“Well,” said he, “when you called out that you were wet, that man had a top-coat on, that didn’t let a drop in. When you called out you were all but lost on the river, if you had a nag you would not have been afraid. The other man had a good horse.”
“He had,” said the champion.
“As good as I ever saw,” said the king’s daughter.
“How far was he with you?”
“He was with me to the end of the city.”
She arose standing. She went out, nor did she stop till she was in the city, in the place where was Kayleh-na-Bochtjinacht. She took a hold of him by the hand. She bade him welcome home. He got up and opened a travelling bag. He gave her a silk gown. He put it on her. He put silk clothes entirely on her. The two went till they came to the king’s house. The king and the champion thought the bride was in a room inside. There was a knock at the door. The housemaid arose and opened it. The young couple came in. They asked the maid if the priest was in the king’s house. She said he was; that the champion and the king’s daughter were to be married. “I would like to see the king,” said Kayleh. The maid went to the king. She told him there was a gentleman to see the wedding. The king arose. He opened the parlour door. Kayleh came to him. He said he was a stranger, that he had a woman with him to get married to; he would be thankful to the king to get the first chance of being married. The king said he would give it to him and welcome. The young couple went into the room where the priest was. They were married. They came out and they married. The bride came forward to the king and the champion. She took hold of the young champion by the shoulder. She told him to go home to his mother—“The silly man that was with you to-day, I am married to him now.” “You thought you were wise,” said the king; “but it is you were the fool, not that man.” He had nothing for it then but to get up and go home. The king’s daughter then told her father who the husband was she had. There was great joy on the king then that the lad got on so well.
They built a big house then in the city. When it was ready, they put into it the goods that were in the store. The master that was in London came into the harbour with his ship. When Kayleh heard he was there he was rejoiced. He went out to see him. The captain was rejoiced to see him. Kayleh went praising his wife. “You are a fool,” said the captain; “maybe she’s the worst in the world.” “How much will you wager on it? I’ll lay my shop against your ship that you won’t find her yielding.”
They laid the wager. The captain was going out then. “What proof shall I bring that I have had my way with her.” “There is a gold ring on her finger. Have that for me.” “Stay you here,” said the captain, “till I come.”
The captain went on shore. He went to her. She was rejoiced to see him. She said to herself that the captain was taking liberties with her. She went into a room. She locked the door and left his sight. The captain did not know then what to do. He was afraid his ship was lost. He went to the kitchen to the maid. He drew out a purse of money. He said he would give her the purse if she would open the door of the room. She covered the money. She took the lock off the door. The captain went to the woman. He said he would not leave the room till she drank a drop of his whiskey. To get rid of him she drank a drop of the whiskey. What was in it but a sleeping drop! She fell asleep. The captain took the ring from her finger. He went to Kayleh. When Kayleh saw he had the ring, the shop was lost. He went home. When the woman saw she had lost the ring, she knew it was all over with her. She went away. He was raging with anger. If he got hold of her he would kill her. She went away ashamed. The captain went to live in the house. He was selling the goods. Kayleh went off wandering. She went and put a man’s clothes on her. She went to a city. She went to a tailor’s shop. She asked the tailor if he wanted a young man. The tailor said he would not mind taking one. She made it up with him. She would sell as much as three. He thought it was a man was with him. He was with him for a year. A poor man came to the city selling brooms. He spent a couple of days in the city. The mob was casting it up to that tailor that a man from his country was selling brooms. She said there was never a man from her country who sold brooms. She rose out one evening. She went through the city to try if she could find him. She met him, and he with a load of brooms. She asked him if that was his means of living. The poor man said it was—that he was all that day, and few were the brooms he sold. She asked him how much he got for them apiece. He said he got only a halfpenny. She put her hand in her pocket and gave him the price of his load.