure, she is. arooueen. Them fairies
never die at all, at all "
Deity Noreen extracted from her
pocket miniature scissors, and deity
she clipped off tress of her own bon
ME brown hair " Then standing upon
the cliff before her grandfather we'll
knew what she did, she cast the curly
lock with ali her strength toward the
water.
'tThere's keepsake for the sea prin
cess, - She cried gleefully, lin return
for her Carrigeeh moss. Take it, with
Noreen sslove. sea princess ayourneen. ~
The feather light curl wavered for Il
second III air, only to be caught by Il
great clustering breeze that came ramp
ing down the cliffs through the thistlcs
and sand grass. Out to sea, over the
breakers and seething foam, the rough
wind bore its tender burden, and az
Noreen's keen eyes were strained to their
utmost tension she fancied she saw the
tress Of hair sink into the embrace of
big wave that rose 10 receive this dainty
present TO the princess.
Just then the sun came out in all his
glory, and there flashed Il golden, gilt
tering radiance across the sea.
"Eyah. gran father cried Noreeu
her eyes dancing Wiih excitement. "fhr
princess Is pleased. See how she smilc-
at me
But old Moehaul, the sheanuaehio
was not unwisely eating brown breoa
and drinking buttefmilk. - Gerald
Brenan in Atlanta Constitution.