nd rubbed Jack over with it, and he was healed as well as
ever again. Next morning Jack was up quite fresh and ready for another
day's battling, and the ould man told Jack that, win or lose, this day
was like to end the battle. And he said if Jack happened (as God send)
to come off victorious, he was to go into the castle and there he
would find a great number of beautiful virgins running about in great
confusion to prevent Jack from discovering their mistress the Queen of
the Golden Mines, and every one of them axing, "Is it me ye want? Is
it me ye want?" But he told Jack he was to heed none of them, but
press through room after room till he come to the sixth room, and
there he would find the Queen herself asleep, with the little child by
her side. So Jack went meeting the dhragon this third day again, and
the dhragon come meeting Jack. And he opened his mouth as wide as the
world, and let a roar that rattled the eyes in the sockets of the
great gray eagle on top of Croaghpathrick mountain at home in Ireland,
and then fell on Jack, and Jack fell on him; and he to it, and Jack to
it, and both of them to it; and if the fight was wild and terrible the
first two days it was ten times wilder and terribler this day. And
harder and harder it was getting the more they warmed to the work; and
one time it was Jack was getting the better of the dhragon, and the
next time it was the dhragon was getting the better of poor Jack; and
at last coming on tor'st night the dhragon was putting very hard on
Jack entirely, and it was very nearly being all over with him, when he
stepped back, and gathering all his strength mounted into the air with
one spring, and come down atop of the dhragon's head, and struck his
sword into his heart, leaving him over dead. Then Jack went into the
castle, and no sooner did he go in than there was lots of the most
beautiful virgins, running in great commotion, and asking Jack, "Is it
me ye want?" "Is it me ye want?" But Jack never heeded thim till he
come into the sixth room, where he saw the beautiful Queen of the
Golden Mines asleep, with the Queen of France's child asleep beside
her. Jack bent over her and gave her one kiss, for she was a lovely
picthur. Then he took up the child in his arms, and picking up a
beautiful garter all glancing with diamonds, that was lying by the
Queen's bedside, and taking with him a loaf of bread that could never
be eaten out, a bottle of wine that could never be drunk out, a