He drove out the heathen and saved the country
for his people. He had strict laws, and the people obeyed them. In his
days a lovely girl, dressed all in fine silk and gold and jewels,
walked alone the length of Ireland, and there was no one to rob her or
to harm her, because of the good King and the love the people had for
him and for his laws. And you, that are descended from King Brian, ask
if Ireland wasn't always the poor, unhappy country."
"But all that was so long ago," said John; "near a thousand years, was
it not? Since then it's been nothing but sorrow for the country and
for the people. What good is it to us that the country was happy in
King Brian's time? Will that help us pay the rent? And how we'll pay
the rent when the winter comes, I dunno, and if we don't pay it we'll
be evicted."
"Shaun," said his mother, calling him by the Irish name that she used
sometimes--"Shaun, we'll not be evicted; never fear that. Things are
bad, and they may be worse, but take my word, whatever comes, we'll
not be evicted."
"Mother," said the young man, "you never spoke the word, so far as I
know, that wasn't true, but I dunno how it'll be this time.
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