The hubbub at last grew so great that the door flew open, and out walked a hundred ladies and gentlemen, as fine as any in the land.
"What does this boy want?" axed one o' them, who seemed to be the masther.
"I want my mother's cow," said Shemus.
"That's not your mother's cow," said the gentleman.
"Bethershin!" [49] cried Shemus-a-sneidh; "don't I know her as well as I know my right hand?"
"Where did you lose her?" axed the gentleman. And so Shemus up and tould him all about it: how he was on the mountain—how he saw the good people hurlen—how the ball was knocked in his eye, and his cow was lost.
"I believe you are right," said the gentleman, pulling out his purse, "and here is the price of twenty cows for you."
"No, no," said Shemus, "you'll not catch ould birds wid chaff. I'll have my cow and nothen else."
"You're a funny fellow," said the gentleman; "stop here and live in a palace."
"I'd rather live with my mother."