The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-01-13

/
seven years apprenticeship with him, he
would shoe her so that she could walk
| up the Hill of Harrowplns and down the
| Hill of Glass, and follow Cailly Coo-Coo.
She agreed to this, and served seven
| years to the Blacksmith of the Hill of
| Harrowpins, and at the end of that time,
| he shod her. and she climbed the Hill of
| Harrowpins and went down the H4ll of
| Glass, safe and unhurt and Travelled away
and away on and on before her, over hill,
| hight and hollow, moor. mountain and
| scrug lone valley and green glen until
| at last and at length she one day came
| to where "A river was flowing by a great
| beautiful castle.
| At this river there were a great crowd
| of women gathered, and one of them was
| washing a shirt. She asked the women
! what they were doing here, and they
| told her that the Prince of this country,
| who lived in that beautiful castle, had
| been long time enchanted and away,
| but he had returned home seven years
ago, a most beautiful young man. Since
then all his people had been trying to
make him marry, but he refused, saying
that he was married to a beautiful girl in
Ireland who was on her way after him.
But a year had gone by, and two years
had gone by, and five years had gone by,
and seven years had gone by, and this
girl had not come, so the people had lost
all patience and demanded that he should
marry. Upon which, after three days ana
three nights thinking, he consented that
whatever young woman would wash the
blood-stains out of this shirt which was
now in the river. should be his wife. But
they believed they were enchanted blood
stains for every woman there had tried,
and none could wash them out.
'Let me try" said Maeve And went
frru s.t-1 "A ffa1y he Chi ~ u, haV dc
| and at one rub the blood-stains were gone.
Then big girl that was there, struck
her and knocked her down, stunned and
took the shirt and ran with it to the cas-
tie, saying she had washed out the blood
stains.
Now Hen-wife (Hen-wife was the old
woman about castles who looked after the
hens, and who had generally supernatural
powers). whom the Prince had consulted,
and who had put the drops of blood on
the shirt for him, had told him that no
woman could wash out those stains except
| his own wife. On the strength of that
| he had given his promise to marry her
who would wash them out. Out of his
promise now, he knew he could not get,
| so when this girl appeared and showed
! the spots washed out clear. the Prince
! took TO heart so much his being compelled
| to marry her, that he was seized with
a raging fever, and the servants had to
! put him into his bed Then this girl in,
sisted that none but her had a right to
/ nurse him, and she was by his bed botn
day and night.
When Maeve recovered, the Hen-wife
took her home, and kept her in her cabin
After some days the Prince was getting
better, and it was announced that in
three days more he would be married to
the girl, Nuala, who was now nursing
him.
There was a scullion from the castle
whom this girl used to send on errands
and on this day she came on an errand
to the Hen-wife's. Her hair was very
tattery and ill-cared for.
Maeve said: will you let me comb your
hair for you" And she combed it with
the comb which she had got from one
of the women in the woods and the soul
lion went back to the castle with hair the
most beautiful that had ever been seen,
and the ends of it hanging with beads of
silver and gold.
Nuala sent her back to the Hen-wifes
to ask what Maeve would take for the
comb.
Maeve said "She can have the comb.
if she let's me nurse the Prince for
night"
This was agreed to, and the comb was
sent to Nuala But she turned the Prince
to the wall and gave him sleeping drops
before she gave him in charge of Maeve.
All that night, Maeve. as she sat by
his side and held his hand, sang to him
Far have l brought thee, far have l
sought thee; two bonny children borne
unto thee. Seven years to the Black
smith served; l climbed the Hill of Har
rowpins and came down the Hill of
Glass and three drops of blood washed
out of your shirt. Won't my bonny, bon
ny husband turn unto me?" But she did
not get word out of him until she left
in the morning.
The next day when the scullion came to
the Hen wife's. her dress Hes all rag
ged, poor, and bad.
Maeve said: Let me fix your dress for
you" and taking her needle put one stitch
in the dress, and all a once on the scul-
lion was one of the most beautiful silk
dresses, sparkling with goh and silver
spangles, that had ever been seen. And
when the scullion went back to the
castle, Nuaa sent her to inquire what
Maeve would take for this needle.
Maeve said: zone night to nurse the
Prince"
Nuala agreed 10 this. but as on. the night
before. she gave him sleeping drops be-
fore Maeve took charge of him. And all
that night Maeve held his hand and sang
to him: Far have 1 brought thee, far
have / sought thee; two bonny children
borne unto thee. Seven years 90 the
Blacksmith served; l climbed the Hill of
Harrowpins and came down the Hin of
Glass and three drops of blood washed
out OF your shirt. Won't my bonny, bon
nv husband turn unto me?" But not one
word did she set from the Prince until the
day broke, and she left.
on the next day the scullion was at the
Hen-wife's again. She was a very, very
ugly girl, this scullion, with very dirty
face.
Maeve said: Let me wash your face
for you," and wetting her towel sho
washed the scu.lion's face, and then the
scullion was the most beautiful girl that
had ever been seen; and when she went
back to the castle, Nuala sent her again
to the Hen-wlfes to ask what would
Maeve take for this towel.
Maeve said: lone night to nurse the
Prince" which was agreed to.
The Prince had servant who always
slept in the next room to him, and he
had been kept awake for two nights by
Maeve talking to the sleeping Prince.
and on the second night he had listened
closely and heard some of the words, and
now on this day, ne told the Prince about
It and asked him what 1t meant
The Prince was astonished and he told
him to say nothing, but walt until he
should see. He remembered that on the
two nights mast, Nuala had mad- him take