gave the shoe to the sisters.
But though they tried and tried, it would fit neither of them.
"Is there any other young woman in the house?" asked the prince.
"There is," said Trembling, speaking up in the closet; "I'm here."
"Oh! we have her for nothing but to put out the ashes," said the
sisters.
But the prince and the others wouldn't leave the house till they had
seen her; so the two sisters had to open the door. When Trembling came
out, the shoe was given to her, and it fitted exactly.
The prince of Emania looked at her and said: "You are the woman the
shoe fits, and you are the woman I took the shoe from."
Then Trembling spoke up, and said: "Do you stay here till I return."
Then she went to the henwife's house. The old woman put on the cloak of
darkness, got everything for her she had the first Sunday at church,
and put her on the white mare in the same fashion. Then Trembling rode
along the highway to the front of the house. All who saw her the first
time said: "This is the lady we saw at church."
Then she went away a second time, and a second time came back on the
black mare in the second dress which the henwife gave her. All who saw
her the second Sunday said: "That is the lady we saw at church."
A third time she asked for a short absence, and soon came back on the
third mare and in the third dress. All who saw her the third time said:
"That is the lady we saw at church." Every man was satisfied, and knew
that she was the woman.
Then all the princes and great men spoke up, and said to the son of the
king of Emania: "You'll have to fight now for her before we let her go
with you."
"I'm here before you, ready for combat," answered the prince.
Then the son of the king of Lochlin stepped forth. The struggle began,
and a terrible struggle it was. They fought for nine hours; and then
the son of the king of Lochlin stopped, gave up his claim, and left the
field. Next day the son of the king of Spain fought six hours, and
yielded his claim. On the third day the son of the king of Nyerfoi
fought eight hours, and stopped. The fourth day the son of the king of
Greece fought six hours, and stopped. On the fifth day no more strange
princes wanted to fight; and all the sons of kings in Erin said they
would not fight with a man of their own land, that the strangers had
had their chance, and, as no others came to claim the woman, she
belonged of right to the son of the king of Emania.
The marriage-da
|