said
to him:

"Leave your much talking, or I will cut the head off you. Tell me the
news of the death of Anshgayliacht."

"Oh, you can have my head."

"But your head is no good to me. Tell me the story."

"Oh," said Niall's wife, "you must get the story."

"Oh," said Morraha, "is the woman your wife?"

"Oh," said the man, "is it not you that have the story?"

"Oh," said she, "you will tell it to us."

"Well," said the man, "let us sit down together till I tell the story. I
thought no one would ever get it, but now it will be heard by all."

When I was growing up my mother taught me the language of the birds, and
when I got married I used to be listening to their conversation; and I
would be laughing; and my wife would be asking me what was the reason of
my laughing, but I did not like to tell her, as women are always asking
questions. We went out walking one fine morning, and the birds were
arguing with one another. One of them said to another:

"Why should you be making comparison with me, when there is not a king
nor knight that does not come to look at my tree?"

"Oh, what advantage has your tree over mine, on which there are three
rods of magic and mastery growing?"

When I heard them arguing, and knew that the rods were there, I began to
laugh.

"Oh," said my wife, "why are you always laughing? I believe it is at
myself you are jesting, and I'll walk with you no more."

"Oh, it is not about you I am laughing. It is because I understand the
language of the birds."

Then I had to tell her what the birds were saying to one another; and
she was greatly delighted, and she asked me to go home, and she gave
orders to the cook to have breakfast ready at six o'clock in the
morning. I did not know why she was going out early, and breakfast was
ready in the morning at the hour she appointed. She asked me to go out
walking. I went with her. She went to the tree, and asked me to cut a
rod for her.

"Oh, I will not cut it. Are we not better without it?"

"I will not leave this till I get the rod, to see if there is any good
in it."

I cut the rod, and gave it to her. She turned from me, and struck a blow
on a stone and changed it; and she struck a second blow on me, and made
of me a black raven, and she went home, and left me after her. I thought
she would come back; she did not come, and I had to go into a tree till
morning. In the morning, at six o'clock, there was a bellman out,
proclaiming that everyo