cket and drew out a table and two chairs and a pack of cards, and
they sat down on the chairs and went to the card-playing. The first game
Morraha won, and the slender red champion bade him make his claim; and
he said that the land above him should be filled with stock of sheep in
the morning. It was well, and he played no second game, but home he
went.

The next day Morraha went to the brink of the sea, and the young man
came in the currach and asked him would he play cards; and they played,
and Morraha won. And the young man bade him make his claim; and he said
that the land above should be filled with cattle in the morning. It was
well, and he played no other game, but went home.

And on the third morning Morraha went to the brink of the sea, and he
saw the young man coming. And he drew up his boat on the shore, and
asked him would he play cards. And they played, and Morraha won the
game; and the young man bade him give his claim. And he said he should
have a castle, and of women the finest and fairest; and they were his.
It was well, and the young man went away.

On the fourth day the woman asked him how he had found himself, and he
told her. "And I am going out," said he, "to play again to-day."

"I cross (forbid) you go again to him. If you have won so much, you
will lose more; and have no more to do with him."

But he went against her will, and he saw the currach coming, and the
young man was driving his balls from end to end of the currach. He had
balls of silver and a hurl of gold, and he stopped not till he drew his
boat on the shore, and made her fast for a year and a day. And Morraha
and he saluted each other; and he asked Morraha if he would play a game
of cards, and they played and he won. And Morraha said to him, "Give
your claim, now."

Said he, "You will hear it too soon. I lay on you the bonds of the art
of the Druid not to sleep two nights in one house, nor finish a second
meal at the one table, till you bring me the sword of light and news of
the death of Anshgayliacht."

He went down to his wife, and sat down in a chair, and gave a groan, and
the chair broke in pieces.

"It is the son of a king under spells you are," said his wife; "and you
had better have taken my counsel than that the spells should be on you."
He said to her to bring news of the death of Anshgayliacht and the sword
of light to the slender red champion.

"Go out," said she, "in the morning of the morrow, and take the brid