he lad was stretched out lying on the grass when the soldiers came, and when they saw him they said to him, “Show your foot.”
“Oh, don’t be humbugging me,” says he.
“We have orders,” said they, “and we cannot return without trying the shoe on everyone, poor and rich, so stretch out your foot.” He did that, and the shoe went in on his foot on the moment.
They said to him that he must come with them.
“Oh, listen to me” (i.e., give me time), said he, “till I dress myself.”
He went to the caher of the giants, and he got a fine new suit on him, and he went with them then.
That’s where the welcome was for him, and he as dressed up as e’er a man of them. They had a wedding for three days and three nights.
They got the pond and I the lakelet. They were drowned, and I came through. And as I have it (i.e., the story) to-night, that ye may not have it to-morrow night, or if ye have it itself, that ye may only lose the back teeth by it!
Douglas Hyde.