When they saw the humpback they all stopped, and one came forward and very crossly asked his business.
‘I am one of Yourselves for the night, and should be glad to do you some service,’ said Billy Beg.
So he was set to take the password—Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. And at daybreak the King said: ‘It’s time for us to be off,’ and up came regiment after regiment giving Billy Beg the password—Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. Last of all came the king with his men, and gave the password also—Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, ‘and Sunday,’ says Billy Beg, thinking himself clever. Then there was a great outcry.
‘Get the hump that was taken off that fellow’s back last night and put it on this man’s back,’ said the King, with flashing eyes, pointing to the hump that lay under the hedge.
Before the words were well out of his mouth the hump was clapt on to Billy Beg’s back.
‘Now,’ said the King, ‘be off, and if ever I find you here again, I will clap another hump on to your front!’
And on that they all marched away with one great shout, and left poor Billy Beg standing where they had found him, with a hump growing on each shoulder. And he came home next day dragging one foot after another, with a wizened face and as cross as two sticks, with his two humps on his back, and if they are not off they are there still.
THE LAZY WIFE
Well, there was a woman once, and she was scandalous lazy. She was that lazy she would do nothing but sit in the corner of the chiollagh warming herself, or going on the houses for newses the day long. And one day her man gives her some wool to spin for him; he was terrible badly off for clothes to wear, for she was letting them get all ragged on him. He had told her to mend them until he was tired, but all he could get out of her was ‘Traa dy liooar.’ Time enough!