s
another, "them's the wisest words you ever said, Kauth; it's meeself
won't contradict you."

So said, so done. Not a bit of a plate or dish saw a drop of water that
evening, and not a besom was laid on the floor, and everyone went to bed
soon after sundown. Next morning everything was as fine as fine in the
kitchen, and the lord mayor might eat his dinner off the flags. It was
great ease to the lazy servants, you may depend, and everything went on
well till a foolhardy gag of a boy said he would stay up one night and
have a chat with the pooka. He was a little daunted when the door was
thrown open and the ass marched up to the fire.

"And then, sir," says he at last, picking up courage, "if it isn't
taking a liberty, might I ax who you are, and why you are so kind as to
do half of the day's work for the girls every night?" "No liberty at
all," says the pooka, says he: "I'll tell you, and welcome. I was a
servant in the time of Squire R----'s father, and was the laziest rogue
that ever was clothed and fed, and done nothing for it. When my time
came for the other world, this is the punishment was laid on me to come
here and do all this labour every night, and then go out in the cold. It
isn't so bad in the fine weather; but if you only knew what it is to
stand with your head between your legs, facing the storm from midnight
to sunrise, on a bleak winter night." "And could we do anything for
your comfort, my poor fellow?" says the boy. "Musha, I don't know," says
the pooka; "but I think a good quilted frieze coat would help me to keep
the life in me them long nights." "Why, then, in troth, we'd be the
ungratefullest of people if we didn't feel for you."

To make a long story short, the next night the boy was there again; and
if he didn't delight the poor pooka, holding a fine warm coat before
him, it's no mather! Betune the pooka and the man, his legs was got into
the four arms of it, and it was buttoned down the breast and the belly,
and he was so pleased he walked up to the glass to see how it looked.
"Well," says he, "it's a long lane that has no turning. I am much
obliged to you and your fellow-servants. You have made me happy at last.
Good night to you."

So he was walking out, but the other cried, "Och! sure you're going too
soon. What about the washing and sweeping?" "Ah, you may tell the girls
that they must now get their turn. My punishment was to last till I was
thought worthy of a reward for the way I done