night and day,
For packing me to heaven.
Of all the roads you'll name,
He surely will not lag,
Who takes his way to heaven
By travelling in a bag!'

'To heaven, _ershishin_?'[13] said the man in the chimney-corner,
opening his mouth and his eyes; 'why then, you'd be doing a Christian
turn, if you'd take a neighbour with you, that's tired of this bad and
villainous world.'

[Footnote 13: Does he say?]

'You're a fool, you're a fool!' said Owney.

'I know I am, at least so the neighbours always tell me--but what
hurt? Maybe I have a Christian soul as well as another; and fool or no
fool, in a bag or out of a bag, I'd be glad and happy to go the same
road it is you are talking of.'

After seeming to make a great favour of it, in order to allure him the
more to the bargain, Owney agreed to put him into the bag instead of
himself; and cautioning him against saying a word, he was just going
to tie him, when he was touched with a little remorse for going to
have the innocent man's life taken: and seeing a slip of a pig that
was killed the day before, in a corner, hanging up, the thought struck
him that it would do just as well to put it in the bag in their
place. No sooner said than done, to the great surprise of the natural,
he popped the pig into the bag and tied it up.

'Now,' says he, 'my good friend, go home, say nothing, but bless the
name in heaven for saving your life; and you were as near losing it
this morning as ever man was that didn't know.'

They left the house together. Presently out comes Owney-na-peak, very
hearty; and being so, he was not able to perceive the difference in
the contents of the bag, but hoisting it upon his back, he sallied out
of the house. Before he had gone far, he came to the rock of Foynes,
from the top of which he flung his burden into the salt waters.

Away he went home, and knocked at the door of the forge, which was
opened to him by Owney. You may fancy him to yourself crossing and
blessing himself over and over again, when he saw, as he thought, the
ghost standing before him. But Owney looked very merry, and told him
not to be afraid. 'You did many is the good turn in your life,' says
he, 'but the equal of this never.' So he up and told him that he found
the finest place in the world at the bottom of the waters, and plenty
of money. 'See these four pieces for a specimen,' showing him some he
had taken from his own hiding hole: 'what do you think