was a witch that had a spite to the young man because he wouldn't
marry her, and so she got power to keep him in a state between life and
death till a young woman would rescue him by doing what she had done.
So, at her request, her sisters got their own shapes again, and were
sent back to their mother, with their spades of gold and shovels of
silver. Maybe they were better after that, but I doubt it much. The
youngest got the young gentleman for her husband. I'm sure she lived
happy, and, if they didn't live happy--_that we may_!

PATRICK KENNEDY.

The Mad Pudding of Ballyboulteen

"Moll Roe Rafferty, the daughter of ould Jack Rafferty, was a fine young
bouncin' girl, large an' lavish, wid a purty head of hair on her like
scarlet, that bein' one of the raisons why she was called _Roe_ or red;
her arms and cheeks were much the colour of the hair, an' her saddle
nose was the purtiest thing of its kind that ever was on a face.

"Well, anyhow, it was Moll Rafferty that was the _dilsy_. It happened
that there was a nate vagabone in the neighbourhood, just as much
overburdened wid beauty as herself, and he was named Gusty Gillespie.
Gusty was what they call a black-mouth Prosbytarian, and wouldn't keep
Christmas day, except what they call 'ould style.' Gusty was rather
good-lookin', when seen in the dark, as well as Moll herself; anyhow,
they got attached to each other, and in the end everything was arranged
for their marriage.

"Now this was the first marriage that had happened for a long time in
the neighbourhood between a Prodestant and a Catholic, and faix, there
was one of the bride's uncles, ould Harry Connolly, a fairyman, who
could cure all complaints wid a secret he had, and as he didn't wish to
see his niece married on sich a fellow, he fought bittherly against the
match. All Moll's friends, however, stood up for the marriage, barrin'
him, and, of coorse, the Sunday was appointed, as I said, that they were
to be dove-tailed together.

"Well, the day arrived, and Moll, as became her, went to mass, and Gusty
to meeting, afther which they were to join one another in Jack
Rafferty's, where the priest, Father Mc. Sorley, was to slip up afther
mass to take his dinner wid them, and to keep Misther Mc. Shuttle, who
was to marry them, company. Nobody remained at home but ould Jack
Rafferty an' his wife, who stopped to dress the dinner, for, to tell the
truth, it was to be a great let-out entirely. Maybe, if al