“I heard there was a young fellow at your house and I want him to take service with me,” said he to the Spae-Woman.
“If the bargain is a good one I’ll take service with you,” said Gilly.
“All right, my lad,” said the Churl. “Here is the bargain, and it’s as fair as fair can be. I’ll give you a guinea, a groat and a tester for your three months’ work with me.”
“I believe it’s good wages,” said Gilly.
“It is. Howsoever, if you ever say you are sorry you made the bargain you will lose your wages, and besides that you will lose a strip of your skin an inch wide from your neck to your heel. I have to put that in or I’d never get work done for me at all. The serving boys are always saying ‘I can’t do that,’ and ‘I’m sorry I made the bargain with you.’”
“And if you say you’re sorry you made the bargain?”
“Oh, then I’ll have to lose a strip of my skin an inch wide from my neck to my heel, and besides that I’ll have to give you full wages no matter how short a time you served me.”
“Well, if that suits you it will suit me,” said Gilly of the Goatskin.
“Then walk beside my horse and we’ll get back to the Townland of Mischance to-night,” said the Churl. Then he swished his ash-plant towards Gilly and ordered him to get ready. The Spae-Woman wiped the tears from her face with her apron, gave Gilly a cake with her blessing, and he started off with the Churl for the Townland of Mischance.
XII