The Big Fool and three of the giants made at one another then; and he didn’t leave a hand nor a foot of the three alive. He stood looking then at his brother and the other giant. The young Gruagach was getting too much from the giant; and he called out, “Dear born brother, give me some aid, or the giant will put me out of the world.”
“I will give him,” said the Big Fool, “a blow of my fist that will drive his head through the air.”
He ran to him then, gave the giant one blow under the jawbone, and sent his head through the air. It is not known to man, woman, or child to this day where the head stopped, or did it stop in any place.
THE KING’S SON AND THE WHITE-BEARDED SCOLOG.
Not in our time, nor the time of our fathers, but long ago, there lived an old king in Erin. This king had but the one son, and the son had risen up to be a fine strong hero; no man in the kingdom could stand before him in combat.
The queen was dead, and the king was gloomy and bitter in himself because old age was on him. The strength had gone from his limbs, and gladness from his heart. No matter what people said, they could not drive sorrow from him.
One day the king called up his son, and this is what he said to him, “You are of age to marry. We cannot tell how long I’ll be here, and it would cheer and delight me to see your wife; she might be a daughter to me in my last days.”
“I am willing to obey you,” said the son; “but I know no woman that I care for. I have never seen any one that I would marry.”